Songs To Heal The World - Amanda Botur
By Julie Fustanio Kling
“Amanda Botur’s music is a breath of fresh air in a time when we as a global culture are in deep need of healing. She offers a sonic depth of exquisite loving resonance. Simply put, when we listen to her music individually and communally we are left deeply nourished, heart awakened and smiling.” ~ Rebecca Folsom, internationally acclaimed musician
Singer songwriter Amanda Botur’s debut album, Confluence/Sangam, is pure love. As a yoga teacher and a dear friend of mine (I admit I am biased), Amanda has a gentle way of saying the way you show up to anything in your life is the way you show up for everything. A similar quote is attributed to Tom Waits, one of Rolling Stones 100 greatest songwriters of all time. Amanda sees a unique light in everyone she meets, reminding them that someone out there is waiting for that unique illumination. Here she shares that same message in original songs and call and response mantra with a purity that harkens the element of water.
Like water, the source of life, her songs flow from peaceful and devotional to yearning and uplifting. There is a gratitude for self realization in Om Namah Shivaya, a reverence for the kind of love that inspires nature in Ma Durga, a prayer for the kind of love that lives beyond the earth in Holy Loveand an excitement for the kind of love that makes you want to get up and your groove on in Let Spirit Move You.
“Now that it’s out there, I am so happy to be spreading the love,” Amanda says. “The songs wrote themselves. Every time I would try and make a mantra fit a guitar riff, or really had any preconceived notions of what they ‘should’ sound like, I had to let go. As soon as I did that the mantras landed themselves where they wanted to be and how they wanted to flow, both in song form and melody. My job was to be a good listener and give up ‘trying’ and just allow them to come to life, breathed to life by something bigger than myself.”
Amanda sings humbly in Sanskrit - considered the language of the Gods in India, boldly in English and dares the listener to use their body as conduit of healing sound. Her angelic voice is amplified by her stellar band Christian Teele on percussion, Chris Engleman (bass), Bob Story (Guitar), Andy Skellenger (Tablas), John McVey (Guitar/Vocals), Robert Dunn (her Dad and keyboard player) and a chorus of other talented musicians out of the Denver area.
The best part of her ensemble was that some of the musicians had never heard or played Kirtan or mantra music before. Amanda's soulful presence expanded their repertoire as much as their talent guided her.
“It was a conscious choice,” she says. “I wanted to go into the recording sessions with fresh senses, new perspectives and with no preconceived notions of fitting into any category per se. It was very stimulating and I hope created a diversity of sound. Again and again I found myself turning it over, this time to the magic that each one of these musicians brought to the alchemy of the sound. That being said, it wouldn’t have been possible without the vision of my amazing producer John McVey, who held the container, with his wisdom, guidance and incredible ear!"
The original breath Amanda breathes into this body of work reflects her deep devotion for a yogic lifestyle that she shares freely as a mother, a friend and a spiritual teacher.
Amanda's website says she seeks freedom through music, mantra and yoga. I’d say she’s found that and more with this album. Buy it here on iTunes and help Amanda heal the world.
