It was an honour to interview the spiritual music legend Miten for our Winter 2019/20 issue. He spoke about his life’s journey, his work with Deva Premal, and his thoughts on music as a guru. Read on to learn more!
Peia Luzzi is an American born song collector, write and multi-instrumentalist, drawing inspiration from her ancestral roots of Celtic and Old World European music, and folklore. With the voice of a lark, she dances nimbly between Child Ballads and 17th Century Gaelic laments, to Waulking Songs from Scotland, and old Bulgarian mountain wails. Peia has traveled extensively over the past ten years to uncover melodies wrinkled and wise with time, labouring faithfully to honour their language, stories and original essence.
She is a powerful voice in the rising global community of people who are committed to restoring a balanced relationship with the Earth. Peia expresses her holistic vision and passion through her music, educational workshops and advocacy for indigenous and environmental rights groups.
Born in the back hills of Connecticut, Peia spent most of her childhood playing in the forests and hiding out in tree tops. In 2002 she moved to Boston where she attended New England Conservatory of Music on a generous scholarship and received extensive training in western classical voice and opera, vocal pedagogy, composition, and improvisation.
“My journey with world folksong traditions began many years ago while studying at New England Conservatory in Boston. Much to the dismay of my Opera professors, I found myself enthralled with the alluring beauty and mystery of traditional folk music. This fascination, along with a bit of old Irish wanderlust, poised me for a journey that led me to seek a lost culture and reconnect with the songs of my ancestors in ancient Europe.”
In 2012 Peia released her first solo album The Dance of Devotion, a profound collection of poetic love songs. Her second release Four Great Winds – a timeless journey through traditional and original sacred song – was self released in May 2013 and picked up by Sounds True for global release in 2015. Following the initial release of Four Great Winds, Peia gained international notoriety and requests for performances in Europe, Australia, Bali, Brazil and Canada. Her music has taken her around the world and sparked collaborations with many world class artists including: legendary poet and Rumi scholar Coleman Barks, author, mythologist and storyteller Michael Meade, Grammy Award winning pianist Peter Kater, Iranian tar master Ali Ghamsari and guitar virtuoso Estas Tonne.
Peia currently splits her time between touring and the lush, wild hills of Southern Oregon, where she wildcrafts herbal remedies, sings with Wild Honey – an all women’s world music trio – and teaches Song of the Ancients, voice cultivation and ancestral songline tracing. Fusing her knowledge of Vocal Pedagogy (The Science of the Voice) with the ancient meditative practice of Nada Yoga, she imparts upon her students the tools to harness the natural beauty and resonance of the voice.
We are thrilled to welcome her to Positive Nights on Thursday April 25th, from 7.30 to 9.30 p.m. in Bewley’s Café, 78/79 Grafton Street, Dublin 2. To book your tickets, click here.
Peia Luzzi is an American born song collector, write and multi-instrumentalist, drawing inspiration from her ancestral roots of Celtic and Old World European music, and folklore. With the voice of a lark, she dances nimbly between Child Ballads and 17th Ccntury Gaelic laments, to Waulking Songs from Scotland, and old Bulgarian mountain wails.
Following our previous visits from the acclaimed yoga teacher, musician and folklorist Jack Harrison, we are thrilled to have him back at Positive Nights to perform his beautiful music on Thursday March 28th from 7.30 to 9.30 p.m. in Bewley’s Café Theatre, 78/79 Grafton Street, Dublin 2.
Jack first encountered yoga in the 1970s and 1980s in San Francisco. After leaving the U.S., he began to work with the Irish Wheel of Yoga in Galway. He launched his career as a yoga teacher in 2005. Throughout his career, he has travelled extensively and studied a wide range of yoga styles, including Iyengar, Satyananda, Ashtanga and Anusara.
Jack has also had a keen interest in music and singing since his childhood. He holds a Masters degree in Irish Folklore and Archaeology and has worked for many years as a consultant and lecturer in Heritage Interpretation. In recent years, he began to understand the deep connections between his three interests – yoga, music, and folklore/archaeology – and established the Celtic School of Yoga to help tie together the yoga traditions of India with those of the Celtic world.
He has travelled widely around the world, offering workshops, intensives and teacher trainings. and his teaching work is now strong influenced by the Celtic tradition. These practices explore how to ally movement of the body with breath, focus, mythology, poetry, music and the natural world.
We are thrilled to be hosting him for a special concert called ‘The Heart of Spring Time’ on Thursday March 28th from 7.30 to 9.30 p.m. in Bewley’s Café Theatre, 78/79 Grafton Street, Dublin 2. Click here to book your tickets.
Looking for some beautiful, uplifting, angel-themed events to attend this month? If so, look no further than this series of Angelic Harmony Therapy events being offered by Georgie Deyn and Pathway Teaching on March 22nd, 23rd and 24th!
Following our previous visits from the acclaimed yoga teacher, musician and folklorist Jack Harrison, we are thrilled to have him back at Positive Nights to perform his beautiful music on Thursday March 28th from 7.30 to 9.30 p.m. in Bewley’s Café Theatre, 78/79 Grafton Street, Dublin 2.
Jack first encountered yoga in the 1970s and 1980s in San Francisco. After leaving the U.S., he began to work with the Irish Wheel of Yoga in Galway. He launched his career as a yoga teacher in 2005. Throughout his career, he has travelled extensively and studied a wide range of yoga styles, including Iyengar, Satyananda, Ashtanga and Anusara.
Jack has also had a keen interest in music and singing since his childhood. He holds a Masters degree in Irish Folklore and Archaeology and has worked for many years as a consultant and lecturer in Heritage Interpretation. In recent years, he began to understand the deep connections between his three interests – yoga, music, and folklore/archaeology – and established the Celtic School of Yoga to help tie together the yoga traditions of India with those of the Celtic world.
He has travelled widely around the world, offering workshops, intensives and teacher trainings. and his teaching work is now strong influenced by the Celtic tradition. These practices explore how to ally movement of the body with breath, focus, mythology, poetry, music and the natural world.
We are thrilled to be hosting him for a special concert called ‘The Heart of Spring Time’ on Thursday March 28th from 7.30 to 9.30 p.m. in Bewley’s Café Theatre, 78/79 Grafton Street, Dublin 2. Click here to book your tickets.
We are pleased to announce that the wonderful community musician John Bowker will be joining us at Positive Nights on Thursday December 6th for an evening of Christmas Heartsongs. The event will take place from 7.30 to 9.30 p.m. in the Bewley’s Café, 78/79 Grafton Street, Dublin 2.
John Bowker is well-known within Ireland’s holistic community for his heart-centred musical workshops and Tribal Spirit Drumming sessions. We have been pleased to host him here at Positive Nights on a number of previous occasions, and on Thursday December 6th, we are going to do it all again.
On this evening, we will enjoy a Christmas special with John, who will guide through a range of Heartsongs designed to awaken joy and contemplation. John describes Heartsongs as “software to open your heart, exploring intentional blessings and weaves of harmony in a playful friendly space for humans”. Expect to feel a lot of love in the room!
Absolutely no prior singing experience is required and absolute beginners are welcome. Doors open at 7.00 and the event begins at 7.30.
You can pay on the door or book your tickets here.
We are pleased to announce that the wonderful community musician John Bowker will be joining us at Positive Nights on Thursday December 6th for an evening of Christmas Heartsongs. The event will take place from 7.30 to 9.30 p.m. in the Bewley’s Café, 78/79 Grafton Street, Dublin 2.
John Bowker is well-known within Ireland’s holistic community for his heart-centred musical workshops and Tribal Spirit Drumming sessions. We have been pleased to host him here at Positive Nights on a number of previous occasions, and on Thursday December 6th, we are going to do it all again.
On this evening, we will enjoy a Christmas special with John, who will guide through a range of Heartsongs designed to awaken joy and contemplation. John describes Heartsongs as “software to open your heart, exploring intentional blessings and weaves of harmony in a playful friendly space for humans”. Expect to feel a lot of love in the room!
Absolutely no prior singing experience is required and absolute beginners are welcome. Doors open at 7.00 and the event begins at 7.30.
You can pay on the door or book your tickets here.
This article appeared in our Summer 2018 issue, available now through our stockists or via subscription.
by Keith Cullen
When I started chemotherapy at the start of this year, it took me a while to sort through my feelings: the layers of fear and disbelief, the desire to ignore reality (I am well known for this). I finally had to admit to myself – and I am able to say it out loud now – that I have stage 3 bladder cancer.
All the signs were there, telling me my health was unraveling, but it took a medical emergency before I was ready to listen. This I don’t recommend and this is why I want to share my experience will anyone who will listen. Last year was the best year I’ve ever had. I experienced some big personal awakenings, my career was on the rise, my love life was finally worth talking about, the schedule was full, and the lessons I was learning along the way were inspiring me in all the right directions. I was even prepping to attend the Grammys, for a big showcase and for my album.
During that hectic time, I started to notice blood in my urine. I thought I had some sort of infection. Eager to stay on schedule and keep up with the recording, I did the whole “mind over matter” bit, took advice from health experts and finally saw my local doctor.
By December, my symptoms worsened, and while I was on a trip in Sydney, I sought medical help again. Jessica, an Australian doctor I visited for more antibiotics, required me to have an ultrasound instead. That led to another specialist, which led to a CT scan, which led to my laying on the operating table in Sydney. December 8th will be a date I won’t forget, as they removed a large tumour from by bladder, not really knowing the full extent or nature of how the cancer had spread.
I’ve experienced every different type of emotion possible this year, from ‘WHY ME,’ to ‘I got this,’ to ‘I’m okay,’ to ‘This sucks balls.’ I’ve learned to be okay with not being okay.
I’ve been learning the difference between reality and fantasy, and how to be positive within my reality, rather than ignoring it in order to stay positive. I can be happy and have cancer. I can be whole and also sad about my circumstances. I can be afraid and still courageous about what is happening.
‘It takes a lot of strength to share yourself with someone else’ – a lyric of one of my songs written five years ago is back to remind me why it was written!
Being new to cancer and to chemotherapy, I hadn’t imagined it would force me to be so brutally honest and reflective as I currently am. Each decision I make now has meaning and the value attached to survival, and being a source of good has never been stronger at the forefront of my mind.
I’ve been gracefully broken and now am focused on rebuilding a stronger, more knowledgable, kinder Keith who surrenders to my new path and will continue to keep my arms wide open to life’s opportunities, whilst doing some good along the way.
Everyone is different regarding their journey. Please feel free to share yours with me. Just reach out at any point: Keithcullengm@yahoo.ie
Ayla Nereo’s voice is a beacon of light that hits straight to the heart. Her poetry splashes like dazzling paint across a canvas of sound, and armed with an array of loop-pedals, she builds layer upon layer of vocal melodies into fierce, sweeping harmonies, weaving syncopated threads of guitar, kalimba, piano, and percussion into each live performance. Her songs call us to listen deeper. For the depth of each song is in the words; her lucid storytelling and lyrical imagery ring as anthems, riddles, and mantras for hope, humanness, profound healing, and love. With an uncanny ability to disarm and crack open the emotions, Ayla is an artist you feel is singing directly from her Soul, for what she truly believes in, and for the beauty of life itself.
Raised on Bob Dylan, opera, and classical music, Ayla’s music touches both the timeless and modern. Vocally and lyrically often compared to Joni Mitchell, her arrangements and stage presence lean into something more modern and fierce, an authenticity and innocence closer to Aurora or Imogen Heap. Dancing her own songs on stage as she sings them, her movement and presence gives the audience a permission to be wild, real, vulnerable, and alive. Though Ayla’s vocal melodies, timeless lyrics, and fingerpicking guitar songs harken back to an earlier era, she always rides the line between genres, weaving in live vocal looping, beats and percussion, orchestral string arrangements, celtic melodies, and even dashes of hip-hop wordplay, so that her songwriting and sound ultimately cannot be compared to anyone else.
Every performance Ayla gives is its own inspired journey; an enchanting and poignant experience that holds you by the heart and doesn’t let go.
She is visiting Positive Nights on Sunday June the 24th, from 7.00 to 9.00 p.m., for a performance that is sure to be spectacular. It will take place in the gorgeous, historic building of the Bewley’s Café Theatre on Grafton Street, Dublin 2. Tickets can be purchased via Eventbrite here.
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