Shankara is a Kirtan music ensemble devoted to bringing participants to a state of bliss and harmony as they take you on a musical journey for the heart and soul! Kirtan is a form of Bhakti Yoga which is a devotional practice where participants are guided through call and response chanting to help quiet the mind and connect with the heart through mantra and music. Shankara is a beautiful blend of vocals, harmonium, tabla drums, guitar, mandolin and violin offering a sound quality that is truly enchanting and which deeply resonates with the heart chakra and uplifts the spirit! This Kirtan group features Brenda Crane on harmonium, guitar and vocals, Luis Monge on tabla drums and guitar, and Scott Marlin on mandolin and violin. Shankara looks forward to sharing this inspiring practice with you!
our Bios: Brenda has a loving presence, deep attunement, and clarity as she shares sacred songs and mantras along with her harmonium and guitar as a way to truly inspire the heart and soul. She has been leading Kirtans and Dances of Universal Peace throughout the Central Coast for over 11 years. She is deeply passionate about using music and chanting from a variety of spiritual traditions to uplift the spirit and kindle that spark of love in people’s hearts everywhere. She is a Certified Dance Leader with the Dances of Universal Peace of North America (DUPNA) and a Certified Sufi Guide with Sirat-I Inayat Interfaith Sufi Path, the path of the heart, which honors all spiritual traditions. She has been teaching multicultural music classes to elementary school children for several years. Brenda sings from the heart and is deeply devoted to leading Kirtans so that others can experience the bliss and calm that arises from this Bhakti Yoga practice
Luis finds rhythm to be a universal language of interconnection to reach the heart, enliven the soul and settle the mind. After playing drums since his early teens, the discovery of Indian percussion a few years later during his travels felt like a cosmic guidance toward the beautiful art of tabla. His first teacher, Manjeet Singh, a Sikh preacher, offered the initial foundation to the basic yet intricate techniques necessary for development. Later, he had the opportunity to continue studying briefly with master percussionist John Bergamo, and then, more extensively with Nepal's treasure Pandit Hom Nath Upadhyaya and his very accomplished son Pramod, as well as with virtuoso tabla player from Pune India, Raul Pophali. The combination of tradition with sincere instinctive improvisation serves as the conduit that fuels his expression.
Scott has been expressing himself musically with violin since a young age. He gets his inspiration from a variety of musical traditions and is working towards developing new ways to use his instrument to build spiritual connection. Scott plays the mandolin in a variety of ways as well with intricate musical patterns that enhances the interplay of instruments and vocals.