JONATHAN MASTERS

Jonathan grew up in Concord, Massachusetts. For Masters, the backdrop of history was never far away, as Concord was home to the start of the American Revolution, Walden Pond, David Thoreau, Louisa May Alcott and Ralph Waldo Emerson. His family enjoyed a semi-rural life and a dramatic changing of the seasons. From the backyard, Jonathan, his Dad and his telescope could often be found there gazing at the clear night sky.

His physicist dad played Dixieland music, and loved of classic and contemporary cars. One of Jonathan’s early memories was seeing the first ruby laser – (which filled a room) – shoot a coherent beam of red light onto a piece of paper. For Jonathan, it sparked a life-long quest to understand the nature of life and the universe.

After graduating with an MBA from Northwestern and a stint in NYC in consulting, Jonathan lived in a spiritual community in Fairfield, Iowa for several years, and meditated in the golden domes twice a day. There, he worked with a master healer – who carried the vibration of Madhu-chhandas, or embodiment of bliss. As he began working with her and with the principles of Right Use of Will, Masters says “My understanding and experience of reality was expanding quickly – and limiting, mostly unconscious beliefs, or samskaras, were being dissolved. This included beliefs that; we couldn’t be or live as we want, we limit ourselves for a reason, and we really don’t deserve or know how to use our power. My experience was that essential elements of myself were brought back, including learning how to bring them back. These experiences gave me a sense of integrated, expanding wholeness that really is the basis for the book.”

God Has Infinite Frequency: Aphorisms for Our Fractured Age has also had its own process of evolution and refinement, finally arriving in the current form. Blending art and insight, this beautifully crafted book takes us on a tour of many of our dearly held beliefs – challenging them, and giving us the precious opportunity to reconsider, feel, and to see things anew. Jonathan says of the book:

I feel like the steward of this book as much as its author, and although I am a fairly private person, let me share a perspective. We all have inward and outward journeys, and for me, the book is a meeting point between the two. The markers of my inward journey include learning and teaching meditation, being under the guidance of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the Right Use of Will, and working with other people and guides to expand awareness and develop inner light and stability. My outward journey is perhaps more traditional; husband, father, entrepreneur, inventor, amateur musician, professional consultant. But I also want to tell you, dear reader, that the story of me is deeply embedded in the story of us. The beginning of Earth as a crystal planet – from light and rocks to flowing life – and the long journey to now. And of course, the many times we tried. Tried to heal, tried to find balance and connection with ourselves and with love – tried to come to the point of silence and knowing within ourselves and our community. And how we seemed, so often, to be set back by our own limitations and fragmentation. And yet – how we emerged each time – maybe more condensed, but also more humble and grounded and wise, and knowing we belong to the vast totality – our small individualities like so many spots on the leopard, vanishing in the grass, hidden in the Savannah on Earth, rounding the Milky Way, in our tiny corner of space – and an integral part of the whole cosmos.

Jonathan lives with his wife in Zurich, Switzerland near a forest with great trails where he loves his daily bike ride. They also enjoy trips to the Alps, and when possible, an annual sojourn to the azure Mediterranean Sea.

AMANDA GUNNELS aka MY DEAR WENDY

Born and raised in an Atlanta suburb, Amanda Gunnels always had a passion for music. She began taking classical piano lessons in elementary school, and quickly evolved into a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter by the end of high school. Though piano is still her main instrument, Amanda is proficient on bass guitar, acoustic guitar, drums, and vocals.

After moving to Los Angeles and attending Musician’s Institute, Amanda decided to upgrade her music and create My Dear Wendy, a songwriting project that continues to be the focus of her musical career.   Her latest album, The Apple Falls Far Pt 1, is available everywhere now!

In 2018, she relocated to Nashville, Tennessee to continue songwriting and record her next album in Music City. It was there that she landed an endorsement with Warm Audio, a British microphone and gear company. You can also hear her songs “Man Down” “I Can’t Wait”  and “Enough (Single Version)” on a few episodes of The Young and the Restless.

Amanda has followed her dream all around the country, and now has settled back in her favorite State, California. My Dear Wendy continues to release new music, and Pt 2 of The Apple Falls Far will be released this Fall.

KRISTA NERESTANT

Krista Nerestant is the author of the memoir, Indestructible. She is also a practicing life coach, educated and certified in Neuro Linguistic Programming and The Satir Method of Transformational Systemic Therapy to heal family dynamics and trauma, and an advocate for women and children.

She hosts a podcast, “Self-Care Tuesdays,” that is dedicated to encouraging, empowering and elevating the journey of self-care. She’s teaching women it’s OK to be “Self-ish!” 

Her book, “Indestructible: The Hidden Gifts of Trauma,” is out now! to learn more go the books section.

“Indestructible” spotlights the unbroken spirit of the woman survivor. Through the power of perspective, archetypes, courage, self-love, resilience, and more, Krista rose and faced every obstacle to champion the life she wanted for herself and her family, and in the process fell in love with the journey. “Indestructible” inspires, teaches and represents survivors from all backgrounds and cultures so they too may heal and discover their very own hidden gifts of trauma.

(F)ocus (A)cknowledge (C)ommit (E)xecute

F.A.C.E. any situation by focusing your mind, acknowledging the spirit, commit to your self-development, and execute specific techniques with the highest and best energy you have now attained after the session. you will leave with an expanded awareness of your(self) and the world around you.     

“I am passionate about my mission to inspire, motivate, and teach individuals practical & intuitive techniques to implement in their everyday life to live their best life.” 

https://shewritespress.com

Justin Merkin was born in Palo Alto and raised in Los Angeles. He began his professional life as a Journalist writing for such diverse publications as Progressive Architecture, Reuters, and Entertainment Weekly. He is a Writer/ Producer of several TV and Movie Projects, the latest of which, Devolution, is being brought to market September 2021. He works in Communications for Conscious Vitality, a media startup. He currently lives in California.

A former engineer, Debra Fine is the author of bestselling books, the Fine Art of Small Talk: How to Start a Conversation, Keep it Going, Build Networking Skills -- and Leave a Positive Impression (Hachette) and the Fine Art of the Big Talk (Hachette) along with her recently released third in the Fine Art series: Beyond Texting: The Fine Art of Face to Face Communication for Teenagers (Canon) all translated and published in two dozen countries across the globe.  A 25 + year member of the National Speakers Association, Fine presents on stage and virtually as a keynote speaker and trainer to hundreds of audiences around the world that include National Electrical Contractors Association, Google, Iowa Bankers Association, American Bar Association, Hyatt Hotels and the International Spa Association.  A regular Huffington Post blogger, Fine's recent media appearances include The Today Show, NPR Morning Edition, Fox Business News, New York Times and CNN.  View additional information about Debra at https://www.debrafine.com/  

E M I L I O  C A S T I L L O

FOUNDER

of

Legendary soul/funk/R&B/jazz/group 

T O W E R  O F  P O W E R

EXCLUSIVE ZOOM INTERVIEW

with RAY SHASHO

on INTERVIEWING THE LEGENDS

When sax player Emilio Castillo put together the band that would evolve into Tower of Power in 1968, he had no grand expectations. “We were hoping to get good enough to play the Fillmore,” Castillo said. “I started the band in Fremont, at John F. Kennedy High, with my brother Jack, who was the original drummer. The band moved up to Oakland and took off, packing clubs with their horn-driven sound. “Oakland is our sound,” Castillo said. “I always say, ‘You can take the boy out of Oakland, but you can’t take Oakland out of the boy.’ Looking back on the band’s history, Castillo said he’s satisfied with what they’ve accomplished. “We’re not a band that reinvents itself every time we go into the studio. We sound like Tower of Power and there’s nothing we can do about it. At first, I thought it was a curse but, as we kept evolving, I realized it was a blessing. We kept chipping away at the sculpture we were creating. The aim is to arrive at a masterpiece. You have to tell us if we’ve succeeded.” 

The groups latest release is TOWER OF POWER 50TH ANNIVERSARY 50 Years of Funk & Soul: Live at the Fox Theater captures Tower of Power’s storied career with no-holds-barred victory lap concerts in Oakland, CA on June 1 & 2, 2018, performing their full spectrum of life-affirming funk and soul hits.

Available as a 3-LP set, 2-CD/1-DVD package, standalone DVD and digital audio configuration, these historic performances include special guests Lenny Pickett (musical director of the Saturday Night Live band); keyboardist Chester Thompson (Santana); guitarist Bruce Conte and former vocalist Ray Greene, who shows off his trombone prowess. TOWER OF POWER 50TH ANNIVERSARY is available now at amazon.com.

Purchase

TOWER OF POWER 50TH ANNIVERSARY

OUT NOW!

50 Years of Funk & Soul: Live at the Fox Theater captures Tower of Power’s storied career with no-holds-barred victory lap concerts in Oakland, CA on June 1 & 2, 2018, performing their full spectrum of life-affirming funk and soul hits.

Available as a 3-LP set, 2-CD/1-DVD package, standalone DVD and digital audio configuration, these historic performances include special guests Chester Thompson, Lenny Pickett, Francis ‘Rocco’ Prestia, Bruce Conte and Ray Greene.

Available at amazon.com

Here’s the full track listing for the live album:

1. Stroke ‘75

2. Ain’t Nothing Stopping Us Now

3. You Ought to be Having Fun

4. Soul with a Capital “S”

5. Stop

6. You’re So Wonderful, So Marvelous

7. On the Serious Side

8. Just When We Start Makin’ It

9. Soul Vaccination

10. What is Hip? / Soul Power

11. Do You Like That?

12. Drop It in the Slot

1. Can’t You See (You Doin Me Wrong)?

2. Maybe It’ll Rub Off

3. Don’t Change Horses

4. Squib Cakes

5. On the Soul Side of Town

6. Diggin’ on James Brown (Medley)

7. So Very Hard to Go

8. Knock Yourself Out

9. You’re Still a Young Man

10. Souled Out

For more information

about

Emilio Castillo

and

TOWER OF POWER

Visit

www.towerofpower.com

official website

https://www.facebook.com/OfficialTowerOfPowerBand/

facebook

https://twitter.com/OfficialTOPBand

twitter

https://www.instagram.com/towerofpower/

Instagram