Shubalananda Saraswati (Larry
Kopp) is bringing his spiritual musical performance called kirtan to
The Buttonwood Tree. He has been performing kirtan, a form of yoga, for
many years. Kirtan also includes a musical aspect, similar to our own
American gospel music. He has pioneered the practice through his
magazine “Time & Space, a Kirtan Journal” and his book, Kirtan
Wallah. Both the practice and his band have become extremely popular.
His band includes Ashley Flagg, a
classically trained singer and expert harmonium player, Anna Sobel, one
of the most outstanding American female tabla artists, and Bob, an
excellent bass player. Their kirtan is not only unique, but they rock!
They are based in Northampton, MA, and travel up and down the coast
leading kirtan at yoga centers five nights a week, from Portland ME to
NYC to Boston and beyond.
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Shubalananda Saraswati (Larry
Kopp) has been leading kirtan and singing bhajan for the past 25 years.
He is a sadhu, living on the Dakshina (contributions) of the Northeast
US kirtan community. He has been a regular kirtan wallah at Kripalu
Center in Lenox MA for the past 10 years and he is out six nights a week
leading kirtan regularly at over 20 yoga centers across New England,
such as The Arlington Center in Boston and Karuna Yoga in Northampton
MA. He regularly performs with Krishna Das, Dave Stringer, Wah!,
Bhagavan Das, and other national kirtan wallahs who come through New
England. He has studied kirtan and Sanatana Dharma with Satya Sai Baba,
Karuna Mayi, Shree Maa, Mata Amritananda Mayi, Baba Harihar Ramji and
Shiva Rudra Bala Yogi. Shubal sings for all the teachers whenever he
can.
Ashley Flagg is a 200-
hour certified yoga teacher, musician singer and artist. She has been
playing harmonium and singing with Shubal since winter 2008, and
supports and colors kirtan with the divine light of Sarveshwari, the
smashan Mother. Her voice lifts the bhava to celestial heights.
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Anna Sobel is one of the
world’s only American-born female tabla players. She has been studying
for many years with the renowned Pandit Divyang Vakil of Ahmedabad. She
has performed with Durga Das (David Newman). Ron Narayan Jyoti, Jambavan
(Ned Leavitt), and The Kirtan Rabbi. She also plays Middle Eastern and
African percussion and creates puppet shows to educate children about
social issues.
