Ambe is a kirtan band consisting of Kamini Natarajan, Andrew Behla, Dean Childers, Dahveed Estrada, and Harrison Ellison. By using traditional instruments - dhotar, tanpura, and harmonium along with percussion - Ambe is able to weave a rich, organic sound that allows the call and response chanting to flow easily. New compositions as well as traditional chants give a variety to the experience of diving back into the silence of the Self. Founding member Andrew Behla explains, “Chanting in Sanskrit has an incredible effect on the consciousness when done with 100% enthusiasm. It’s like charging your batteries while having fun at the same time! Also, the chants are constantly evolving and anyone can join in. All you need is a YES mind and the heart will follow!”
MUSICIANS:
Andrew Behla is a founding member of ambe and started chanting almost 20 years ago when he met his guru, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. He is an Art of Living Foundation teacher and Los Angeles based musician, producer, and recording engineer. He has produced several albums for the Art of Living Foundation and has assisted on recordings and musical projects for Anoushka Shankar, Dave Stringer, Geoffrey Gordon, Lakshmi Shankar, Suzanne Teng, and Spa Song.
Kamini Natarajan is a singer from India. Kamini's mother, Uma Natarajan (who is herself a trained Karnatic and Hindustani vocalist) initiated her musical journey when she was a young girl, and she spent over a decade learning Indian classical music. Kamini's music flows from the spirit within, and she is inspired to weave the intricacies of eastern melody and rhythm with western harmony. Kamini currently performs with the band Ambe.
San Fernando valley native, Dean Childers, is always seeking that which resonates deep within the soul; whether a song, a voice, a swirling melody which hypnotizes the senses. Childers explains, “Music is my elixir, my fountain of youth... if you will, which keeps me searching, digging deeper and deeper to find that place where sonic sound and perennial musical bliss collides -- a place that exists, but is known to few. My journey never ends.” Childers is a self described guitarist, harmonium player, father and seeker of freedom and truth... and all around mensch.
Dahveed Estrada is a founding member of Ambe and has been playing percussion for nearly 30 years. His passion for kirtan has led to tours with Bhagavan Das as well as supporting other kirtan artists in the Los Angeles area.
Harrison Ellison, born and raised in Los Angeles, California has always been a late bloomer, first playing drums in college. Graduating USC film school in 2006, he has lived and worked in Brazil and New York. His photographic work can be viewed by clicking here.
By integrating sanskrit and spiritual lyrics with their sessions of musical discovery a sound was shaped and original songs created. Ambe's primary songwriter, Andrew Behla, has written songs that bring the hindu, buddhist, rainbow, rastafarian, muslim, and christian traditions together to praise the divine. Joel Epps, formerly of the reggae band, Boom Shaka, was also instrumental in defining the deep grooves and arrangements for the songs.
Andrew Behla explains the connection between spirit and sound, "I strongly feel that the goal is one and the paths are many; that all of the traditions are part of our world culture, and expressed in different ways. Rather than feeling separate from all of these traditions, and narrowing my vision, I can feel the common thread that unites them all and in turn, all of us. The music that we play is intended to be uplifting and get people moving! "
Over the years ambe has had many incarnations and lineups. Some of the amazing musicians who have played with ambe either live or in the studio include: Michèle Krolik (founding member, vocals), Kei Ogawa (vocals), Airie (vocals), Kiki Rose (vocals) , Scott Grusin (mandolin, lap steel, guitar), John Baltic (keyboards), Kevin Crabb (drums), Chris Lee (drums), Jamie Burr (percussion), Adam Mostow (dj, freestyle poetry), Tony Bray, (saxaphone), Todd Montgomery (sitar, mandolin and bouzouki), Richard Hardy (flute and saxaphone) and Michael Riz (vibes), Joel Searles (drums) and Mark Chang (keyboards). Many thanks go to the many musician who have supported the music and believed in the dream.
In 2007 Andrew was blessed to meet Kamini Natarajan, a classicaly trained Indian vocalist and All India Radio artist. Kamini has helped to shape the new sound that ambe is developing along with guitarist/harmonium player Dean Childers and drummer Harrison Ellison. Ambe is currently working on completing an album entitled Old Path, New Way.
Ambe has played many live shows including Woody Harrelson's O2 (Oxygen) Bar located on Sunset Strip in Hollywood. Woody was ahead of his time in opening a vegan, raw food oxygen bar in the late 90's, and was there to catch ambe during their early sets, praising the band by saying that he "loved the vibe". Woody would stay late and even help the band load their gear at the end of the night. Ambe has gone on to perform at the World Festival of Sacred Music and has played numerous clubs and benefits including Yoga for Kerry and Walk for the Underdog for the past three years.
