UMA REED has traveled the spiritual path since the early 1970s, studying with many teachers over the years. A devotee of Neem Karoli Baba, she is also a longtime student of traditional Advaita Vedanta (the teachings of the Upanishads) through the lineage of Swami Dayananda Saraswati. Uma has journeyed to India many times. She began bringing groups there in 2011, and in 2016 she began leading retreats there. She enjoys sharing a deeper understanding of the Hindu deities, and leads kirtan, workshops, retreats, and classes, weaving together the practices of bhakti, mantra, and the vision of the Upanishads.
GANGADHAR (Mark Gerhard) has been a student of tabla and Indian music for many years. He began his studies at the Ali Akbar College of Music in 1970, learning tabla from Pandit Shankar Ghosh and vocal music from Ustad Ali Akbar Khan. He later studied tabla with Pandit Jnan Prakash Ghosh.
In 1971 he traveled to India, where he met his guru, Neem Karoli Baba. Upon his return to the US, he performed and recorded with the group “Amazing Grace,” playing onstage with Ram Dass throughout the US. He also traveled and performed with poet Allen Ginsburg, and taught tabla at Naropa Institute during its inaugural session in 1973. Returning to India in 1974, he learned Baul Sangeet from the Bauls of Bengal (ecstatic street singers), and has performed and recorded with them. He has also performed and recorded with Jai Uttal, Krishna Das, Bhagavan Das, and many others. Today, Gangadhar accompanies numerous kirtan and bhajan singers in the San Francisco Bay Area.
MATT PACKARD AKA Matthew Nowhere is a lifelong musician and performer who plays a variety of instruments and styles of music. His love for music and his interest in Eastern mystical pursuits have found a wonderful home in kirtan. Over the last 20 years, Matt has developed a style of guitar that honors the ancient Indian roots of kirtan while also bringing contemporary western elements.
Outside of Kirtan, he releases music and videos as Matthew Nowhere and has gained an international following with his soulful 70s and 80s inspired music. You can find him on Youtube and all the major streaming platforms.
