Susan von Seggern

Noted LA Yoga Teacher Alex Dawson Releases “Om Mani Padme Hum” EP October 5

10/04/2018 by Susan von Seggern

Release Event Kirtan Scheduled for 12 Noon Sunday October 7 at Wanderlust Hollywood

Alex Dawson EP cover Los Angeles, CA – September 17, 2018 – With a packed schedule of private lessons, teaching nine classes weekly at three Equinox locations and Wanderlust Hollywood, traveling to teach at the Wanderlust festivals, and hosting several retreats annually, it’s a wonder popular LA yoga teacher Alex Dawson has time to catch an in-breath, let alone record an EP, but the three song “Om Mani Padme Hum” is set for release on October 5 on Spotify, Apple Music and all other major online outlets.

The release event for the EP will be an hour long Kirtan session at 12 noon on Sunday October 7 at Wanderlust Hollywood,1357 Highland Avenue, Hollywood, CA 90028. The free event will take place immediately after she teaches Wanderlust’s popular Sunday morning “Soulscape” class.

Joining her on the gig are EP producer, bass player and beatsmith John von Seggern who is noted for his work with electronic jazz legend Jon Hassell and his Indian-style global hit remix of Nelly Furtado’s “Like a Bird,” and the EP’s guitarist Matt Piper, who is revered in the music business as a top expert on Propellerhead’s Reason software.

In addition to “Om Mani Padme Hum,” the other two Sanskrit mantras on the EP are “Gopala” and “Jai Hanuman.” Dawson notes, “when I started playing with John and Matt in 2016, I fell in love with the collaboration and how the mantras came to life. Putting out an EP is super scary and breeds resistance so I’m thrilled to set this one free. I hope listeners enjoy it, too!”

Event sponsors include Magic Dates and Guayaki Yerba Mate. Instead of hot tea, Guayaki will be providing some of Alex’s favorite new flavor – sparkling grapefruit ginseng.

Alex began teaching yoga in 2002 to Kathleen Turner, Lorraine Bracco, and the Broadway cast of ‘The Graduate.’ She did her 200-hour training at Sonic Yoga in Manhattan and studied many forms of meditation including Vedic with Thom Knoles, Vipassana as taught by S.K. Goenka and Mindfulness with Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield. Alex is studying Sound Healing and has created for Wanderlust Festivals her signature “Get Woke” class which is a powerful vinyasa practice that lands savasana into a sound bath and wakes you up with a Bhakti hit of call and response chanting. “Bhakti is another form of sound healing. It creates unseen healing both in the body and the community and it penetrates deep. It is a natural compliment to vinyasa for me both as a student and teacher.”

Currently, Alex is based in Los Angeles and teaches at Wanderlust Hollywood and Equinox where she often brings her harmonium for a closing Bhakti hit. She is inspired by people who recover from anything. That moment of transformation is her deepest call of illumination and is why she was so drawn to “Om Mani Padme Hum” as her debut EP. She travels worldwide to lead yoga retreats. Next up is her New Year’s Retreat in Mexico toasting in 2019, and later…Bali.

Alex was also a lead in the critically acclaimed and New York Times featured web series ‘Namaste, Bitches,’ but she swears, it’s not like that. (At least not in her class).

Bitcoin, Blockchain and the New World of Cryptofinance are Demystified by Noted Futurist Mark Pesce in the New PodcastOne series, THE NEXT BILLION SECONDS – CRYPTONOMICS

10/04/2018 by Susan von Seggern

Mark pesce Beverly Hills, CA – September 11, 2018 – Bitcoin’s bubble has burst, but the world of cryptocurrencies – and the ‘blockchain’ technology that powers them – is here to stay. That world has been shrouded in deep-tech speak by experts holding the secrets to this new economy.

Futurist, inventor and award-winning podcaster Mark Pesce shines a light into this new world of CYRPTONOMICS – where everything involving money is changing.

“It’s vitally important for everyone – not just bankers and techies – to understand this new world of finance, investing and money. CRYPTONOMICS gives listeners the tools they need to understand this new world. This is the 101 for everyone,” says Pesce.

Across five episodes CRYPTONOMICS listeners learn the basics of the blockchain, the bonanza of Bitcoin and what it says about how money works in the 21st century.

The business of blockchain is already transforming agribusiness, energy, even gaming, finding its way into every part of our daily lives, while from the cutting edge we’re seeing “smart contracts’, computer code blending with cryptocurrencies to create ‘smart money’ – money that thinks for itself!

Pesce is joined on CRYPTONOMICS by experts using this powerful new technology to solve age-old business problems – such as ensuring farmers get paid on time for their crops. These business successes give listeners a window onto a world where every part of our lives has been touched by blockchain technologies.

Cryptocurrency pioneer Mark Jeffery – who recently launched his own cryptocurrency to power a ‘distributed 9-1-1’ service – says “CRYPTONOMICS dispels the crypto-mysticism that’s made this tech breakthrough seem impossibly hard. It’s not hard, it’s just new – but Pesce makes the new feel familiar, even friendly.”

“People believe in cryptocurrencies”, Pesce says, “But belief is a lousy investment strategy. CRYPTONOMICS listeners learn the questions they need to ask before they make a risky investment. They’ll learn how to make the world of blockchain work for them — and their children. Money is changing – let’s get ready for that new world!”

Available September 11th on PodcastOne.com – via the PodcastOne App – or search THE NEXT BILLION SECONDS CRYPTONOMICS on Apple podcasts.

About Mark Pesce:
Mark Pesce is a futurist, inventor, writer, entrepreneur, educator and podcaster. In 1994 Pesce co-invented VRML, a 3D interface to the Web. Pesce was a judge on Australian Broadcasting Company’s series The New Inventors, celebrating Australia’s newest inventions, and writes an award-winning column for global tech publication The Register.

Pesce hosts several podcasts, including This Week in Startups Australia; and The Next Billion Seconds – winner of the Best Technical and Scientific Podcast of 2018 at the Australian Podcast Awards – offering a window into the world of tomorrow. Pesce has written six books, including The Playful World, VRML: Browsing and Building Cyberspace, and Hyperpolitics, and founded postgraduate programs at both the University of Southern California and the Australian Film, Television and Radio School, holding appointments as Honorary Associate at the University of Sydney, and Honorary Adjunct at the University of Technology, Sydney.

Fusicology Celebrates its 15th Anniversary with GRAMMY®-Winner Louie Vega Sunday, October 21 at the Ford Theatres

09/11/2018 by Susan von Seggern

FUSICOLOGY flyer Los Angeles, CA – August 9, 2018 – GRAMMY® Award-winning bandleader Louie Vega is renowned the world over for helping to create and establish house music’s soulful Latin, gospel and jazz-influenced style. Based in New York City, Vega is a dance music legend both as a DJ and as a prolific music producer. Vega and his band, E.O.L. Soulfrito, will perform live at the Ford Theatres on Sunday, October 21 in a special celebratory concert commemorating Fusicology‘s 15th anniversary! Tickets are available at FordTheatres.org.

Vega, who last performed live in LA in 2009 at the House of Blues, is pleased to bring his new “Elements Of Life” (E.O.L.) show to Los Angeles for the 15th anniversary of his friend Asya Shein’s company Fusicology, noting, “I have seriously known Asya since she was a teenager! It’s wonderful to see her all grown up, operating a top online outlet for urban events, producing shows, and generally running the game in LA and nationally!”

With his latest album NYC Disco on Nervous Records topping the charts this summer, two GRAMMY® nominations (of his seven nominations) in the last two years, and a lifetime of adoration and success in the dance music community, Vega is certainly not slowing down!

ABOUT LOUIE VEGA
Active since the ‘90s as a DJ, producer, label operator and as one-half of Masters at Work, Vega is a permanent part of dance music history. Vega made a name for himself behind the decks in the New York City club circuit prior to branching out with studio work. Besides producing his own releases with an array of vocal and instrumental collaborators, he has produced and remixed tracks for commercial dance-pop vocalists and underground artists and producers alike.

Remarkably eclectic across four decades, Vega has been deeply immersed in an array of club music styles— house being foremost—and has all the while kept the genre’s connections to disco, freestyle, rap, Latin and jazz illuminated. Among his most notable career achievements are number one Billboard club hits such as “Ride on the Rhythm,” with Marc Anthony, in 1991; Saint Ettiene’s “Only Love Can Break Your Heart;” Chic’s “Chic Mystique” and “I Can’t Get No Sleep,” with Masters at Work featuring India, in 1993; and a GRAMMY® Award for Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical for his remix of Curtis Mayfield’s “Superfly” in 2006.

His revered discography of mix albums and studio projects includes Louie Vega Starring…XXVIII, which was nominated for Best Dance/Electronic Album GRAMMY® in 2016. Vega has never lost touch with his roots, epitomized by his new album NYC Disco on Nervous Records.

Born and raised in New York City’s Bronx borough, Vega grew up surrounded by music, as the son of Latin and jazz saxophonist Luis Vega, Sr. and a nephew of salsa legend Héctor Lavoe of the Fania All Stars. Vega began DJing as a teenager after he watched his neighborhood friend and hip-hop pioneer Jazzy Jay spin records. He was soon a regular at Bronx block parties and New York City events at the Roxy.

After a nine-month stint at his first club, Sal Abatiello’s Devil’s Nest in the Bronx, he began spinning at the infamous Hearthrob in New York City, where he met house producer Todd Terry, who regularly gave Vega his new tracks by Black Riot and Royal House to try out on the crowd. Vega’s own first remix commissions, in 1986 and 1987, included Information Society’s “Running,” Debbie Gibson’s “Only in My Dreams,” and Noel’s “Silent Morning.” By then, he was a fixture in the NYC club scene, within DJ booths of the Devil’s Nest, Heartthrob, Studio 54, and the Sound Factory Bar (Underground Network parties).

Vega debuted as a solo producer in 1989 with “Don’t Tell Me” for TVT and “Keep Pumpin’ It Up” for SBK One. Both singles were issued under the name Freestyle Orchestra, the first of Vega’s many aliases, though the majority of his subsequent solo output has been credited to his childhood nickname Little Louie Vega.

Additional early success came after Vega was commissioned to do songs for the movie East Side Story, which placed him in the path of singer Marc Anthony. Vega and Anthony signed to Atlantic as a duo and released the album When The Night Is Over and single “Ride on the Rhythm,” which featured Vega’s father on saxophone and topped Billboard’s club chart in 1991.

Shortly thereafter, he and Kenny “Dope” Gonzalez became established as Masters at Work (MAW). He met Gonzalez through fellow producer Todd Terry, who originally borrowed Kenny’s crew name Masters at Work for some late-’80s output “Dum Dum Cry” and “Alright Alright.” Since 1990, Vega and Gonzalez have issued hundreds of 12″ remixes and productions for major artists and some on their own MAW label. They’ve hit commercially with the chart-topping River Ocean Featuring India collaboration “Love & Happiness” (1993), and have remixed the likes of Jamiroquai, Madonna, Incognito, Janet Jackson, Aliyaah, and Michael Jackson, among tracks by dozens of other artists.

Working under the name Nuyorican Soul (in addition to MAW), the two worked with such jazz legends as Tito Puente, Eddie Palmieri and George Benson for a self-titled 1997 album that reached top 40 in the UK. The success of Nuyorican Soul cut a path for Vega to lead another all-star affair, Elements Of Life, with help from fellow deep house heavyweights Josh Milan and Kevin Hedge of Blaze, along with top-tier vocalists Cyndi Mizelle, Lisa Fischer, Raul Midon, and Anané.

Another career highlight was composing a song for Cirque Du Soleil with Blaze, “One Dream,” recorded by Elements Of Life and featuring lead vocalist Anané. The song was performed by The Elements Of Life Band and Cirque Du Soleil live at the 2007 Superbowl in front of 70,000 people at Dolphin Stadium in Florida and seen by 145 million viewers on television worldwide.

The Elements Of Life’s activity culminated with the 2013 album Eclipse on Fania Records. The collaborative spirit continued through 2016’s Louie Vega Starring…XXVIII, on which he worked with material from Funkadelic, Jocelyn Brown, The Winans Brothers and The Clark Sisters, Lisa Fischer, Cindy Mizelle, and his long-term collaborators Anané and Josh Milan. That album was nominated for a Best Dance/Electronic Album GRAMMY® in 2016.

Across the decades, Vega has also continued to tour the world as a DJ with his unique blend of house, Afro house, disco classics, obscurities and dancefloor anthems old and new. His selecting and DJing skills have been showcased on over 20 commercially released DJ mixes, such as Little Louie Vega at the Underground Network NYC (1993), Back in the Box (2007), and Vega on King Street: A 20 Year Celebration (2013). NYC Disco (2018) on Nervous Records applied many of his skills with a selection of original productions, plus remixed, edited and reworked club classics of the late ’70s and early ’80s seminal label Sam Records.

Breaking down musical barriers and bringing people together through a love of music has always been Vega’s aim; after more than 20 years in the game, his contributions continue to positively influence global dance music.

ABOUT FUSICOLOGY
Fusicology was founded in 2003 by noted independent dance and urban music agent Asya Shein as a way to help promote her clients’ gigs. Fifteen years later, Fusicology is now one of the premier event guides for urban music fans in 25 cities across North America, with Shein as its CEO.

Joining Shein on the Fusicology team is CTO Michael Sherrill, a respected African American technology business and startup veteran. Business and legal affairs are run by Sapna Lal, with editorial and content provided by noted journalists from across the U.S. and Canada.

Fusicology’s premise and footprint consists of user generated event listings curated by niche promoters, artists, agencies, talent managers and venues. The site, newsletters and apps specialize in providing socially significant information for multicultural early-adopters, providing a rich connection between brands and a progressive cosmopolitan audience.

In addition to the site, Fusicology is an award-winning full service digital, experiential and strategic boutique agency that offers targeted marketing through its expansive national digital platform, along with in-market venue activations and a vast promotional force.

With an audience of over 200,000 users, Fusicology is unique in that it delivers a trend-setting young, multicultural audience. In addition to being the go-to site for notable live event purveyors like Goldenvoice, AEG Live, House of Blues, Live Nation and the LA Phil, brands that have utilized Fusicology include Red Bull, HBO, Puma, Diageo, Lions Gate Films, and many others.

In addition to the Louie Vega E.O.L. Soulfrito event at the Ford Theatres, Fusicology’s 15 Year celebration will kick off in August 2018 with a new interface that includes a website, mobile apps, newsletters, and with more special events taking place nationwide in the Fall.

Art / My Way – A New Video Series Exploring Artists’ Creative Process Debuts

08/03/2018 by Susan von Seggern

Pixels, the World’s Largest Art Marketplace with More Than 500,000 Artists, Sponsors Online Show

Santa Monica, CA – July 17, 2018 – A new series of artist profiles, “Art / My Way,” launches today on Pixels at https://pixels.com/videos.html?videotype=artMyWay.

What drives artists to do what they do? How do their lives and their work inform one another? “Art /My Way” is an inspiring video series which tells the stories of modern American visual artists and how they established themselves creatively.

Capturing the essence of creative professionals at the intersection of their craft and their story, “Art / My Way” provides an intimate look inside the minds of working artists in an entertaining three-minute format. Each episode reveals a unique perspective for art lovers while providing artists with ideas and motivation to create a career around their work.

Beautifully shot by documentary filmmaker Jeff Bloom, the videos were produced by Pixels, the world’s largest art marketplace and print-on-demand technology company.

The videos feature some of the most interesting artists who use Pixels to showcase and sell their work online. The first two “pilot” episodes of “Art /My Way” profile South African-born painter Jabu and Oregon native landscape photographer Nicki Frates, who both currently reside in Los Angeles.

This series speaks to overcoming the fear and adversity that get in the way of lifelong dreams and illustrates how basic needs can drive innovation and entrepreneurship. Through intimate and candid moments, “Art / My Way” cuts to the heart of what motivates artists to create and the risks and sacrifices they have made to get where they are today.

Jabu was born in Johannesburg, South Africa’s Alexander Township during apartheid and views the great Nelson Mandela as his hero. Jabu sees himself as an “artivist,” or an activist artist. As a youth he was imprisoned for a year for making Mandela t-shirts! While brief, the video manages to delve into Jabu’s artistic methods, some of his most prominent works, and what pop star he feels is as much of a leader as Martin Luther King Jr (hint, he was recently at the Louvre). To view the video, please go to: https://youtu.be/AUqaYk3SdsY.

Daughter of renowned commercial photographer Dennis Frates, Nicki Frates grew up accompanying her dad on shoots. Fear of somehow not living up to his example caused her to go into fashion as her creative outlet, but photography wouldn’t let her go. Now she is an award-winning landscape photographer who braves extreme weather to shoot in beautiful but challenging locations. With a unique definition of success, Nicki is doing Art /My Way. To see her video, please go to: https://youtu.be/AZDHuF5sl44.

Pixels CEO Sean Broihier notes, “Many of our artists have built their careers the same way that we built our business – by creatively bootstrapping, not by being anointed by a VC firm or an art gallery. We are thrilled to give them a platform to explain how they do their art, their way.”

The Clark Hulings Fund Invites Visual Artists to Apply for Fellowships to its Innovative Business Accelerator Program

08/03/2018 by Susan von Seggern

National nonprofit provides artists with customized business training and support to help them take charge of their careers and make their businesses self-sustaining

Santa Fe, New Mexico – On September 1st, 2018, The Clark Hulings Fund for Visual Artists (CHF) will begin accepting applications for its 2019 Business Accelerator Program, an intensive year-long course of business study for professional working artists. Through this innovative web-based program, currently in its fifth year, the national nonprofit organization is transforming the art industry by providing visual artists with the business training they need to succeed as entrepreneurs and make a complete living through the creation of their art.

A total of 20 Fellows will be selected to receive free tuition for CHF’s 2019 Business Accelerator, which will provide them with customized business training, network-building opportunities, publicity, and one-on-one support to boost their careers and make their art practices self-sustaining. At the end of year one, each Fellow will have established a viable business objective and developed an “investment-grade” business plan for an entrepreneurial project that furthers the objective. A select group of the 2019 Fellows will be chosen to continue on to the program’s second year, during which they will work directly with the Accelerator team to hone their skills, ensure accountability, and capitalize their proposed projects.

With this groundbreaking program, CHF is filling a vacuum that exists in the art industry. Art schools rarely teach business skills, but these are essential if visual artists are to seize lucrative opportunities in a timely manner, and navigate an industry rife with predatory middlemen who foster artists’ dependency by exploiting their insecurities about their business acumen. To thrive economically, artists must fund and operate their businesses, often on a shoestring budget, while creating salable work that still realizes their creative vision.

Visual artists are fully capable of achieving these goals, but they just need access to the right resources and skills. CHF’s comprehensive Business Accelerator Program provides all this and more. Through the program’s monthly workshops, interactive labs, and required assignments, participants obtain practical training that’s actionable in the real world. They learn how to develop a business strategy, hone their brand narrative, be proactive about marketing, find buyers for their art, negotiate contracts, handle copyrights, communicate more effectively, and manage their finances and taxes. Every session is led by a subject-matter expert, and labs include extensive time for Q&A, allowing the Fellows to get feedback on their specific business questions and hear each other’s perspectives.

Fellows also receive free all-inclusive access to CHF’s comprehensive digital learning portal, which delivers business education to artists in formats they already consume—learning videos and tools, expert columns, Q&As with leading figures in the art world, and podcasts that are distributed through iTunes and other syndicated networks.

Although the educational components form the core of the Business Accelerator Program, participants also gain publicity for their work—through CHF’s Thriving Artist™ podcast, social-media accounts, press outreach, and other channels—and, even more importantly, they build a powerful network of allies via their peers in the program. Being a visual artist is often a solitary pursuit, but CHF Accelerator Fellows communicate with each other directly on an ongoing basis through workshop and labs, a closed Facebook group for current and past Fellows, and other one-on-one and small-group interactions.

Beyond training, funding, and personalized support, CHF’s pioneering program also gives artists something that’s more intangible but just as crucial: a new outlook on their businesses, and the confidence that they have both the right and the ability to break out of the boxes in which they’ve been penned. “Those walls exist only to serve the gatekeepers who built them,” says CHF Director Elizabeth Hulings. “We’re here to knock them down so that artists are free to act in their own best interests, individually and collectively.”

APPLICATION PERIOD
September 1 – September 30, 2018. Artists are strongly encouraged to pre-register here, to receive email updates on the application process and deadlines. In addition, pre-registrants will receive free “Colleague”-level access to our digital learning portal.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
To be considered for CHF’s Business Accelerator Fellowship, applicants must be professional painters, artists working on paper, and/or sculptors who:

Employ traditional media (Applicants who use photography, film, and/or video will also be considered, but these may not be the sole media with which they work.)
Have had their work exhibited and/or published professionally
Are pursuing specific opportunities or projects for which business support from CHF would make a substantive difference
Are United States citizens or permanent residents
Have not previously been awarded a Fellowship or grant from CHF

CHF does not give preference to any particular movement, style, or art-world trend; all painters, sculptors, and artists working on paper are eligible.

cFELLOWSHIP BENEFITS
The 20 Business Accelerator Fellows will receive:

Full tuition to CHF’s live 2019 Business Accelerator course, consisting of monthly strategic workshops and labs focused on key issues (e.g., contracts, negotiations, sales, marketing, relationship management, etc.), facilitated by subject-matter experts
The customized support of CHF’s Business Accelerator team and powerful individual consultations with other experts in the business of art, business growth, and strategy
Free, all-inclusive access to CHF’s comprehensive digital learning portal
PR exposure via CHF’s digital media, social/PR channels, and events calendar
Introductions to industry leaders (e.g., successful artists, gallerists, collectors, curators, etc.), invitations to regional/local events (as available), and referrals to CHF’s stable of vetted professional partners
Multiple opportunities to collaborate with the other Fellows to advance their careers and shape CHF’s Accelerator for future participants
Automatic inclusion in The Artist Federation, a self-organized network for professional visual artists

From the main group of 20 Fellows, a select subset will be chosen to move on to year two, during which CHF’s Accelerator team will provide one-on-one support to maximize the impact of what they learned in the first year and help them capitalize their projects.

APPLICATION & SELECTION PROCESS
Artists must apply online. Those who make it past the first round will have their applications considered by CHF’s educational leadership team, which will select 20 Fellows to participate in the program based on the following criteria:

An artist’s original application
A demonstrable commitment to actively managing his/her business

TIMING
CHF’s 2019 Business Accelerator Fellows will be named in November 2018, and the program begins in January 2019.

About The Clark Hulings Fund
The Clark Hulings Fund for Visual Artists (CHF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that champions economic sustainability for working artists. We do this by delivering business education and entrepreneurial learning through our rigorous Business Accelerator, a digital learning portal, in-person education events in local communities, and a federation of artist-formed and artist-led networks of opportunity. All of this work achieves one aim: equip visual artists to thrive as self-sustaining entrepreneurs.

Bhakti Fest Announces an Unprecedented 10th Anniversary Festival Lineup

08/03/2018 by Susan von Seggern

Festival Debuts by Deepak Chopra, and Radnor & Lee; New features include Mantra Dome and Kirtan Camp

Joshua Tree, CA – July 30, 2018 – Upon exiting the stage at 1969’s Woodstock Festival where Sri Swami Satchidananda gave the event’s invocation to over 400,000 attendees, the renowned spiritual leader gave Sridhar Silberfein his mission to create a festival where the focus was chanting the names of the divine and bringing higher consciousness to the masses. Forty years later in 2009 Sridhar actualized his mission, and in 2018 we are thrilled to celebrate 10 years of Bhakti Fest, September 12 – 17.

Pulling out all the stops for their 10th Annual Bhakti Fest event, attendees will be treated to a keynote speech from the world-renowned mindfulness leader, Dr. Deepak Chopra M.D., co-founder JIYO.com, in his yoga festival debut. Dr. Chopra will also lead a workshop on The Radiance Sutras, in conjunction with Dr. Lorin Roche; take part in the Spiritual Superstar panel featuring Jai Uttal, Shiva Rea and Prem Baba; and lead a Global Meditation with Grammy nominated artist Krishna Das.

While long known as a Kirtan (chanting) music festival, Bhakti Fest has branched out into Sacred Music in recent years, and for the 10th edition, are pleased to host the festival debut of Radnor & Lee. This new duo features television superstar Josh Radnor, the titular “I” in the Emmy winning nine season hit show “How I Met Your Mother,” along with noted Australian singer/songwriter Ben Lee. Friends for over a decade with a shared interest in philosophy and spirituality, they always said they should write a song together. One song turned into ten and Radnor & Lee was born. Their debut album “Radnor & Lee” came out in November, 2017, and they have amassed a growing and passionate fanbase globally, particularly in Brazil where they completed a sold-out tour in January. They are currently at work on their second album due out later this year. Alternately witty, hopeful, yearning, joyful, searching, meditative, and celebratory, Radnor & Lee make music for human beings who are ready to fall in love with being human again.

Other new artists on the various Bhakti Fest stages will include Sri Kala’s sacred hip hop; Andre Thierry’s big band creole of folk, blues, jazz, zydeco, and soul; and global folkie Mikey Pauker leading a Shabad performance Friday at Sunset.

Unique to Bhakti Fest, in addition to the music stages, the event’s 10th Anniversary will add a Mantra Dome, a dedicated 360° dome space where attendees can join their favorite artists in for an intimate gathering to chant sacred mantras; a visionary art exhibition; and a Kirtan Camp offering a unique and blessed learning journey of two-hour classes to expand singers’ and musicians’ knowledge of how to utilize instruments and chanting for a deeper Bhav experience.

“While we always bring in the world’s best yoga teachers, including Sri Dharma Mittra, Shiva Rae, Janet Stone, Kia Miller, Mark Whitwell, Sianna Sherman, Govind Das & Radha, Saul David Raye, Johanna Beekman, Sean Johnson, and Jaya Lakshmi & Ananda to name a few, we also are very much into curating up and coming talent.” explains Sridhar. “Yoga classes for all levels are offered at three different yoga halls, including kids’ yoga.” The complete listing of yoga instructors can be viewed here.

Bhakti Fest’s sacred music, runs from morning until well after midnight. This year’s special anniversary event brings together many acclaimed artists including Krishna Das, Jai Uttal, MC YOGI, Donna DeLory and many more. “Everyone knows that our line-up of sacred music is one of a kind!” explains Sridhar. “Unlike other festivals which book pop bands, we have immersive music in multiple genres which everyone can sing to. The audience is as much a part of the show as the bands on stage.” The list of artists can be viewed here.

Bhakti Fest also offers wellness and wisdom classes. “We have had over 100 submissions from all over the world for our workshops and have picked the most interesting and current lecturers anywhere including Deepak Chopra, Jeffrey Armstrong, Michael Brian Baker, Prem Baba teaching all 4 days, Krishna Das, Paul Mitchell, Parvathy Baul and more.” says Sridhar. As always, the annual festival will deliver an exclusive taped interview with Bhakti Fest elder, and spiritual icon, Ram Dass, whose book “Be Here Now” helped bring Eastern philosophy to the West in the ‘60s. More information on speakers and workshops is here.

In recent years the festival has added sacred spaces for gender specific workshops. Bhakti Kid’s Land, sponsored by Sun Warrior, will feature the Peace Guardians who are taking the children’s program to a whole new level with a packed line up of classes and performances every day from 10am-6pm.

The festival also features a Healing Sanctuary offering a multitude of bodywork options, and the best raw, vegetarian and vegan food options. The Artisan Marketplace offers a treasure trove of jewelry, clothing, art, yoga gear, crystals, incense, furnishings and books from all over the world. Bhakti Fest’s own Bhakti Shoppe will feature highly sought-after items from the bazaars of India.

The Sound Temple has become a new favorite at Bhakti Fest, with a variety of sound baths and sound healing experiences taking place in the evening in the center’s unique, Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Sanctuary. The Joshua Tree Retreat Center plays its own role in the fest, with a sublime high desert setting on 420 acres of sacred ground which includes a pool for aqua-yoga, a walking labyrinth, and traditional medicine wheel.

Bhakti Fest offers a family friendly, drug and alcohol-free environment. These elements combine to create an unprecedented high vibration heart opening experience for all who attend. Bhakti Fest is a non-profit that donates to a variety of charities in India and the US.

The international yoga community is coming together for this anniversary celebration of this truly devotional gathering which welcomes all. Sridhar says, “In reflecting on ten years, we wanted to build spiritual community where every family and attendee can feel safe and be honored on their path.”

Passes and intensive tickets are now available for Bhakti Fest 2018, with discounts offered to local residents, veterans, military, seniors and students, at https://bhaktifest.com/buy-tickets/.

For more details on the Bhakti Fest 2018 lineup and general festival information, please visit https://bhaktifest.com/.

Bhakti Fest Events would not be possible without the support of generous sponsors. Bhakti Fest sponsors are curated to enhance the Festival experience and be fully aligned with the energy of the event. This year’s sponsors include: Proud Source Water, Anu Alchemy, Banyan Botanicals, Brew Dr. Kombucha, Buddha Teas, Desert Essence, Elephant Journal, Jaipar Avenue Chai, Lesser Evil, La Croix, Namaste Light, Sun Warrior, White Swan, and Yoga Alliance.

About The Bhakti Fest Group:
Bhakti Fest is produced by The Bhakti Fest Group that hosts two festivals a year, Bhakti Fest in September and Shakti Fest in May, at the Joshua Tree Retreat Center outside of Los Angeles. The Bhakti Group is noted for creating gatherings that promote spiritual exploration through music, sound, yoga, and conscious and wellness workshops. Additionally, they bring groups of western pilgrims to India annually for Bhakti Tours, and host the Bhakti Speaks series of interviews with Ram Dass online.

It embraces ancient and modern sacred wisdom and traditional and non-traditional spiritual practices. At the events, the artists, presenters, and vendors embody, practice, and share the spirit of Bhakti. Bhakti Fest encourages the spirit of service and offers a work exchange program. The festival donates funds to a variety of non-profit organizations that provide food, education, and environmental beautification programs around the world.

A Greener Global Blockchain Currency for Leisure and Entertainment, Apollon Cryptocurrency, Launches Crowd Sale July 16

07/06/2018 by Susan von Seggern

Singapore – June 25, 2018 – With the bold aim to become a leader in transforming the digital economic ecosystem for global entertainment and leisure businesses, Apollon Cryptocurrency (APO) is launching its crowd sale on July 16, 2018.

As these fields already move billions in various currencies, and are global in nature, the Apollon Blockchain Project should be an economic boon, by providing an underlying technology infrastructure for a number of commercial applications. Apollon is creating an “APO platform,” a highly compatible and expansive structure that will realize the free flow of value for entertainment and leisure in a digital economic network based on blockchain.

Apollon Blockchain’s business vision is to provide commercial-level integrated blockchain infrastructure services. The core competency for this business model rests on the following:

a community marketplace concept based on a host of diverse pan-entertainment offerings;
capable and robust technology deployment in blockchain, side-chain, and blockchain security;
strong and secure payment tools and gateways;
and a 2-tier currency structure with LCash tied to the US dollar to alleviate operators’ pain points.

The Apollon Blockchain will develop and support all the related business applications with underlying blockchain infrastructure technology. The Apollon platform will become one of world’s first and most comprehensive multi-chain platforms, re-shaping the eCommerce ecosystem for entertainment and leisure. Their vision is to have a “free flow of value,” enabling users to enjoy the rich benefits of blockchain technology.

The Apollon Platform’s underlying technology infrastructure uses:

BFT-DPoS (Byzantine fault-tolerant consensus and Delegated Proof-of-Stake), supplemented by blockchain as a consensus mechanism with cutting-edge technologies such as modular smart contracts, zero-knowledge proofs, and state-channel technologies to create high-throughput, high-security, resource-saving technologies with low-cost processing.
Longtooth, as it is one of the world most innovated decentralized communication protocols, to provide direct communication services without having to use any central servers. This is a better technology deployment method to prevent or reduce any hacking-risk arising on a single point of failure.
TuYYo, one of the world most secure IM tools to provide state-of-the-art point-to-point, public and private (hot and cold) personal keys, Apollon protects any message or document transferring through the platform.
NTRUsign signature and the Keccak-512 hash algorithm to reduce risk and threats of rapid development of quantum computing and the popularization of quantum computers.

The Apollon Platform enables cross-chain interaction technology to allow different blockchains to connect and communicate with each other. A variety of systems can run through and integrate with each other to provide efficient, convenient, secure, and stable data processing. The Apollon Blockchain system enables large numbers of blockchain data to do parallel processing. They are closely watching the IT development of the Pratt & Whitney case of Blockchain deployment which may trigger a change in the future evolution of FinTech deployment.

APO is a much greener cryptocurrency and blockchain solution compared to Bitcoin and Ethereum’s PoW consensus mechanism. The DPoS consensus mechanism they’ve adopted does not need to increase power to compete for the right to book, so it wastes less computing power and greatly saves resources.

The team behind the Apollon Platform is exceptionally seasoned in technology and finance, and well connected in the blockchain and cryptocurrency spaces. CEO Alan Lau is well known for his work with Hewlett-Packard, including bringing the world’s first Unix online trading system to the Shanghai Stock Exchange making HP a famous brand in China. Recently he has been an investor, developer and executive in the fields of IOT, push messaging, artificial intelligence, post-quantum encryption, and online games. CTO Robin Fan was Head of Information Technology for Hong Kong Futures Exchange and Clearing Corporation for 8 years and was key in turning the exchange from an open outcry environment to electronic trading. He started building the Exchange IT environment from scratch and was responsible for the acquisition and implementation of the OMEX futures and options trading/clearing system. He has also worked in IT for top international finance companies including Morgan Stanley, Bank of China, and others.

For much more detail on Apollon Cryptocurrency please see the whitepaper at http://www.apollon-foundation.org/.

The Apollon Platform plans to issue Apollon Tokens — APO, with a total of 2,500,000,000, during the pre-sale and crowd sale as per the details shown in the following table:

The funds raised will be used for Apollon Blockchain infrastructure full process technology development and deployment; ecological construction and marketing/promotion including the establishment of multi-industry main and side chain infrastructure; creating the web eSports and online gaming infrastructure; creating the payment and settlement system, and cryptocurrency and asset eWallet.

Due to the differing legal status of cryptocurrencies in various jurisdictions, the APO crowd sale is not available to residents of the People’s Republic of China (including Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macau), South Korea, and the United States of America.

About Apollon Blockchain
Apollon Blockchain’s bold aim is to become a leader in transforming the digital economic ecosystem for global entertainment and leisure businesses. As these fields already move billions in various currencies, and are global in nature, the Apollon Blockchain Project will be an economic boon by providing an underlying technology infrastructure for commercial applications. Apollon Blockchain is creating a highly compatible and expansive structure that will realize the free flow of value for entertainment and leisure in a digital economic network based on blockchain.

The Clark Hulings Fund for Visual Artists Announces Its Art Business Summit in Dallas-Fort Worth, September 7-9

07/06/2018 by Susan von Seggern

Dallas, Texas – The Clark Hulings Fund for Visual Artists (CHF) is excited to announce its Art Business Summit in Dallas-Fort Worth, an event that seeks to inspire visual artists to “Conquer the Changing Marketplace.” This weekend-long business-development workshop will give professional working artists the chance to take a deep dive into the business side of their art careers. Scheduled for September 7th through 9th, the summit will take place at The Alexander Mansion (4607 Ross Avenue), just blocks from Dallas’ vibrant Arts District.

The event manifests CHF’s assertion that “Art is a business and artists should run it.” With the art market undergoing rapid and significant change—not only with regard to technology but also HOW art is marketed, bought, and sold—artists need to reclaim their rightful position at the center of the industry. The Art Business Summit will help them to take charge of their careers, captivate their audience, maximize the extraordinary professional advantages they already possess, and sell their art effectively and profitably.

Topics will include building an action plan, creating a brand story, rocking their portfolio, multiplying revenue streams, pricing for profit, selling art online effectively, building a strong support team, squashing resistance, sales strategies, and much more. They can also participate in interactive sessions where they get to ask summit leaders their specific business questions.

In addition to all of the fantastic learning opportunities, the summit kicks off on Friday, September 7th at 4pm with a reception and art business congress, an opportunity to meet informally with local organizations and individuals whose mission is to serve artists. The summit will close on Sunday, September 9th, with a 6pm soiree that offers participants the chance to decompress, have a glass of wine, and make plans to meet up with each other in the future to build on the connections they establish this weekend.

The program will be led by Elizabeth Hulings, CHF director and co-founder; Carolyn Edlund, CHF sales director and events manager; and Daniel DiGriz, CHF education director. “Texas is home to a remarkably large number of working artists,” says Hulings. “We are thrilled to be delivering tangible business skills and training in the Lone Star State.”

The event fee is $395, but CHF is offering an earlybird price of $245, until August 1st with the coupon code EARLYBIRD. Tickets are available here. In addition to summit admission, ticket holders will receive one year of “Colleague”-level access to CHF’s Business Accelerator Portal, a comprehensive online learning resource for working artists.

The location for this career-changing event is The Alexander Mansion. Since 1930, this stately structure has been home to The Dallas Woman’s Forum, which is now in its 111th year and still a force to be reckoned with in the city. The Forum is currently engaged in a full restoration of the historic mansion, one of the few remaining original homes on Ross Avenue and a remarkable example of its era. CHF welcomes the opportunity to call attention to this beautiful space, as well as to the Forum’s ongoing efforts to champion its community’s rich history, and its art and design.

CHF is also pleased to collaborate on this event with noted Dallas reputation management agency Morrow & Associates, Inc.

About The Clark Hulings Fund
The Clark Hulings Fund for Visual Artists (CHF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that champions economic sustainability for working artists. We do this by delivering business education and entrepreneurial learning through a rigorous Business Accelerator, a Digital Learning Portal, in-person education events in local communities, and a federation of artist-formed and artist-led networks of opportunity. All of this work achieves one aim: equip visual artists to thrive as self-sustaining entrepreneurs.

Deepak Chopra Joins Bhakti Fest’s 10th Anniversary Celebration in Joshua Tree September 15, 2018

06/12/2018 by Susan von Seggern

Joshua Tree, California – June 11, 2018 – The Bhakti Fest Group long known for its tradition of offering the best in yoga, sacred music, and conscious teachings, is thrilled to announce the special appearance of Dr. Deepak Chopra M.D., co-founder JIYO.com, at its 10-year anniversary celebration this September. Dr. Chopra, a world-renowned leader in mindfulness practices will lead a global meditation event from Bhakti Fest’s main stage.

Dr. Chopra will also participate in a variety of activities at Bhakti Fest, Saturday, September 15, offering a full day of special events including a workshop, panel and global meditation.

Keynote presentation on the Hanuman Stage
Workshop on The Radiance Sutras, in conjunction with Dr. Lorin Roche
Spiritual Superstar panel featuring Dr. Deepak Chopra, Jai Uttal, Shiva Rea and Prem Baba
Global Meditation with Grammy winning artist Krishna Das on the Main Stage

A pioneer in integrative medicine and personal transformation, Dr. Deepak Chopra, MD is the founder of the Chopra Foundation and co-founder of Chopra Center for Wellbeing. TIME Magazine has described Dr. Chopra as “one of the top 100 heroes and icons of the century.”

The international conscious community is coming together for this anniversary celebration of this truly devotional gathering which welcomes all. Bhakti Fest founder Sridhar says, “In reflecting on ten years, we wanted to build spiritual community where every family and attendee can feel safe and be honored on their path. We are so thrilled that Deepak Chopra is involved in our 10th Anniversary festivities!”

Known as the ‘Spiritual Woodstock of the New Millennium’, Bhakti Fest brings together world class yoga teachers, artists and presenters, including Krishna Das, Jai Uttal, MC Yogi, Shiva Rea, Saul David Raye, Sianna Sherman, Mark Whitwell, Ram Dass, Radhanath Swami, Michael Brian Baker and so many more. The 10th Anniversary promises to deliver another incredible opportunity for attendees to gather in heart opening community and have the experience of a lifetime.

Bhakti Fest offers dozens of yoga classes daily in multiple venues, sacred music on two stages, workshops on a huge variety of spiritual and wellness topics, sound baths, men’s and women’s sacred spaces, and a family village.

The Fest is held in the one of a kind beautiful high desert setting of the Joshua Tree Retreat Center, in a family friendly, drug and alcohol-free environment. These elements combine to create an unprecedented high vibration heart opening experience for all who attend. For more details on the Bhakti Fest 2018 line up and general festival information, visit https://bhaktifest.com/.

Passes and intensive tickets are now available for Bhakti Fest 2018, with discounts offered to local residents, veterans, military, seniors and students, at https://bhaktifest.com/.

About Jiyo
JIYO is a personal wellbeing mobile companion. It’s a comprehensive digital platform that lets one engage, learn, and interact with a diverse range of information, articles, videos and reminders that help us be our best self.

About The Bhakti Fest Group
The Bhakti Fest Group celebrates the devotional path that has its roots in yoga, Kirtan, and meditation with two annual festivals, spiritual travel experiences, online content and more. It embraces ancient and modern sacred wisdom and traditional and non-traditional spiritual practices. At the events, the artists, presenters, and vendors embody, practice, and share the spirit of Bhakti. Offerings include continuous Kirtan, yoga, meditations and prayer, workshops, fire ceremonies, an eco-friendly village, healthy vegetarian cuisine, and a healing sanctuary. Bhakti Fest encourages the spirit of service and offers a work exchange program. The festival donates funds to a variety of non-profit organizations that provide food, education, and environmental beautification programs around the world.

Bhakti Fest Events would not be possible without the support of generous sponsors. This year’s sponsors include Banyan Botanicals, Brew Dr. Kombucha, Desert Essence, Lesser Evil, White Swan, and Yoga Alliance.

One River Joins Fellow Wolfe Island Records Artists for Wolfe Island Garden Party Event

06/12/2018 by Susan von Seggern

Wolfe Island, Ontario – June 4, 2018 – One River, the musical project of noted New York City area retreat leader, poet, and musician Michael Quattrone, will be joining his fellow Wolfe Island Records artists for the 2nd Annual Wolfe Island Garden Party June 14 – 17.

Sponsored by Wolfe Island Records and Wolfe Island Spring Craft Brewery, the four-day event features music from the label, along with lively discussions and events to deepen appreciation for nature, celebrate the island’s agriculturalists and raise awareness about the future of food. Weekend passes are a mere $20, available at many local businesses, and all proceeds will go to benefit the Wolfe Island Community Garden.

One River will perform on Friday June 15 at 6:30pm at a wine & cheese reception at the Wolfe Island Gallery. Michael Quattrone will debut songs that speak to his spirituality, sparked at the threshold between inner life and outward expression. His set features drummer Jack Algiere who will give an agricultural talk, called, “Rhythm of the Garden” during the reception. Jack is the farm director at Stone Barns Center, in Pocantico Hills, New York.

One River is an image of our interconnectedness across space and time. Our ancestors flowed into us, and life will continue the motion beyond our days on the planet. “Spirit is the river, and body the boat.”

With a name taken from noted anthropologist Wade Davis’ book, One River was founded by Michael Quattrone as a musical outgrowth of his work with Hearthfire, a non-profit retreat center founded with his wife, ritual theatre artist, Kala Iversen, in Tarrytown, New York. Hearthfire encourages the myth-making potential of creative spirits by offering rituals and retreats to a diverse community of artists, leaders, and seekers. “Magic happens when we gather in a circle to mark life’s passages with song,” says Michael. “And sometimes you invite a record producer, who brings a magic of his own.”

Michael is a singer, songwriter, and seeker, whose greatest curiosity and most profound learning are sparked at the threshold between inner life and outward expression. In honoring his journey in music and poetry, and in sharing his passion for the creative process, Michael encourages others to raise their voices, express gratitude, and live in harmony.

The eponymous, debut album includes ten original songs by Michael. It was produced by Hugh Christopher Brown and Michael Quattrone for Chris’s independent, artist-driven label, Wolfe Island Records. The idea for the record emerged after Michael invited the Canadian producer and multi-instrumentalist to collaborate on music for a retreat, and join a men’s group, at Hearthfire.

The two-and-a-half year recording process that followed straddled the US/Canada border, the 2016 national election, and the Atlantic Ocean. Hugh Christopher says, “The first time I heard Michael’s voice, I was knocked out. Having benefited from his talents in spiritual and social practice, his songwriting feels to me like plaintive, literal extensions of his soul. It has been a trip translating it all to tape.”

Contributing to the album are longtime friends of Hearthfire and its intersecting communities, including Kala Iversen and Ashley Wood of Hearthfire; Jack Algiere of the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture; Joseph Jastrab of the Hero’s Journey Foundation, and author of Sacred Manhood, Sacred Earth; as well as veteran musicians: Tony Scherr (Bill Frisell, Norah Jones, Kate Fenner), Gregor Beresford (Steven Stanley Band), Hugh Christopher Brown (Bourbon Tabernacle Choir, Pros and Cons project). Other notable appearances include Jane Scarpantoni (Lou Reed, Patti Smith), Rocky Roberts (singer-songwriter, guitar tech for Neil Young), and Michael Blake (Lounge Lizards, Ray Lamontagne).

The record is ripe for release at this moment of cultural, socio-economic, and ecological upheaval, which demands the fullest presence of all of us to the outer- and inner- transformations underway.

Wolfe Island Records’ founder, Hugh Christopher Brown will bring the likes of David Corley, Suzanne Jarvie, The Stephen Stanley Band, Jenny Whiteley, Joey Wright, Luther Wright, and himself to perform at multiple stages, on top of presenting two CD Release shows for debut records from newcomers Hadley McCall Thackston and One River. All of the above-mentioned artists created albums that were recorded in Brown’s old Post Office Studio on Wolfe Island. For info on all the Wolfe Island Garden Party festivities, please go to need link.