*ST.GERMAIN* in the Media

Media:Saint Germain has been seen on: Britain’s Channel 4 (U.K.), MTV (Europe), Televisa (Mexico), Telenet Channel 35 (Peru), Aztec Morning (Mexico) and ABC’s World News (U.S.). Saint Germain has also been on the National Public Radio, and performed on a live internet broadcast, on Wisdom Radio. He has his reggae cds playing at radio stations in Guatemala, Mexico and Holland.The Band:Saint Germain assembled the Sacred Sound System band in May of 2006, and has two dvds. The members of this ensemble represent North America, Europe and Asia having Native American, European, Hawaiian, Middle Eastern and Japanese roots. There is over 150 years of combined musical experience in the group. The band has been playing at California and Oregon annual music festivals like: Gathering of the Tribes Festival - Ahjumawi Indian Reservation, Dana, California; Mendocino Living Culture Festival - Jughandle Park, Mendocino, California; The Mystic Garden Party Festival - Ashland Wellsprings, Ashland, Oregon; Living Masters Conference - Flying Lotus, Mount Shasta, California; The Water Conference - The Oracle, Weed, California: Mushroom Festival - McCloud Mercantile, McCloud, California. The band is based out of northern California’s Mount Shasta, and has been featured on the local Mount Shasta television, Channel 15. Also playing local venues in the northern California area.This traditionally based music has a roots-oriented, reggae feel, with shades of dub (instrumental landscapes) coming in and out, combined with award-winning lyrics from Saint Germain. He chants mantras, sings and voices the spoken word, while playing guitar and other instruments. He was first introduced to reggae music in 1985 in Santa Cruz, with the group, Burning Spear.Some of his lyrics are published in the book, "Frost at Midnight", through the largest poets society in the world, the International Poets Society. He was chosen by the society as one of the "Masters of the Spoken Word" in 1996 and selected for the "Sound of Poetry" CD, which features eleven of the society’s top spoken-word masters, chosen from tens of thousands of society members.Saint Germain continues his focus of putting his award-winning lyrics to traditionally based, heart music, and in this case, it has a reggae flavor. He has put his lyrics to traditional music from all over the world: Jamaica, Spain, Romania, Sweden, India, Pakistan, Israel, Mali, Guinea, South Africa, Australia and America. But it is the love for, and message of, reggae music, that gives Saint Germain his latest inspiration. The message of justice, freedom, equality and unity is what reggae and world-music represents to Saint Germain, and that is why he has chosen this path in music.Music History:Saint Germain’s artistic endeavors began with guitar lessons in 1978, playing rock, blues, folk and classical. His started writing positive-minded poetry in1982, at the age of fifteen, and put the words to his music. He began to study more guitar, and different styles (Spanish, Romanian and original compositions) as the 1980's progressed.He was introduced to West African drumming in 1987 and started studying djembe (drum) and dunun (drum). Brazilian, Puerto Rican and Egyptian percussion classes followed. Saint Germain’s favorite traditional percussion is west African. He has studied with over a dozen west African master-drummers and ballet performers from Guinea and Senegal. Other master drummers from Mali, Ghana, Ivory Coast and Nigeria. Saint Germain had the privilege of living with Kim Atkinson (the "number two drum-circle coordinator in the world") for two years, where he learned a tremendous amount. He later went on to teach traditional west African drumming with djembe and dunun for three years. Saint Germain has taught and performed with some of the best drummers and percussionists in the world. Playing with masters in jazz, rock, reggae and west African drumming.Saint Germain started playing different bamboo and cedar flutes in 1989, and has acquired a love for the shakuhachi (Japan), the quena ( Peru), the zambone or panflute (Peru), and the dizi (China). He studied with different players and makers of the instruments. Saint Germain has one friend who is a master-craftsman who makes special one-of-a-kind instruments and Saint Germain has acquired one, the hornpipe. He also plays other wind instruments like ocarinas (Mexico), the illapa (Peru) and the amazing Andean water-whistles (Peru).He then went on to study didgereedoo in 1995, and again spending time with some of the world’s top didgereedoo makers and players. He started performing with didgereedoo in 1999 and teaching workshops at the very first didgereedoo festival in the United States. Saint Germain is known for being able to speak through a didgereedoo while playing, saying mantras and prayers. The didgereedoo, is said by some, to be the oldest musical instrument in the world, at 40,000 years old, and that is probably why Saint Germain is drawn to it, along with that unmistakably ancient and tribal sound.He received a dulcimer (Pakistan) in 2003, for his birthday, and has not stopped playing. He plays with many different styles and sings prayers and mantras. Picking, strumming, hammering and using harmonics, Saint Germain has found a full range of sound of the soothing, yet powerful dulcimer.He has been actively performing and recording since 1987, performing in over fifty different ensembles in many different genres: Reggae, World, Rock, Folk, Blues, Tribal, Electronica, Experimental, New Age, Classical, East Indian, Pakistani, along with traditional West African drumming, Middle Eastern drumming, Brazilian drumming and Australian didgereedoo.Collaborations:Saint Germain’s extensive world travel on five continents, has had him either composing, recording or performing with a very diverse group of artists, such as:Mickey Hart - drummer for the Grateful Dead and creator of the grammy winning Planet Drum. Mickey arranged the Guinness Book’s world’s largest drum circle, which Saint Germain helped facilitate, 2004. Saint Germain also drummed with Mickey at two different protests to help save the redwood trees, a Headwaters Project, Santa Rosa, California 1998 and 1999.Vince Welnick - keyboardist for the Tubes, Grateful Dead, Missing Man Formation, Phil Lesh and Friends, and Ratdog. Vince has also played with the grammy winning Mickey Hart, in the Mickey Hart Band, and Vince is also a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Saint Germain performed spoken word with Vince, Mountain Girl and the Merry Pranksters at Ken Kesey’s Merlin’s Mysterical Tour, at the International Ballroom in San Francisco, 1999. Televised on Britain’s Channel 4.Zakir Hussain - tabla-drum player, the son of Ustad Allah Rahka (Ravi Shankar’s drummer for six decades). Zakir has collaborated with such icons as The Beatles, Ravi Shankar, Van Morrison and Tito Puente. Saint Germain played with Zakir at Mickey Hart’s world’s largest drum circle in 2004. Saint Germain first met Zakir back in 1992 in Portland, Oregon.Lee Charlton - drummer for Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and Branford Marsalis and many other grammy winners over the last six decades. Saint Germain sat in on the Orbitones five day recording session, with Lee Charlton, Kim Atkinson, Bart Hopkins, Gary Knowlton, Richard Waters and later, Tom Waits added to this album, Sebastopol, California, 1998.William Clauson - lute and guitar, billed as "the world’s greatest troubadour". An international, multi-gold record recording artist whose career spans six decades. William wrote the song, "La Bamba". William has headlined at Carnegie Hall, New York; London’s Royal Festival Halls, on the BBC; The Champs Elysee Festival, France; and major venues in New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Germany and United States. Saint Germain has composed lyrics for William on two separate visits in Mexico, in 2006 and 2007.Sky Saxon - lead singer of the Seeds, a top-forty group whose 1966's "Pushin’ Too Hard" made it into the "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll". The Seeds are part of the grammy winning soundtrack of the movie Almost Famous, with their song Mr. Farmer. At the Seeds peak, they had opening acts like: The Doors, The Kinks, The Byrds and The Supremes with Diana Ross. The Seeds once split a New York bill with Jimi Hendrix. Muddy Waters supplied liner notes for the only Seeds blues album, and called the group, "America’s own Rolling Stones". Sky has also collaborated with The Chesterfield Kings, Redd Kross and is now touring with Smashing Pumpkin’s Billy Corgan. Saint Germain jammed, performed and recorded with Sky on and off from 1999 to 2005. Saint Germain is on three tracks of the King Arthur’s Court CD, 2005.Sikiru Adepoju - drummer for grammy winners Santana, Stevie Wonder, Mickey Hart and Airto Moreira. Sikuru has also collaborated with Babatunde Olatunji and String Cheese Incident. Saint Germain facilitated with Sikuru at the world’s largest drum circle, 2004. Sikuru is a grammy winner.Karl Perazzo - percussionist and vocalist with Santana. Saint Germain facilitated with Karl at the world’s largest drum circle, 2004.Airto Moreira - drummer for such legends as Miles Davis, Herb Albert, Cannonball Adderley, Al Di Meola, Chick Corea and Stanley Clark. Airto has also worked with Ken Ascher, Giovanni Hidalgo and Mickey Hart. Saint Germain played with Airto at the world’s largest drum circle, 2004. Airto is a grammy winner.Greg Ellis - drummer who has played with Billy Idol, Beck, Mickey Hart, Zakir Hussain and Airto Moriera. Greg has also been a movie "session musician" for scores in The Matrix part 1 and 3, Fight Club and Tomb Raider. Saint Germain facilitated with Greg at the world’s largest drum circle, 2004.Leon Mobley - drummer for grammy winning Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals. Leon also has his own band, Da Lion. Saint Germain first played with Leon in a drum circle, backstage at Reggae on the River, 1995. Then paired on the same bill in Mendocino, California in 2006, Saint Germain asked Leon if he would play lead drum with his nyabinghi ensemble, Leon obliged while Saint Germain did his spoken word.Kim Atkinson - music director and percussionist with such greats as Mickey Hart, Zakir Hussain, Mamady Keita, Giovanni Hidalgo and Lee Charlton. Kim has been ranked the number two drum circle coordinator in the world for many years. Kim helped produce the musical score for the 100th Opening Ceremonies of Atlanta’s 1996 Olympic Games. Saint Germain performed with Kim in 1997, 1998 and 1999, in: Kim’s own "Carnival Spirit" a Brazilian Bateria (20 piece drum troupe); in two different West African drumming ensembles; and with Mickey Hart on three different occasions. Saint Germain has also recorded with Kim in 1999, in a five-day long recording session of experimental music, with all one of a kind instruments, with eleven musicians in total.Other notable performance and recording collaborations:The Dub Farmer - dub reggae sound engineer, keyboardist and percussionist; Saint Germain has recorded three cds with The Dub Farmer, the first cd with The Dub Farmer and the next two cds with The Dub farmer and the Dub Matrix group - Portland, Oregon 1995 to presentThe Dub Matrix - dub reggae band with The Dub Farmer; Saint Germain has recorded two cds with the The Dub Matrix group - Portland, Oregon 1999 to presentJah Levi and the Higher Reasoning - international roots reggae; Saint Germain has performed spoken word and nyabinghi drumming with Jah Levi - California and Oregon 1997-1999Rocker T - lyricist, collaborated w/ Rita Marley, Burning Spear, Aswad, Shinehead, KRS-One; Saint Germain played with him at the "Elf", while they both backed Jah Levi and the Higher Reasoning on nyabinghi drums - Amsterdam, Holland 2001Attila - keyboardist for Twinkle Brothers and Della Grant; Saint Germain played percussion with Attila while he was in a reggae group named The Dubalites - Santa Rosa, California 1996Kenyatta Poole - drummer for The Wailing Souls; Saint Germain performed in a few west African drumming ensembles with Kenyatta in northern California and African drum classes in Los Angeles - 1998, 1999Arjun and the Guardians - world reggae; Saint Germain played percussion with Arjun at the Dragonfly Festival - Upper Lake, California 1999Fantuzzi and the Flexible Band - world / funk / reggae; Saint Germain played lead djembe in Fantuzzi’s drum troupe on Britain’s Channel 4 television, with Ken Kesey, Saint Germain also played congas with Fantuzzi at Trinity Tribal Stomp, and performed together in many different festival parades - California and Oregon 1996-1999Clan Dyken - rocking roots footstomp; Saint Germain has played with Clan Dyken four different times, on percussion - Oregon and California 1997- 1999Richard Waters - recording artist, composer, instrument inventor; Saint Germain recorded with Richard - Sebastopol, California 1999Bart Hopkins - recording artist, composer, instrument inventor; Saint Germain recorded with Bart - Sebastopol, California 1999Gary Knowlton - guitarist, instrument inventor; Saint Germain jammed and recorded with Gary - Sebastopol, California 1997-1999David Blonski - didgereedoo and other world instruments recording artist; Saint Germain recorded with Dave - Sebastopol, California 1999Saint Germain has also spent time with:Earl "Chinna" Smith - guitarist for Bob Marley - 2007Lee "Scratch" Perry - reggae all-star - 1999Mad Professor - master reggae sound engineer - 1999Ziggy Marley - son of Bob Marley - 1994Saint Germain has also had meetings with spiritual leaders:His Holiness, The Dalai Lama - (Leader of Tibet) met in India - 1997John F. Kennedy Jr. - (keynote speaker) met at Health and Harmony Festival in Santa Rosa, California - 2004Andromeda Abushady - (Saudi Arabian princess) met in California and became partners - 1993-1995Drunvalo Melchizedek - (author) met in Belgium - 2001James J. Hurtak - (author) met in California - 2007Elizabeth Claire Prophet - (author) met in California - 1975-1999Godfre Ray King - (author) met in Belgium - 2000 to presentNeal Donald Walsch - (author) met in Oregon - 2004James Twyman - (author) met in Oregon - 2000, 2001, 2004Eduardo Alatriste - (spiritual cinema producer) met in California - 2007 to presentStephen Simon - (spiritual cinema producer) met in Oregon - 2004Chief Richard Sparrow Eagle - Lakota (South Dakota) - 1999Chief Arvol Looking Horse - Lakota (South Dakota) - 2000, 2001Chief Charlie Thom - Karuk (California) - 1994 to presentChief Jack Thom - Karuk (California) - 2002Chief Floyd Buckskin - Ahjumawi (California) - 2004 to presentChief Jack Fallsrock - Upper Klamath River (Oregon) - 1999 to presentChief Gino Mendoza - Mashica (Mexico) - 1997 to presentChief Carlos Chico Hall - Mayan Elder (Yucatan, Mexico) met in Oregon - 2005West African percussion ensembles:Oya Nike - San Francisco Carnival troupe - 1997, 1998Wada Foli - Ukiah, California - 1998,1999Nyokobok - Santa Cruz - 2000Djembequa - Vallejo, California - 1998, 1999Abdoulaye Diakate Ensemble - San Francisco and Davis California - 1997, 2007Mapati and Thione Diop Ensemble - Seattle, Washington - 1998, and Veneta, Oregon - 2005Elhadji Ensemble - Santa Rosa, California - 1997-2001Events performed at:Wesak Festival - Mount Shasta, California - 2000, 2002, 2003, 2008Earthdance - Laytonville, California - 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, (2004 Guinness Record)Whole Earth Festival - Davis, California - 2002Guinness Book of World Records, World’s Largest Drum Circle - Earthdance Festival - 2004Trinity Tribal Stomp - Hayfork, California - 1998, 1998, 2000, 2002Sierra Nevada World Music Festival - Marysville, California - 1998Health and Harmony Festival - Santa Rosa, California - 1998, 2001, 2004Gathering of the Tribes - Dana, California - 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007Benbow Arts and Music Festival - 1999-2002Mount Shasta World Music Festival - Mount Shasta, California - 1999Mountain Music Festival - Willow Creek, California - 2005Ken Kesey’s "Merlin’s Mysterical Tour" - International Ballroom, San Francisco, CA - 1999Spirit Festival - Buckhorn Campground, Idyllwild, California - 2003Latin Festival - Huntington Park, California - 1999"In-Didg-In-Us" Didgereedoo Festival - Scio, Oregon - 1998, 1999Fairyworlds Festival - Secret House Winery, Veneta, Oregon - 2006Dragonfly Festival - Upper Lake, California - 1998, 1999Dun-Dun Village Festival - Upper Lake, California - 1997-2001, 2004Harvest Jam Festival - Silver Falls State Park, Silverton, Oregon - 1996E-Merge-N-See Festival - Ashland, Oregon - 2005Tribe 13 Festival - Summerlake, Oregon - 2001Mendocino Living Culture Festival - Casper, California - 2007Volcanic Rock Festival - Bend, Oregon - 1993,1994, 1998I-WILL Presents Autumn Equinox - Jackson Wells, Oregon - 2007Apple Blossom Festival Parade - Sebastopol, California - 1998San Francisco’s Carnival Parade - Mission District, San Francisco - 1997, 1998Notting Hill Carnival Parade - London, England - 1997Mount Shasta’s Fourth of July Parade - Mount Shasta, California - 2000, 2003Children’s Parade at the Whole Earth Festival - Davis, California - 1998-2000Health and Harmony Festival Drum Parade - Santa Rosa, California - 1998-2000The Mud Parade at Oregon Country Faire - Veneta, Oregon - 1996-1998World Peace /Summer Solstice Festival - Wellsprings, Ashland, Oregon - 2001-2003World Peace/Autumn Equinox Festival - Wellsprings, Ashland, Oregon - 2001-2003Oregon Country Faire - Veneta, Oregon - 1998, 2000-2002, 2004-2006Ashland Country Faire - Wellsprings, Ashland, Oregon - 2001, 2002Tonasket Barter Faire - Tonasket, Washington - 1994, 1995Ruch Barter Faire - Ruch, Oregon - 1993, 1994Mount Shasta Barter Faire - Mount Shasta, California - 1999Renaissance Faire - Novato, California - 1988Himalayan Fair - Berkeley, California - 1998Mount Shasta Himalayan Fair - McCloud, California - 2006Seattle Hempfest - Seattle, Washington - 1998Million Man Marijuana March - San Francisco, California - 1999World Hemp Festival - Harrisburg, Oregon - 2001Musicians for Medical Marijuana - Oakland, California - 2001Mushroom Festival - McCloud, California - 2008World Rhythm Festival - Seattle, Washington - 1998-2000Indigo Children and Mayan Calendar Conferences - with James Twyman and Jose Arguelles in Ashland, Oregon - 2000, 2002, 2003Unitarian Church - Roseburg, Oregon, 2004Grants Pass Annual Pow Wow - Grants Pass, Oregon - 2005North Mount Shasta Native American Sundance - Mount Shasta, California - 2007Benefit Concerts for the following Native American Nations - Hopi, Navaho, Lakota, Sioux, Ajumawi, Wintun, and Karuk.Saint Germain has had ongoing relationships with different chiefs, clan leaders, singers, drummers and dancers for over fifteen years. Saint Germain is part Flathead Indian, whose roots are in northern Idaho and southern British Columbia, Canada - 1999 to presentsaintgmusic@gmail.com

Saint Germaine & The Violet Flame Focus Group

ST.GERMAIN in the Media

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