{"product_id":"church-of-sky","title":"Church of Sky","description":"About the Artist\n\nHeather Wertheimer is a singer, songwriter, guitarist, yoga teacher, and therapist, whose beautiful vocals, unique perspectives and unusual depth reflect a wide array of human experiences. She is part of the musical duo Shantala with her husband Benjy Wertheimer, who is a singer\/songwriter and world class multi-instrumentalist. Heather performs and tours with Benjy and virtuoso guitarist Michael Mandrell. She also combines her special love of both music and yoga to lead devotional chanting for workshops and spiritual gatherings. In the past, Heather was a featured vocalist in the musical \"Return to Avalon\" and has performed throughout the Northwest with the groups HeartStrings and Lonesome Taxi.\nBenjy Wertheimer is an award-winning songwriter, vocalist, composer, and multi-instrumentalist (playing tabla, congas, percussion, esraj, guitar, and keyboards). Benjy tours with Krishna Das and virtuoso guitarist Michael Mandrell, and he has opened for such artists as Carlos Santana, Paul Winter, and Narada Michael Walden. A founding member of the internationally acclaimed Ancient Future world fusion music ensemble, Benjy has toured the US, Canada, and Japan with renowned bamboo flute master GS Sachdev.\nBenjy's CD Circle of Fire was featured on Echoes, heard on over 150 public radio stations around North America. He has been a contributing composer and member of the Zakir Hussain Rhythm Experience (along with Mickey Hart of the Grateful Dead). For over five years, Benjy scored music for the internationally syndicated NBC series Santa Barbara. He has recorded with numerous A\u0026amp;M, Windham Hill, Narada, Nippon Phonogram, and Rounder recording artists.\nBeginning his musical studies at age 5 (starting with piano and later studying violin and flamenco guitar), Benjy received his training in Keyboard Improvisation at the University of Colorado and Composition and Ethnomusicology at the University of Washington. He has studied Indian classical music for over 20 years with some of the greatest masters of that tradition (including Alla Rakha, Zakir Hussain, Ali Akbar Khan and Z. M. Dagar).\n\nProduct Description\n\nChurch of Sky is a contemporary folk CD with musical influences from around the world. It is the debut CD for Shantala, the acoustic world folk duo of Heather and Benjy Wertheimer. Church of Sky creates a magical blend of contemporary folk music with the captivating sounds of instruments such as the esraj and tabla from India, the djembe from Africa, and the balalaika from Eastern Europe. Additional instruments such as the harp, zither, violin, viola, and cello engage the listener in a far-reaching musical journey of the spirit. Church of Sky features the extraordinary musical talents of world-class multi-instrumentalist Benjy Wertheimer, guitarists Michael Mandrell and Tim Ellis, world-renowned slide guitarist Bob Brozman, vocalists Tina Malia, Joe Jencks, and Jim Walker, violinists Julian Smedley and Wah!, and others.\n\nReview\n\nWe love Church of Sky . . . the whole album just breathes love. A true blessing. --Deva Premal \u0026amp; Miten\u003cbr\u003eASIN: B00007EMSM\u003cbr\u003eVSKU: DBV.B00007EMSM.G\u003cbr\u003eCondition: Good\u003cbr\u003eAuthor\/Artist:Shantala\u003cbr\u003eBinding: Audio cd\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eNote:\u003c\/b\u003e Any images shown are stock photographs and product may differ from what is shown.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eCondition Notes\u003c\/b\u003e: Individually inspected: Guaranteed to play perfectly or your money back. Case may show wear and may be in library packaging. Ships Fast!  \u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Dream Books Co.","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":41747481624634,"sku":"DBV.B00007EMSM.G","price":8.29,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0555\/6011\/0138\/files\/B00007EMSM-0.jpg?v=1791950789","url":"https:\/\/shop.dreambooksco.com\/products\/church-of-sky","provider":"Dream Books Co.","version":"1.0","type":"link"}