Hi Friends.

We're on the ferry between Italy and Greece, on our way to our 6th annual gathering of song and silence, at the Alexis Zorbas Centre, in Corfu. Yesterday we left the Centro d'Ompio Retreat Centre in Northern Italy, after a concert and Satsang to celebrate the completion of a year long tantra training group, led by Bali and Prabhato (Aruna-Institute). It's always amazing to play for people who are into tantra, because it is so close to the way Deva and I feel about playing music. And Bali and Prabhato are masters at creating a sacred space for people to explore their sexuality.

For Deva and I, making music together is like making love. That's why we do so many concerts! In May we had the pleasure to play for Margot Anands tantra retreat in Harbin Hot Springs in California. What a beautiful evening. It is not always so easy to dance with the energy of a group, but with Margot, it became an evening of sacred fun! When we finished playing, the room was filled with a sound I'd never heard before in our concerts: deep, ecstatic breathing! Quite a sound, 40 couples breathing deeply and all involved in warm, intimate embraces.

On the subject of sensuality, I want to recommend the Wildquest website to you. We just spent two weeks down in the Bahamas with Wildquest (Sandesh, Daya, Amlas, Atmo), and two groups of 18 participants each, from all over the world, singing, chanting and swimming with dolphins.

If you ever want to give yourself a treat, go swim with a dolphin! It's one of those things you never forget. They really are the most sensual of creatures. So graceful and playful. And their world under the waves is such a silent one. By the way, did you get that email circular about the noise pollution that the US government is planning to dump in the oceans? Especially harmful to whales and dolphins, who are so dependent on their hearing for navigation. Check the Natural Resources Defense website .... maybe you feel like registering your disapproval.

Music recommendations this month: check 'Jazz' a great movie by Ken Burns. This helped me appreciate an art form I'd never really investigated before. Since wading through the ten episodes on DVD, I've turned on to some legendary artists: Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, and Benny Goodman, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and of course the great Charlie Parker. Swing was the music of my parents, and I can remember them dancing to it when I was a kid.

My Uncle Archie played sax in one of the big bands in London before I was born, and I can remember him playing in his later years. I was in awe of that big golden instrument with it's silky sound. Music has always been around me. One of my earliest memories is of my mother playing piano and singing, in the pub we lived in. She loved music. My Grandfather was a singer too. He must have filled his house with music, because both his sons played were musical...Uncle Archie, and Uncle Reg, who played trumpet. All passed on now.

Maneesh de Moor, who played keyboards on The Essence, has just released his first CD...it's called Lovers Lounge. He promises it will improve your love life. You can trust him. It's perfect music for intimate, sensual evenings, when you feel the desire to move your body and dance with your loved one (which can be yourself!).

Another favourite of mine right now, is Ravi's new album, entitled the Afro Indian Project. It contains some awesome playing by some of India's foremost classical musicians, plus the african harp (Kora), which Ravi has been playing for about 15 years now. He has become a virtuoso on the instrument, and has recorded with some of the big stars in the rock world, including Doctor John, Nigel Kennedy and Jon Lord.

Contact DevaMusic.com to get these albums.
Ok. Time for a frappé and some sea air~~~

With love to you all,
Miten.