Anjali

"Mantra music and devotional songs have a most healing effect on the hearts and minds of humanity.  It is my goal to convey that feeling of Supreme Love to all through music."

Anjali, a.k.a. Angela Silva, has been recognized for her warmly, sensuous voice, and engaging performances. Her musical expression is a unique blend of Brazilian, East Indian, Latin American, and American jazz styles. Throughout her career, she has performed both nationally and internationally, working as a producer and singer on recording projects, television, and radio. She is the national secretary of arts for RAWA, Renaissance Artists and Writers Association, a global organization that promotes “art for service and blessedness”. Her solo recording, Sweet Joy (InnerSong 1998) has been acclaimed around the globe as one of the most inspiring spiritual CDs.
An American of Portuguese and Mexican lineage, Anjali grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, surrounded with rich music from Cuban son to classical sonatas. The fourth generation of musicians on her mother’s side, she displayed a passionate interest in music at a very young age and at five years old, was already playing piano and composing songs on the guitar. She began formal voice training at age 15 and went on to study diverse techniques such as: opera, jazz, and Hindustani vocals.
In the early 80’s, Anjali was the singer for several jazz big bands throughout the Bay Area. She helped form the acappella group Street Sounds, led by former Sweet Honey in the Rock member, Louise Robinson, and later spent a year in Japan for exclusive engagements in reputable nightclubs. Upon her return to the USA, she created her own group, performing Brazilian and jazz music throughout the Bay Area. For nearly a decade, she worked closely with Colombian born singer-songwriter Claudia Gomez, performing Latin American music. Her working relationship with some of the finest Bay Area musicians resulted in the expansion of her musical education where she studied Brazilian and jazz guitar, percussion, composition and arrangement.
    In the early 90’s Anjali set out for the South Pacific Islands for performances in major hotels. There she met with producer Tom Bejado, recorded several jingles, and performed the theme song for the Micronesian Olympic Games. Upon her return to the states, she began to study a distinct form of East Indian influenced compositions called Prabhat Samgiita (Songs of the New Dawn) written by mystic, P.R. Sarkar. In the fall of 1996, she performed these songs with award winning vocalist, Acharya Nityasatyananda at the Renaissance 2000 conference UCLA, California.
    In her career, Anjali has performed with some of the Bay Area’s finest musicians such as Mike Spiro, Rebecca Mauleon-Santana, and Joyce Cooling. She has been recognized by some of the most prominent figures in music such as Tuck and Patti, Placido Domingo, Joan Baez, Wayne Shorter and Manhattan Transfer. She has performed at some of California’s noted venues and festivals including the Kuumbwa Jazz Center, Monterey and San Jose Jazz Festivals, and the Noe Valley Ministery Series.
    More recently, Anjali has brought her special music to schools, spiritual and wellness centers, and has performed for events such as the March20 Houston, An Evening with David Barsamian, and for Green Party presidential candidate David Cobb. She is regularly featured on KPFT, Pacifica Radio, and performs locally and abroad for non-profit events.
   

Anjali ~ anjalinaja@hotmail.com  ~ 17153 Valley Palms Dr., Spring, TX 77379 ~ (281) 376-3391

Ramon Rainjan Sosa

Originally from Argentina “Rainjan” is a dynamic and inspiring singer/songwriter, spreading spiritual and socially conscious, world-music throughout the world.

It was 1987 when Rainjan first joined the international yoga, social service, humanitarian and worldwide relief organization, Ananda Marga. In Sweden, he undertook training and certification in yogic practices and philosophies. Throughout the years, Rainjan has worked in the social service branch of Ananda Marga, AMURT/EL, in South & Central America, Europe, India, Mexico, the Caribbean and the U.S.A.

During this time in Ananda Marga, Rainjan has continued to develop his music career, which began at the age of five. He has produced several CDs of original music of chants and songs; as well as spiritual discourses and kiirtans. As a performing artist, he has had the opportunity to share music with people all over the world. Rainjan works closely with AMURT/EL, and continues to organize fundraising concerts to help support relief work such as the recent natural calamities of the Tsunami and the USA hurricanes. He is also an international member of RAWA – Renaissance Artists and Writers Association.


Momentos De Vida ~ A tapestry of songs written by Argentinean artist, Dada Rajatakrsna, (Rainjan) during his experience as a yogic monk, providing relief work and teaching meditation to the indigenous people of Mexico and Central America. Exquisite poetry and alluring arrangements, with a distinct South American soul - Anjali soars with Dada in unison vocals, and weaves her unique harmonies.

Further References

Anjali

National secretary of arts for RAWA - Renaissance Artists and Writers Association
Performer of world spiritual, mantra, and socially conscious music
Integrating Brazilian, Latin American, East Indian, and American styles
Distributor for InnerSong music
Contact info: anjalinaja@hotmail.com; 281-376-3391


Anjali is the national secretary of arts for RAWA - Renaissance Artists and Writers Association, promoting art for service and blessedness. She is a performer and recording artist of devotional and socially conscious music; performs regularly on KPFT radio, and can be heard at different venues, both locally and nationally.

CD Review: Sweet Joy

    I have been prospecting for music for many years now, and I know that sometimes, just sometimes, rare gemstones are encountered in the unlikeliest of places. I was fortunate enough to receive a copy of Sweet Joy when it was released in 1998 on cassette only, and by the end of my first listen I was already lamenting the fact that it had not been released on CD. Six years have passed since, and finally Sweet Joy has been reissued on CD. Hopefully it will now reach the wider audience that it deserves.
    Anjali is a singer-songwriter with her roots in Brazilian music and West Coast Jazz. In Sweet Joy she combines these two influences with a strong spiritual consciousness and a subtle poetic sensibility worthy of the melodic, harmonic and rhythmic richness that underscores these superbly crafted songs. A graceful but energetic vocal stylist who at times reminds me of Patti Andress from the Tuck and Patti duo (not coincidentally, her former vocal coach and longtime friend), Anjali infuses her compositions with a conviction and an understated passion that help to elevate the listener towards the spiritual states of consciousness that she cites in the liner notes as the source of these songs. This, I believe, is the hallmark of truly spiritual music, whatever tradition it may belong to.
    As we might expect, each of the twelve tracks is backed by tasteful acoustic arrangements that help to highlight the vocal and lyrical magic they serve. Apart from the eight original compositions contained on the CD, Anjali has also included four Indian kirtans where she dedicates her voice to the service of the purest form of devotional music.
    In the song "If You Wish" we find the following lyrics: "If you wish a lotus will bloom on a solid rock/If you just imagine, light travels and pierces the deepest darkness/Come, take your seat in the deep darkness of my heart." Sweet Joy has long since taken its seat in the deepest recesses of my heart, and I suspect it will still be there years from now alongside the other music gemstones that have brought their rare light to my life.

~ Devashish Donald Acosta, author of When the Time Comes and The Ashram

Links

Purchase CDs by Anjali

Sweet Joy:  http://www.innersong.com/products/devotional/sweetjoy.htm

Momentos de Vida:  http://www.innersong.com/products/devotional/momentos.htm


Anjali’s page on RAWA America:   http://rawanys.ru.org/

Anjali’s MyMusic Space:   http://www.myspace.com/shantianjali

Anjali’s favorite link:   http://rawa.ru.org/