What I'm Listening to right now that's knocking my socks off.

Pema Chodron - one of the most significant teachers in my life. http://www.shambala.org/teachers/pema

Anour Brahem, Dan Cantrell, India Lucia, Mantra Girl, Balkan BeatBox, Devotchka, Atash, Amon Tobin, Greg Ellis, Yoyo Ma - Silk Road Ensemble, Hamsa El Din, Marta Sebestyen, Taraf de Haidouks, Goran Bregovic, Kronos Quartet, Susheela Raman, Sheila Chandra (Quiet & Roots/Wings), Deva Premal, Brent Lewis (Drum Sex), Grayson Capps, Michael Gulezian, Mediaeval Baebes, Kitka, Rasa, Joni Mitchell, Cat Stevens, CSNY, Bellydance Galactica,

KanNal, Scott Huckaby, Kaki King, ALO, Stellamara, Prem Joshua, Vas, Azam Ali, Mercen Dede, Carla Bruni, Bird York, Drum Spyder, Nawang Kechog, Monsoon Point, Benji Wertheimer, Duoud, NIyaz, Jeffrey Stott, Beats Antique, The Toids, Smadj, Badawi

For Warm Ups I have been currently using:

Mantra Girl - http://mantragirl.com

Kronos Quartet - http://www.kronosquartet.org

Shimshai - http://shimshai.com

Krishna Das - http://www.krishnadas.com

Deva Premal - http://www.devapremalmiten.com

Sheila Chandra - http://www.sheilachandra.com

Rasa - http://www.rasa-music.com

Carolyn Hillyer http://www.seventhwavemusic.co.uk

Scott Huckaby - http://www.scotthuckaby.com

Kan'Nal - http://www.kannal.org

Loop Guru - Duniya - http://www.loopguru.demon.co.uk

Kirby Shelstad - Dewachen - htttp://www.kirbyshelstad.com/home.html

Prem Joshua - http://www.premjoshua.com

Vas - http://www.vasmusic.com

Stellamara - http://www.stellamara.com

Class Favorites I often use:

Drum Sex - Brent Lewis

Hands of a Thousand Beats - Michael Beach & Brothers of the Baladi

Tribal Dance Tribal Drums Vol 1 - Helm or Fat Chance

Drumsongs for Dancers - Armando Mafufo or Rhythm Fusion between Cedar and Pacific downtown.

Source of Fire, Beladi Plus and Sabla Tolo - Hossam Ramzy

Neykis vol 1 - Drum Spyder aka Scott Sterling

Duoud - DuOud and Smadj

Tribal Derivations - Beats Antique

Souksonic - Jeff Stott

Santa Cruz Stores - these are the 3 best local stores to find world and inspirational music

Streetlight Records - John Connell is a good friend and manager/buyer here and a dedicated Persian percussionist - he has stocked an amazing selection of world music - check out the India, Middle Eastern, N.African, Gypsy, Flamenco sections as well as the "beat" offerings in each area. Streetlight is on lower Pacific Ave downtown. This is where you'll find the best selection in town from Turkey to Uzbekistan to India to Spain to Egypt and its the best place to find contemporary pop beat fusions from all these countries as well.

Rhythm Fusion - Dror is a good friend and an amazing percussionist - he stocks Armando's and Scirocco's CD's, Jonathan Kessler's video and music and has a good range of traditional Middle Eastern music including Faruk Tekbilek, and the mesmerizing Yair Dalal. His amazing collection of instruments can waylay you for hours. This is also where I send my dancers to buy zills and drums locally. You can find Rhythm Fusion on the upper mall in between Pacific and Cedar Sts.

Gateway Books - This is the magical place to find that magnetic blend of ambient and exotic sounds from India, the MIddle East, N.AFrica and???? Soquel Ave across from Charlie Hong Kong. The reading's not bad either.

Santa Cruz Jewels You Musn't Miss

AZA - my inspired always joyful and hopeful Moroccan friends here in Santa Cruz. Fattah has put a great band together which plays new and traditional Berber music - their first CD is soooo danceable - buy it - and the 2nd one on the way will surely make you one of their fans!!! They play around town - catch them if you can.

Armando Mafufo and Sirocco - Armando has the lightest and fastest fingers on any kind of drum you've ever seen and heard and is a suportive drummer for dancers. I love all of his percussion CD's - any one is a good buy. With his longtime friend Suliman they are together "Sirocco"- they have 3 wonderful traditional music cds as well - again any one is amazing, but my favorite by far is "Country Dance". See them both play together and with others on Friday nights at the Union Cafe downtown on Union St.

Jonathan Kessler - Jonathan is sooo friendly, he is truly interested in supporting the dancer he is working with - what a delight! Jonathan was a seminal member of Farabi - a wonderful ensemble that grew out of the UCSB Middle Eastern Music Program. Get your hands on these CD's and tapes for some inspirational music to make your hips rock. He also has the best doumbek instructional video for learning.

Rick Walker - Rick is the multi-intrumentalist/sound/fusion/ God and of course my friend. This incredibly creative man has a long history of inspiring us with sound. From world percussion heavy to leading the world looping phenomenon he does it all. Check him out!

Goddesses of Rhythm and Voice and Trance: - these are a few women who set the standard for music virtuosity, composition and voice which channels the healing spirit that is desperately needed to bring compassion and vision and inspiration to our present world. The music here represents worldwide influences.

Alison Krauss - the haunting voice and violin in the film Cold Mountain

Anonymous Four - women's plainsong and gregorian chant sacred choral is pure inspiration for dreaming or prayer, Gateway Books, Streetlight Records and online everywhere

Anoushka Shankar - sitar by the daughter of the legendary Ravi Shankar

Azam Ali of Vas - iranian born vocalist creates a synergy of sacred and traditional voice that will entrance your ears, heart and soul - Gateway Books, online

Carolyn Hillyer - the quintessential shamaness of dartmoor heath in england her chants take us to the very bones of our roots and call up the the deepest whispers of our souls - Gateways Books and online only

Gabriel Roth - drum/dance trance shamaness. bones, water, fire, spirit its all there

Kaki King - cutting edge guitarist witch

Kitka - once i start listening to this out of this world harmonic blend i can't stop for days. balkan choir of exceptional quality and spirit - every cd is magnificent - if you live in the bay area you absolutely must hear them live, preferably in a cathedral - online, Gateway Books, Streetlight Records

Layne Redmond - this is the woman who wrote the paradigm changing book " when the drummers were women", a teacher, composer, shamaness who has put the ritualistic frame drum firmly in woman's hands

Lisa Gerard of Dead Can Dance - composer, vocalist, producer extraordinaire has been exploring world music and its shamanistic implications for over a decade soundtrack for whalerider - her voice and her webweaving will catch you immediately - Streetlight, online and everywhere

Loreena McKennitt - the celtic voice of an angel which has captured many hearts -explores traditional celtic and the fusion with middleeastern, and central asian strands exceptional instrumentation and composition and research in every piece - STreetlight, Gateways, online and the world

Mamak Khadam of Axiom of Choice - a powerhouse voice from the persian tradition that explores the dance between ancient and modern voice online only but worth every penny and effort to get

Marta Sebesteyen - the jewel of the hungarian musical tradition another voice that i can't turn away from once in put it on offers music to dance sing cry and listen - Streetlight Records, amazon and the world

Kim Waters of Rasa - the voice and bhajans of this duet features the hearfelt vocals of Kim Waters and is especially dear to my heart. I spent the entire decade of my 20's in an asram/monestary chanting these very same devotional songs daily - the arrangements with the soul crying sarod and sarongi will melt your heart - kim is also the artist of the devotional borders featured on my website from her "Illuminations of the Bhagavad-Gita" book both available at Gateways bookstore & amazon.

Mediaeval Baebes - this young urban woman's ensemble offers a fab collection of sparse and beautiful medieval chorale guaranteed to please and soothe at amazon and perhaps streetlight records

Natacha Atlas - belgian born diva of moroccan, egyptian and palestinian roots has a rich voice fusion of traditional and pop music very danceable music available at Streetlight, amazon and the world

Nora Jones - this is the voice of chocolate, it melts and feels like love, also the daughter of Ravi Shankar - my daughter and I are completely addicted cause she makes us feel like we're daisies in the middle of an expansive field

Offra Haza - one of my favorite voices - of yemenite jewish descent fuses traditional and modern musical influences - made traditional and pop recordings, her talent bridging jewish and arabic audiences by her vitality, extraordinary voice and spirit. at Streetlight, amazon and the world.

Sevara Nazarkhan - an amazing voice and spirit fuses traditional elements of uzbekistan and modern music features sevara playing dutar an ancient stringed instrument of the 15th century on realworld label available at amazon or the world easy listening

Sheila Chandra - explores classical indian elements and modern voice - i'm hooked - easy listening on the real world label at Streetlight, amazon and the world.

Sonia Drakulich of Stellamara - a lyrical voice and composer, medieval, balkan and mid eastern influences ambient sound fused w/traditional elements trancey listening and some dance tracks - online only

Suphala - tabla player extraordinaire, student of Ustad Allah Rakha and Ustad Zukhair Hussain.

Susheela Raman - a new voice in the mesmerizing cross over of traditional carnatic music from India, jazz and trance

Susu Pampanin - accomplished fiery arabic percussionist from the bay area definitely for dancing online from Dahlal International

Um Kalthoum - the Egyptian ambassador of arabic voice - superb - her music is available everywhere

Yungchen Llamo - the tibetan voice of prayer is ethereal and haunting - easy listening realworld label - Streetlight, amazon and the world

Bay Area Jewels You Musn't Miss

Amorfia Productions - The Georges Lammam Ensemble presents inspirational, compositions, voices and music that can bring me to tears. Music from the Arab World that is complex and inspirational. Their dance hall stuff raqs your socks too! See them live in San Francisco!

Brass Menagerie - Bay area's very upbeat Balkan Brass band, youthful and passionate, high energy, can't sit still.

Circus Contraption - no not musicians but fun folk, circus party and we love them!

Dan Cantrell - superb accordionist and composer, balkan, eastern european inspired

Davka - This delightful trio fuses new and traditional elements of the Levant - I have never loved cello as much as when these 3 play. Do you love Traditional Klezmer Music???? Do you want to? I have all of their CD's and wouldn't part with a single one!

Helm - This duo of Ling Shien Bell and Mark Bell have put grins on the faces of many dancers and audiences alike. Playmates with the likes of Fat Chance Belly Dance, Hahbi Ru, Rossah,Tobias Roberson and everyone else. I use all of their CD's but especially Tribal Dance Tribal Drums Volume 1.

The Indigo - Witness and be mesmerized.

Jeffrey Stott - Jeffrey has been the midwife bringing to birth the marriage of electronica, beat and world music for a long time. A major player of Lumin, Stellamara and six degrees recording projects, he now has released his very own CD SoukSonic - and I love it!

Mary Ellen Donald - She has been prolific in her recordings with the late Mimi Spencer, and Mary Ellen is another Rhythm Goddess in the very male world of arabic percussion. She offers great instructional materials too.

Shimshai - This mystic bard is my current direct feed to Divine Prayer - his voice and spirit are a balm.

Somma & Dubistan- Persian fusion, sensual, rhythmical, trancey.

Stellamara - Sonia Drakulich and friends take you to Medieval, Arabic, & Balkan lands. Be mystified! Both CD's have danceable and listening music.

Susu Pampanin - This amazing woman has rhythm dripping from her soul. A respected arabic percussionist and composer she's played with everyone who's anyone and she lives in the Bay area!!! Hopefully she'll have her own website soon but in the meantime her CD's just have to be in your collection - I love Fate but her work with Susu and the Cairo Cats makes anyones hips and feet dance. Go to Dahlal International or Pekoe Records and buy her CD's.

Tobias Roberson -Tobias played with Jonathan Kessler when he was just a wee babe in Santa Barbara - now he's all grown up (well almost) and in so many bands it makes your head spin. Catch this wonderboy with wonderwoman Rachel Brice and you'll be in BLISS! The first album Music for Ultra Gypsies by 3 Spell is one of my favorites for class! Kinetic Trance is Tobias and Elliot's newer stuff.

The Toids - Nouveau Balkan and Gypsy offering stunning renditions of lyrical and rhythmical that you must have.

Yardogs Roadshow - raucous, unpredicatable, circus, gypsy, burlesque - got it? magical, sexy, FUN!

Groups and Cd's for Dancing or Listening:

Tribal and Traditional:

Atash - an amazing group from texas offers a new world take on the traditional - yummy dancing -online only

Farabi - new world greek, turkish and arabic music to tickle your hips and fancy - online only

Gypsy Caravan - american tribal belly dance music - online only

Hamza El Din - traditional and ethereal oud from the master at Streetlight Records, Amazon or the world

Helm - new world traditional dance music - online only

Hossam Ramzy - sizzling arabic percussion for dance and huge repertory at Streetlight, amazon or the world

Mahmoud Fadl - drummers of the nile - wow!!!!!! - Fat Chance or Streetlight Records or Peko Records

Music of the Fellahin - recorded by Aisha Ali on her travels to Egypt - online only

Music of N.AFrica - traditional music of n.africa recorded by Aisha Ali on her travels

Music of Tunisia - traditional music of tunisia recorded by Aisha Ali

Musicians of the Nile Series - the real drumming trancey thing from Real World Music label or the world

Omar Faruk Tekbilek - the turkish master of everything meditative and rhythmic! Rhythm Fusion, Streetlight, amazon or the world

Sirocco - new world traditional dance music with a folklkoric feel, turkish and arabic at Rhythm Fusion, online

3 Spell - new world oud violin and percussion to stir the dancer in you - online only

Taxeem & Souren Baronian - i have been blessed to have met this brilliant musician and creative man, his music is infectious!

Tim Rayborn- multi talented, multi instrumentalist with beautiful traditional and fusion music for expressive belly dance,

Yair Dalal - mello haunting oud and violin and percussion from the levant at Rythm Fusion, online,or the world

Contemporary/Fusion: most of these are available at Streetlight, Gateway, Folk Art in Santa Cruz or online

1001 Nights by Said Mrad Volumes 1 and 2 - arabic house beat mixes play it loud

Anouar Brahem - this is the most beautiful music - contemporary minimalist, oud, piano, violin, accordion, extraordinary, duets and trios

Arabesque - rough guide of arabic dance music

Arabesque - Volume 1, 2, 3 - these are an amazing french collection - volume 1 has camel face on front - must have!

Arabic Groove - putamayo collection of arabic contemporary pop dance

Asian Groove - putamayo collection of contemporary dance pop from India - one of my favorites for class

Arabian Travels 1 and 2 - arabian fusion and ambien bass by 6 degrees records

Asian Travels 1 and 2 - awesome asian fusion and ambient bass and synth by 6 degrees records

Axiom of Choice - persian fusion that is simply beautiful online only

Bally Sagoo - classical indian film music dubbed and updated for the dance groove

B Tribe - fusion flamenco, ambient, rhythm, voice for dance and groovin

Bombay Beats - bombay dubbed dance mixes ambient and upbeat

Cheb Mami - north african rai very danceable

Digital Bled - N.African traditional fused with a digital bleed for trance dancers

Dj Cheb i Sabbah - master mixer of traditional indian music and the dub

Dj Nader - arabic dance mixes

Jeff Stott - master fusionist arabic and electronica

Kan'Nal - tribal psych rock with green shamanistic overtones

Karsh Kale - master indian fusionist

Khaled - Algerian Rai very danceable

Lumin - ambient groove with middle eastern and central asian influences

Monsoon Wedding Soundtrack

Natacha Atlas - everyone's favorite fusion diva for great dancing at Streetlight, amazon,or the world

OOjami - one of my favorites - turkish fusion house beat that gets you moving fast

Prem Joshua - the prince of Indian fusion both danceable and meditative

Rachid Taha - algerian rai very danceable

Sahara Lounge - putamayo collection of ambient and contemporary dance grooves

Scott Huckaby - Guitar alchemist for all moods and flavors.

Smadj and Duoud - the latest Pariseienne/North African sensation to prove that tradition and technology can mix - smadj is new!

Solace - jeremiah soto's fusion percussive and electronic middle eastern dance grooves

Stellamara - world fusion ambient and dance groove - voice of the goddess

Hot Record Labels and music sites for traditional and contemporary dance music

Air Mail Music - this label offers the very best in traditional music of india, north africa, middle east or central asia

Calabash Music - the best selection of hard to find world music

Dahlal International - offers a huge collection of Middle Eastern music

Global Rhythm - online magazine featuring world music festivals, concerts, world music downloads plus world music reviews

Mondo Melodia Music - the dance pop music you love

Narada Music - some of the best in ambient world fusion

Nations Records - some of the best in fusion and contempory world beat

Peko Records - offers a huge collection of Middle Eastern and related music

Putamayo Records - great world music compilations

Real World - Peter Gabriels altruistic efforts at bringing exceptional world music to your attention

Rough Guides - this label offers excellent traditional music from india, n.africa, middle east or central asia

Six Degrees Records - one of the originators supporting world beat fusion collaborations and exploration

World Music - big cd outlet