Jackson Free Press

For the third year in a row, Butterfly Yoga is bringing a unique musical experience to Jackson. Shantala, aka Benjy and Heather Wertheimer, will lead a Kirtan (pronounced keer-tahn) and perform songs from their albums "The Love Window" and "Church of the Sky."

According to the duo's Web site, http://www.shantalamusic.com, Kirtan is a "celebration of spirit through the chanting of sacred names carrying participants into a state of heightened awareness, bliss and devotion."

Benjy Wertheimer sings and plays esraj (a unique stringed instrument), tabla and djembe, while Heather plays guitar and sings with an impressive vocal range. Tara Blumenthal, Butterfly Yoga instructor and drummer for The Curves, said that Benjy's musicianship is a must-see, especially for other drummers/percussionists out there.

Blumenthal described an evening with Shantala as relaxing. "People can bring cushions, and everyone sits on the floor for the call-and-response chanting," she said. "It is not at all like sitting around a campfire though—it's very uplifting."

Shantala performs Tuesday, March 27 at 7:00 p.m. at the LemuriaBooks.com building. Tickets can be purchased in advance from Butterfly Yoga ($12 in advance, $15 at the door, $10 for students).