White Light Kirtan Band Concert

On Friday night, the White Light Kirtan Band played a concert at East West as part of their current tour throughout California. The band consists of 10 high schoolers from the Living Wisdom School at Ananda Village, and has performed its energetic blend of Eastern and Western chanting styles for audiences across the country.

The White Light Kirtan Band. Lineup unfortunately
out of date due to the graduating nature of students.

The band in its current incarnation has a high proportion of girls, whose voices they use to good effect with some lovely high harmonies. They also have a ukulele and a xylophone, which were delightful additions to the more standard set of guitar and harmonium. (The final song was a beautiful Hawaiian chant with ukulele duet.) Palo Alto's own Mary-Katherine led the percussion section with the djembe (a large, African hand-drum), as well as taking her turns on lead vocal, harmonium, and ukulele.

White Light's most recent CD:
From the Darkness Comes the Light.

These young musicians are talented, and many have a stage presence well beyond their years. But the best part is that they have the right energy for this kind of music. The concert was beautifully uplifting and left me with a smile on my face and in my heart all the rest of the night.