Johannes Linstead

Flamenco

Johannes Linstead (also records under the name Sevara) is an award-winning Canadian guitarist and instrumentalist that fuses virtuoso Spanish-style guitar with Afro-Cuban, Middle Eastern, and Latin American percussion and instrumentation. In 2010, Linstead was named World Artist of the Year in the T.O.M.A Awards (The Ontario Music Awards), was the recipient of Best World Album and Best Instrumental Album - Acoustic in the ZMR Awards, and signed an Influential Artist endorsement deal with the Yamaha Corporation of America. Further accolades include being named Guitarist of the Year in the prestigious Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards (2007), two NAR Lifestyle Music Awards, a JUNO nomination, and others. Johannes Linstead began studying guitar at the age of eight, when he was given a guitar for his birthday. As he progressed, he naturally gravitated to the classical guitar, as that was the only music he was exposed to as a child. However, in his teens he also developed a love for other styles, such as rock, flamenco, and jazz. In high school he joined the school's jazz band and won the Musician of the Year award - the first in a long list of awards and recognitions he has since earned.[citation needed] Further influences in his music come from his journeys across the globe, including India, Bahrain, Spain, Cuba, Mexico, and at least two dozen others.[citation needed] Having studied Kundalini yoga for many years, Johannes was bestowed the name Seva Singh or Lion of Devotional Service by Kundalini yoga master Yogi Bhajan. The name Sevara is derived from Seva meaning devotional service, and Ra, the sun aspect which corresponds to his astrological sign. Having become a certified Kundalini Yoga instructor, he teaches whenever his tour schedule permits. In the winter of 2006, Johannes founded the Divine Earth Organization, an online humanitarian community where members post information about spirituality, health, and world politics. The philosophy of Divine Earth is that in order to attain a happier and healthy world we must first understand what substandard conditions exist that undermine the individual's ability to find inner-peace. Selected recordings Mistico (2009) #1 on eMusic.com World Music and Jazz/Blues charts; winner of Best World Album and Best Instrumental Album - Acoustic in the ZMR Awards, Encanto (2007) ranked #6 on Billboard's New Age Chart, 3 nominations in the NAR Lifestyle Music awards, nominated Best Latin Album in the IAP Awards. Cafe Tropical (...