From Futureman & Ty Burhoe on Muse Power

Here's some feedback on Cheri's new book: Muse Power: How Recreational Music Making Heals us from Depression and the Symptoms of Modern Culture

"Cheri has created a rich and inisghtful book on the far reaching impact of music on today's society as well as it's importance to us as individuals. She has woven together, not only very provocative research and important facts about sound and psychology, but also her own moving experiences in one of the human race's most valuable resources: music."
Ty Burhoe, Professional Tabla Player, Student of Zacchir Hussein

"I have taught drums with Cheri on several occassions and this book is great as I feel that I can continue learning from Cheri. Cheri has such great energy and brings such a unique blend of feminine insight, power and passion to the art of drumming. Muse Power reminds us of the healing power of music as a way of building community and relationships. I love drumming, community and relationships and so does Cheri! Thanks Cheri, I love what you are doing! Bravo on creating this great educational journey."
Royel, "Futureman" Wooten of the Grammy Award Winning Band, The Flecktones

"Cheri definitly channels the powers of the muses when she performs as a singer, or leads the circles of ecstatic percussion. This book is yet another manifestation of her incredible and beautiful energy: a welcome contribution to the growing testimony to the healing magic of music."
Cameron Powers, "Musical Missions of Peace"

Buy your copy today at http://www.cherishanti.com/products and bring Cheri to your community to share the power of rhythm, music and community building!

The Power of the WItness in Music Making

Moving in perfect stillness as my feet are hitting the floor in perfect rhythm, I look out into the audience and my heart is spilled open once again by the presence of these dancing, free spirits moving to the groove of the band I'm playing with, Onda from Boulder. It's always intoxicating to me, always completely consumes me to stand witness to the experiences of others in their movement knowing that they too are seeing me and what we are exchanging is of such a unique and profound quality in today's world of computer screens and techno blah blah.

It is my inspiration. It is the food that feeds my ever growing heart of compassion and connection to others. It is the fabric of my existence somehow, this experience of the witness being witnessed, simutaneously holding others as I too am being seen in my truest essence. There is so much grace and power in what happens when we are grooving together, when eyes meet, and there is acknowledgement of one for the other. Be it in our pain, our glory, our passion, our sensuality, our frustration... somehow music makes us transparent, it brings us back fully into the shared experience of our humanness.

Drumming together, singing together, dancing together are all forms of music making. We are in the groove, our bodies and hearts and minds become synchronized on a whole different level when we are in that state. We can get past the mundane and for those moments we can see each other without judgement, without any dilution of the personality, without words. For me, this is total freedom, and I feel that those who know me best, know me thru the Muses. They've heard me play the passion of my soul, they've seen me cry in the middle of a song or fall on my knees on the ground and pray thru the grace of tears as the hardness of the world melts me, they've seen the truth of me which shines far brighter in the Muse. And, likewise, when I see someone in their groove, suddenly I get a true glimpse of the depth of their hearts, I feel and see their pain, their struggles, and their victories. It is as if the lens of music allows for a total removal of the filters our overactive minds try to work in too much of the time! We are free, we are whole, we are completely ourselves.

I am, as always, blessed to participate! What a joyous and amazing life journey it is to be a musical being who has chosen to participate.

Brazilian Music Study Trip: 2009

I am very excited to be sharing an wonderful opportunity to study drumming and music in Brazil this summer! If you are interested in this trip, please email me directly for more info: cheri_shanti@yahoo.com and I will get you in touch with the organizer to make arrangements! This is going to be a fabulous trip! I'm looking for 5-10 people to go with me the first two weeks of August, but you can go anytime this summer that works for you!

Read on and enjoy, and please pass it on! Thanks so much! Yahoo, Muse Tours is on it's way!


STUDY ABROAD iN BAHIA, BRAZIL - PROGRAM INFO

This is an independent program, run personally by Joao Junqueira, CU-Boulder Brazilian Ensemble Director and Musics of the World Instructor- Metro State Denver,
with a contracted local assistant. Because this trip is independent, a great feature of this program is its flexibility. It can serve diverse goals, and diverse budgets. It will be custom made to fit all participants needs and wants,as much as practically possible. Participants will participate in the trip design as well.

TRIP LEADER
Thetrip will be led by Joao Junqueira, a Brazilian native based in
Boulder, CO with strong ties to Salvador, Brazil. Joao was born
in Porto Alegre, and has lived 21 years in the US, with yearly
trips to Brazil. He is fluent in Portuguese and English, has worked as an
interpreter for several years, and has extensive experience in
intercultural communication and exchange. He is currently an
Ethnomusicology PhD Candidate at CU-Boulder, and is in the
process of doing fieldwork/dissertation on Brazilian folk music and
disadvantaged children's music education at a non-profit organization.

You can pick dates beginning on 7/1 and ending on 8/10. June dates can be
arranged on a personal basis.


ABOUT THE STUDY TRIP

Why a "study" trip?

Because you can actually study music, dance,capoeira, or any other subject you may be interested. Joao will set up lessons/classes with expert teachers located in Salvador, Bahia. You will have the opportunity to learn from local Bahian masters
and have a total immersion experience. Participants can propose a study plan, i.e., a number of lessons, and subjects. Because this program is independent,
participants are not "locked in" any class schedule, other than the one co-designed and contracted with Joao prior to the trip.

Study trip participants may spend at least ONE to FIVE weeks in Bahia hosted by Joao Junqueira and his assistant in a Salvador-based location.

Contact Cheri for more info and specifics if you are interested! Thanks

Reconnecting to the Roots

Sweet soft sensuality breathes here in the deep south of Florida. The air is heavy but so refreshingly crisp with the promise of tranquility. Night jasmine blooming blasts my senses back into perfect harmonious bliss and I am nourished deep into the depths of my being.

Hours and hours floating upon the gentle undulating sea bring my body into rhythm again in a little yellow boat with fish splashing everywhere. When the air is thick and moist, my body moves slower, feels fuller and loves to appreciate it's self.

Florida is richer than ever it seems. I feel like I can see the efforts that have been made here to conserve, preserve and bring vitality back. There are dolphin swimming in the river again, fish jumping everywhere again, healthy and strong to feed the graceful giants. The water is blue green and magically inviting and I feel a sense of hope for my native home here, the world that birthed my appreciation for everything natural.

Reconnecting to my roots: remembering my love was born in this place of the ocean, rivers and wild howling winds. My soul is here, my heart is here, and my roots are here. This is the place that taught me the rhythms of life and the ocean sings forever in my soul because of this place.

Sweet moments of musings, songs sung on the dock to the moonlight and fireflies, a little girl's memories of the magic of seeing the dolphins swimming beneath the boat and feeling the ocean pulsing beneath her feet, falling asleep every night with the sound of the waves singing in her bones. How blessed I was to grow up in this place, so close to Yemaya, the sea. How blessed I am to return and feel so connected, so whole, so grateful and so serene in this place.

with only grace..