Zingaia is an American musical group in the genres of contemporary

world music "World music" is an English phrase for styles of music from non-English speaking countries, including quasi-traditional, Cross-cultural communication, intercultural, and traditional music. World music's broad nature and elasticity as a musical ...

new-age music New-age is a genre of music intended to create artistic inspiration, relaxation, and optimism. It is used by listeners for yoga, massage, meditation, and reading as a method of stress management to bring about a state of ecstasy rather tha ...

and

Ethnic electronica Ethnic electronica (also known as ethnotronica, ethno electronica or ethno techno) is a broad category of electronic music, where artists combine elements of various styles of electronic music, world music and new age music. The music is primaril ...

. They have released three albums and have appeared on six compilations, including the Billboard charting album ''Buddha-Lounge 3''. Their music includes multi-cultural instrumentation, vocals, hand-drums and other percussion. Popular themes are

mythology Myth is a genre of folklore consisting primarily of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society. For scholars, this is very different from the vernacular usage of the term "myth" that refers to a belief that is not true. Instead, the ...

Neopaganism Modern paganism, also known as contemporary paganism and neopaganism, spans a range of new religious movements variously influenced by the Paganism, beliefs of pre-modern peoples across Europe, North Africa, and the Near East. Despite some comm ...

Goddess A goddess is a female deity. In some faiths, a sacred female figure holds a central place in religious prayer and worship. For example, Shaktism (one of the three major Hinduism, Hindu sects), holds that the ultimate deity, the source of all re ...

es,

Shamanism Shamanism is a spiritual practice that involves a practitioner (shaman) interacting with the spirit world through altered states of consciousness, such as trance. The goal of this is usually to direct spirits or spiritual energies into ...

, and trance-dance. They are based in

Las Vegas, Nevada Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...

. Author

Oberon Zell-Ravenheart Oberon Zell (born Timothy Zell, November 30, 1942; formerly known as Otter G'Zell and Oberon Zell-Ravenheart) is a Neopagan writer, speaker and religious leader. He is the co-founder of the Church of All Worlds. Education Born on November 30, ...

describes Zingaia's music as "techno-tantra-trance music dedicated to sacred lovers and to the Goddess in all Her many aspects."

Background

Zingaia is the project of husband and wife team, Michael and Katlyn Breene, that they started in the early 1990s. Michael creates the music in his studio, often in collaboration with other musicians and singers. Katlyn creates the album covers and writes most of the lyrics. Pianist and keyboard player by trade, Michael’s career includes a wide variety of musical styles and influences. His roots are as a jazz pianist (he toured with the legendary

Sarah Vaughan Sarah Lois Vaughan (, March 27, 1924 – April 3, 1990) was an American jazz singer and pianist. Nicknamed "Sassy" and "List of nicknames of jazz musicians, The Divine One", she won two Grammy Awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award, ...

and jazz greats

Freddie Hubbard Frederick Dewayne Hubbard (April 7, 1938 – December 29, 2008) was an American jazz trumpeter. He played bebop, hard bop, and post-bop styles from the early 1960s onwards. His unmistakable and influential tone contributed to new perspectives fo ...

and

Jon Hendricks John Carl Hendricks (September 16, 1921 – November 22, 2017), known professionally as Jon Hendricks, was an American jazz lyricist and singer. He is one of the originators of vocalese, which adds lyrics to existing instrumental songs and re ...

), and later played in rock, funk and country groups, as well as large orchestras. Katlyn created the art for album covers for several other recording artists as well, including Sophia, EverStar, and

Gary Stadler Gary Stadler is an American new-age pianist, composer, songwriter and producer, specializing in contemporary Celtic-influenced themes and atmospheres. Stadler's six albums generally focus on imaginative concepts loosely based in Celtic mythology, ...

, whose wife Tamara Stadler wrote lyrics for several Zingaia songs. According to the liner notes on Zingaia's 2000 release, ''Dancers of Twilight,'' lead vocals are performed by Abbi Spinner, who co-wrote the lyrics with Katlyn Breene. Abbi Spinner's husband and partner, stage magician

Jeff McBride Jeff McBride (born September 11, 1959), also known as "Magnus", is an American magician and magic instructor. He is known for his sleight of hand skills and specializes in the manipulation of playing cards, coins, and other small objects. His s ...

, founder of the McBride Magic & Mystery School, is credited for "special guest vocal" on one of the songs. Zingaia’s 2004 release, ''Soles on Earth'', was co-produced by Michael Breene with David and Steve Gordon, founders of Sequoia Records. The album received the Coalition of Visionary Retailers’ ''Best World Album of the Year'' award in 2005.''Soles on Earth'' COVR Best World Album of 2005
/ref> Zingaia’s music was featured in the 2004 Australian film ''Dances of Ecstasy'', produced by Luna Pictures, and in the January 2006 television documentary ''A Magickal Life: Jeff McBride'', produced and broadcast by Canada's VisionTV as part of their series ''Enigma True-Life Stories''.

Discography

Full length recordings by Zingaia

*''Sundari'' (2016, Sequoia Records) *''Earth Church'' (2012, Sequoia Records) *''Soles on Earth'' (2004, Sequoia Records) *''Dancers of Twilight'' (2000, Sequoia Records) *''Beneath the Veil'' (1996, Sequoia Records)

Compilations including recordings by Zingaia

*''Hotel Tara - The Intimate Side of Buddha-Lounge'' (2005, Sequoia Records) *''Diani Beach Lounge'' (2004, Prudence Recordings) *''Buddha-Lounge 3'' (2004, Sequoia Records) *''Cafe de Luna 2'' (2004, Sequoia Records) *''Ayurveda Lounge'' (2002, BSC Music GmbH) *''Buddha-Lounge'' (2002, Sequoia Records) *''Musical Healing'' (2001, Sequoia Records)

References

{{Authority control American new-age music groups