Artist Mirabai Ceiba- A gentle yet expansive spirit pervades all the music of Mirabai Ceiba. The delicate sounds of harp, piano, and guitar blend with lovingly intertwined voices amid lush celestial soundscapes. Their concerts are group celebrations for peace—joyous and loving occasions that embody the duo’s profound belief in music as a universal language uniting all the world’s peoples, cultures and traditions.
Mirabai Ceiba is a duo consisting of guitarist/singer Markus Sieber and singer/harpist/keyboardist Angelika Baumbach. They come from different parts of the world. Markus is East German. Angelika was born in Tucson, Arizona, and grew up in a small village near Mexico City, the daughter of a Mexican mother and German father.
Markus and Angelika first met at a street fair at Scotland’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival and quickly fell in love. Markus was pursuing a successful acting career at the time, and Angelika was touring the world as a singer/songwriter. But the newly formed couple decided to share their love with the world through uplifting music steeped in spirituality, tenderness and beauty.
Together, Angelika and Markus have forged engaging new style of world devotional music blending Gurmukhi mantras from the Kundalini Yoga tradition with original songs in English and Spanish that reflect a Native American influence and also draw words of wisdom from Rumi, Thich Nhat Hanh, Guru Nanak and Yogi Bhajan. Through exquisitely crafted recordings like their CD A HUNDRED BLESSINGS, Mirabai Ceiba weave a beguiling tapestry from these diverse influence and sources. And that’s what the music feels like: a beneficent and abundant gift from the universe. In concert, they inspire all present to chant together in a spirit of compassionate love and Oneness.
Even the name Mirabai Ceiba embodies the influences of both India and Native Latin America. Mirabai (1498-1547) was a Hindu mystical singer. Her songs express the longing of the individual self to be one with the universal self, represented by Krishna. For Angelika and Markus, the name Mirabai “is the exploration, the devotion, the inspiration in all the different aspects of divinity.” And the Ceiba is a sacred tree of Latin America which is never cut and grows very tall. “We wish our music could be like the Ceiba tree,” say Markus and Angelika, “with roots deep in Mother Earth and branches extending far and wide into Father Sky.” They recorded their Album Debut “Flores” in 2004 with Spirit Voyage Music, followed by “Ocean” 2008, nominated as ‘Best Vocal Album of 2008′ by New Age Reporter, and “A hundred Blessings” 2010, named by ‘LA Yoga’ magazine among years best of 2010. Their album “Awakened Earth” 2011 reached international bestseller lists, and the latest release “Between the Shores of Our Souls” 2012, was selected for the Best Top 10 New Age Music Cds of 2012 by New Age Music World. Further it reached number 2 on the international ZMR Top 100 Radio Chart for New Age Music. https://www.mirabaiceiba.com/about/
CD Between the Shores of Our Souls A true musical love-affair, this album features the enchanting interplay of the vocals of this duo, evoking the perfect balance of yin and yang, masculine and feminine in every note. Angelika`s lilting song-bird voice is wrapped in the warmth of Markus` gentle melodies. Special Guest: Nils Petter Molvær You feel Mirabai Ceiba`s album move through your body like inhaling a sea breeze before you consciously hear it with your ears.
Their newest release Between the Shores of Our Souls is a daring new direction for the band, featuring 10 songs of poetry on love and longing from Kahlil Gibran and Rumi in English and Spanish.
On this album they are supported by a truly incredible line-up of world-renowned musicians who are each experts in their own field. Norwegian Jazz musician Nils Petter Molvær brings his world-acclaimed trumpet into the lush world of this album with such a gentle touch, it feels that it was made for this music. The double cello artistry of both Noah Hoffeld and Yoed Nir is a delight, with each of their individual styles evoking a range of musical expressions that carry you from song to song. Megan Gould`s violin and viola bring her signature touch of elegance and sweetness. And through it all, Benjamin Wittman`s steady, deeply moving percussion carries the music forward with a rhythm that you will feel deep inside of you. And the weaving of this tapestry is artfully carried out by the skillful production of Jamshied Sharifi who also plays keyboards, bass, electric guitar, ukulele and tambour on this album.
CREDITS:
Angelika Baumbach – vocals, piano, harp, harmonium, singing bowls
Markus Sieber – vocals, guitars
Benjamin Wittman – drums, percussion
Megan Gould – violin, viola
Karen Waltuch – viola
Noah Hoffeld – cello
Yoed Nir – electric cello
Nils Petter Molvær – trumpet
Jamshied Sharifi – keyboards, bass, electric guitar, ukulele, tambour, background vocals
CD Awakened Earth Markus and Angelika have done it again! With Awakened Earth, their music has flourished to brighter, broader and yet deeper places in the sacred music spectrum. Opening with the hauntingly beautiful sound of the duduk, the album continues on to astonish you with its rich layers of beauty. Angelika`s sweet, soaring voice glides in such simple and evocative harmony with Markus` gentle rich singing.
This is the second musical partnership with producer Jamshied Sharifi, and like the first, A Hundred Blessings, this album invites you to a magical exploration of the undiscovered worlds that music can lead you into. With amazing guest performances from Yoed Nir on cello, Anders Boström on flute, Roubik Aroutiounian on duduk, Megan Gould on violin and viola, the musicianship on this album is unparalleled. The intertwining of Markus` guitar and Angelika`s harp carries their signature sound through this album, with Jamshied`s keyboards, accordion and bass creating rich textures throughout the music.
Credits:
Mirabai Ceiba are:
Angelika Baumbach – vocals, harp, piano, harmonium
Markus Sieber – vocals, guitars
Musicians:
Benjamin Wittman – percussion
Megan Gould – violin & viola
Anders Boström – bamboo flutes
Yoed Nir – cello, electric cello
Ramesh Kannan – tabla
Roubik Aroutiounian – duduk
Jamshied Sharifi – keyboards, accordion, bass, electric guitar
Music written by Markus Sieber, except Guru Ramdas Rakho Sarnae written by Markus Sieber and Angelika Baumbach
Art Design: Raj Naik
Cover Photo: Marco Alar
Produced by Jamshied Sharifi
Executive Producer: Karan Khalsa
