Mirabai Ceiba is the joint effort of Angelika Baumbach (vocals, harp, keyboard) and Markus Sieber (guitar, vocals). The instruments blend with the lush vocals to create an audible landscape that can seduce the soul into an interlude of peace.
One of the most interesting points about Mirabai Ceiba is the blend of cultures and a crafting of devotional music that crosses many boundaries. English, Spanish, Native American, mantras from the Kundalini Yoga tradition all take inspiration from the works of Rumi, Yogi Bhajan, Guru Nanak and Thich Nhat Hanh.
Between the Shores of Our Souls is a journey into love and longing with poetry from Rumi and Kahlil Gibran. Guest musicians include Nils Petter Molvaer (trumpet), Noah Hoffeld (cello), Yoed Nir (cello), Megan Gould (violin, viola), Jamshield Sharifi (production, keyboards, bass, electric guitar, tambour and ukulele) and Benjamin Wittman (percussion).
“La Luna” was crafted from an ancient Zen poem. The multi-instrumentation rocks you back and forth like a passenger in a small boat set out to sea. The gentle guitar playing marries well with the bird like quality of Baumbach’s graceful vocals. Sung in Spanish, the sound is a fluid and beautiful harmony that reaches deep into the landscape of the mind. This piece explodes with rich cultural imagery and masterful guitar playing that immediately caught my interest.
“Love Writes” is based on lyrics by Rumi, a poet and philosopher. His work is deeply spiritual and fits with the imagery invoked by the gentle vocals and beautifully harmonized multi-instrumentation of the track. This song captured my interest immediately, as I found the words to be hauntingly familiar, although I didn’t realize why at the time. As a writer, this song holds so much truth and the simply gorgeous music that accompanies the words made my heart erupt in song. I have played this piece over and over again and each time delighted in the gossamer waves of sound.
“Burn of the Heart” is again based on lyrics by Rumi. The blending of vocals between Baumbach and Sieber is simply stunning. It is a vocal entwining of the deepest desire of the heart. Fluid percussion, tinkling bells and a tapestry of instrumentation breaths vibrant life into this piece and makes it explode with subtle colors. Desire reigns in a seductive burn that calls to you deep in the night. Listen to the whispers of your secret dreams and delights. This song will take you there.
Mirabai Ceiba is a blend of Native Latin America and India. Mirabai, a mystical singer in the 1400’s sang of the soul’s longing to be with the universal being, manifested in Krishna. It is a representation of divinity in all of its forms. Ceiba is a tree that is sacred in the Latin American tradition. The blend of male and female vocals is transcendent, a gentle wind and a seductive lilting voice that carries you off into an ocean of peace.
Key Tracks- Love Writes, Burn of the Heart, La Luna
October 16, 2012
