Dave Stringer has been profiled in publications as diverse as Time, Billboard, In Style, and Yoga Journal as a leader of the new American kirtan movement. Kirtan (from the Sanskrit word meaning “to sing”) is a form of mantra chanting that has become popular as a participatory live music experience at hundreds of yoga studios worldwide. Dave’s sound marries the transcendent mysticism of traditional Indian instruments with the exuberant, groove-oriented sound of American gospel and funk.
Kirtan stills the mind and frees the heart. Sung in call-and-response form, ecstasy is both the process and the product. Stringer's sound infuses the mysticism of traditional Indian instruments with the exuberant intensity of American gospel and jazz, and he is regarded as one of the most gifted singers in the genre. An engaging speaker with an unorthodox perspective, he has a special ability for making the Sanskrit chants come alive and inspiring people to sing. His work creates a modern and participatory theatrical experience out of the ancient traditions of kirtan and yoga, open to a multiplicity of interpretations, and accessible to all.
Initially trained as a visual artist and jazz musician, Dave first started chanting mantras in the early 1990’s when a film editing project brought him to the ashram of Swami Muktananda in India. Currently based in Los Angeles, since 2000 Stringer and his ensemble have produced five CDs and toured North America, Europe and Australia tirelessly.
Read more...