JESSICA TEIXEIRA and SHAUNA MUHONEN

FORGED

Jessica and Shauna forged the perfect friendship!  Both singers since childhood, they came together with complimentary skills and preferences.  Jess prefers singing melody while Shauna prefers singing harmony.  Jess sings high and Shauna sings low.  They have a love of harmony that is shown in the songs that they write.  They have pursued careers in country music as they love the storytelling aspect of the genre.  In 3 ½ minutes of a country song you can listen to a lifetime, hear someone’s whole heart, or go on an adventure!  Jess and Shauna have started pitching their original music to Nashville labels, and hope to someday hear their songs sung by other talented artists in the industry.

A little about Shauna:  She is the mother of 6, is self-taught in mandolin and piano.  Shauna has fond memories of learning how to sing harmony as a child sitting at the feet of her mother.  Shauna has spent many years singing in various capacities for women’s groups, churches, fundraisers, etc.  Shauna created and runs a woman’s ministry as well.  Shauna is living the country lifestyle too she has horses and her husband even competes in Hunter/Jumper shows.

A little about Jess:  She is the mother of 4, is a licensed clinical mental health counselor, and her husband owns a pizza and sub shop that’s attached to their home.  Jess has spent many years singing in various competitions, churches, fundraisers, etc.  Jess even won the title as “college idol” in a spin off competition of American Idol at her alma mater.  

Forged has grown over the years from a duo to a full band.  The band has grown to include Matt Johndrow (drums/writer), Mike Pistone (guitar/bass/keys/sound engineer/writer), and Rob Murphy (bass/sweet dance skills).  The band has 2 new songs in studio that will be ready to release soon.  The new songs are from both ends of the country spectrum.  One is the type of song you’d listen to on someone’s front porch (with a banjo of course) while the other is more of a fast paced rockin’ empowered song.  Stay tuned!

VANESSA RACCI

Growing up with her Barese (Southern Italian) grandfather in New York, Vanessa learned Italian American classics at an early age.

She developed as a singer in musical theater, discovered her love for jazz in her early 20’s and started performing with a trio. After her grandfather passed away, Vanessa was inspired to reinvent the Italian American classics that he taught her with modern jazz arrangements. Her mission; to keep the music alive for future generations, and in turn, her grandfather’s memory. She teamed up with Gianni Valenti of Birdland Jazz Club, NYC, producer, David Finck, and Manhattan Transfer arranger, Yaron Gershovsky, to realize her vision.

The result was a sold-out album release show at Birdland in June, 2017 and a unique album entitled, Italiana Fresca, that reached #65 on the jazz charts. Since then, she has performed at over 70 Italian festivals, events and jazz clubs across the country and has been played on over 20 Italian radio stations across the US and Italy.

For her next project, she was inspired to pay homage to Italian American influence on jazz music after a performance in New Orleans and from learning of her relation to the late jazz guitarist, Tony Mottola. She debuted a new show, Jazzy Italian, on October 13th, 2019, at Birdland, to another sold out audience, to celebrate Italian American heritage month. She is scheduled to record this show and release as a new album in 2021.

“I love what she did with my father’s songs” – Deana Martin (Dean Martin’s Daughter)

“Racci gives [the songs] imaginative jazz vocal makeovers” –  NYC Jazz Record

“A full plate of Neapolitan flavors” – Jazz Weekly

“The Mob-Hits compilation for Hipsters” – Midwest Record

“She has taken songs treasured for generations and completely redefined them” – Jane Monheit, Jazz Sensation

“Vanessa Racci is one of the most talented performers I have ever met. Her shows are first class and her reinvention and choice of songs are unique.” – Angelo Venuto, Italian Pop Sensation

“A gracious presence on the stage and beautifully dressed as for a 1950s cocktail party, Vanessa Racci traced the contributions of Italian-Americans to jazz, a much more extensive history than a casual observer might think. She brings along a lovely voice, a fine sense of rhythm, a gracefulness evidenced in her dancing across the stage and a genuine appreciation of the music and her musicians.”  – Bart Greenburg for Cabaret Scenes Magazine, NYC

LISA MCCOURT

Lisa McCourt has taught joy—in all its many flavors—for over two decades to thousands of learners. In addition to operating Joy School, Lisa is a bestselling author and ghostwriter specializing in the field of joy and personal transformation. Under her own name, her books have sold over 8.5 million copies, earned over 9,000 glowing Amazon reviews, been featured on Lifetime TV, CNN, and PBS, won publishing awards, and been translated into 11 languages. Along with writing I Love You, Stinky Face, the perennial bestseller that Publisher’s Weekly called a “modern classic,” Lisa has collaborated with industry leaders such as Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, and James Van Praagh, and has also been the silent ghostwriter for many other prominent thought-leaders, from New York Times bestselling authors to Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated Hollywood stars.

Her joyful clients have appeared on Oprah, Good Morning America, Saturday Night Live, The Dr. Oz Show, ABC’s 20/20, The View, The TODAY Show, Dr. Phil, The Doctors, and The Nancy Grace Show. Lisa has shared her joy trainings on stages around the world, and now delivers her vibe-skyrocketing program primarily through her popular online, small-group coaching Circles. A former CBS Radio host and a frequent speaker at spiritual and self-growth events, she brings her passion and unique blend of skillsets to an eclectic career path that is ever mysteriously unfolding, just the way she likes it. With open arms, she welcomes you to Joy School

Joy School is a unique online space where you can learn, relax, and unfold into your greatness while being seen, heard, and honored as the perfectly imperfect creature you are. These are strange days. Our commitment to staying centered, loving, and peaceful is being challenged at every turn. Joy School is dedicated to providing support and training for not only surviving these challenging times but transmuting them into fuel for exhilarating expansion and positive transformation. You’re invited to experience your own brilliant, unique and shining self with us—through private trainings, group-coaching Circles, and interactive conversations with some of the world’s top transformational superstars. Wherever you are in the world, you can experience all this online from the comfort of your cozy home. 

Joy School Circle is the heart and soul of Joy School. This popular, online group-coaching program provides personal, transformative training in a small group setting. You may not realize it, but you have a setpoint for joy. We all do. Whatever your past or current circumstances may be, there is a level of joy that—when you get close to it—begins to feel uncomfortable to you, so you subconsciously shut it down. Joy School Circles are designed to permanently recalibrate your setpoint for joy.

BRIAN BECVAR

Brian BecVar is an accomplished keyboardist/composer/songwriter and producer who has toured, recorded and performed with Celine Dion, Michael Bolton, Laura Branigan, Air Supply, Englebert Humperdinck, John Mellencamp, Gino Vannelli, Roberta Flack, Bill Champlin, Jon Anderson (from the group Yes), Kenny Loggins, Richard Marx, Davy Jones (from the group The Monkeys), Phoebe Snow, Dave Mason, Ben E. King, Bobby Caldwell, Wild Cherry, Kitaro, Cheryl Lynn, Alejandro Lerner, Pedro Aznar and David De Maria. The highlight of Brian’s touring years were the years performing with Celine Dion and with Michael Bolton, with whom he is currently performing as a pianist/keyboardist.

As a composer of Film & TV, Brian has produced and scored music for independent films and major sports channels. His songs have been recorded by John Mellencamp, Roberta Flack, Bobby Caldwell, Cheryl Lynn, Alejandro Lerner and Pedro Aznar. In 1994 Brian released his first solo CD, entitled “Once In A Life,” on the Real Music label, featuring vocals by Pedro Aznar, from Pat Metheny’s group. Since then, Brian has recorded several solo albums of jazz/ classical/world music. He is currently producing several promising young artists for major label distribution.

In 2003, Brian, along with his brother Bruce BecVar, collaborated with mind-body specialist and best-selling author Deepak Chopra to create an extraordinary CD of healing music entitled “The Magic Of Healing.” Composed, recorded and co-produced by Brian and Bruce BecVar along with Deepak Chopra, this CD contains music that uses elements inspired by ancient Vedic traditions and principles of healing. Since its initial release in mid-2003, the CD has been a major success globally and continues to inspire to this day.

In 2008, Brian wrote two Olympic theme songs for the Beijing Olympic games. Out of 80,000 songs submitted, Brian’s songs were selected and honored as two of the top 50 songs. And Brian received special Olympic awards from the Olympic committee for both songs

Brian has recently launched SerenityStream, a video streaming app for mobile phones and smart TVs. SerenityStream is the source for epic films to quiet the mind and calm the soul, an ever expanding library of extraordinary visual landscapes and stunning soundtracks composed, edited and produced by Brian. Multi platform apps for mobile, TV and the Web allow the user to stream tranquil visual & sound environments for meditation, relaxation, stress reduction and inspiration. Brian is also developing an interactive multi-media gaming platform for SerenityStream. And Brian continues to tour with Michael Bolton, as well as writing and producing songs for pop, alternative and world music artists and special events.

BRUCE BECVAR

Bruce BecVar is a gifted multi-instrumentalist and composer. Having produced and recorded 14 CDʼs since 1986 on his label Shining Star Productions, BecVar is considered a veteran in the world of acoustic guitar. His Forever Blue Sky was on the top ten New Age Billboard charts during the 1990’s.


The World Music label Narada featured one of his Nuevo Flamenco pieces on their highly successful flamenco guitar sampler called Gypsy Passion.

BecVar was also featured on the first Windham Hill Guitar Sampler. One of BecVar’s most successful musical projects is his immensely popular three-album series The Magic of Healing Music commissioned by Deepak Chopra. The series, based on ancient Ayurvedic principles, consists of music for Vata, Pitta and Kapha, each intended to balance the particular body “Dosha” for which it was named.



Some of the world class musicians that have appeared on BecVar’s recordings include, Alex Acuna Of Weather Report), younger brother Brian BecVar (Michael Bolton, Celine Dion, Kitaro,), Paul McCandless (Windham Hill) and Steve Reid (The Rippingtons).



BecVar also spent many years as a guitar builder. His art and skill in the making and embellishing of instruments, along with growing recognition for his guitar compositions, brought him to Northern California in the early 70’s. He set up shop in Sonoma where he became well- known as a luthier, making one-of-a-kind electric guitars for such world-class rock h’ roll bands as The Who, The Peter Frampton Band, Led Zeppeiin, The Jackson Five, Earth, Wind & Fire and Carlos Santana. One of his guitars, ornate with exotic inlay and carving, now resides in the permanent collection of New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art.

A seeker and healer as well as an artist, BecVar makes music for its effect on people’s lives. Listeners report feeling uplifted, soothed and joyful on hearing his music. “Composing and recording is for me a very spiritual practice,” says BecVar. “it’s an exacting process listening to the creative impulses of Spirit and being diligent about translating what I hear into a finished recording that captures

that original essence in its most undiluted form.”



DISCOGRAPHY

Floating Home (2016)

Tibetana (Produced for Tsering Lodoe (2013)

Mystic Love (2009)

River of Gold (1999)

Windham Hill Guitar Sampler (1997)

The Magic of Healing Music Series – 3 Disc Set (1995) Time Dreams (1994)

Jiva Mukti (1994)

Rhythms or Life (1992)

Arriba 1992)

Samadhi (1990)

Forever Blue Sky (1990)

The Nature of Things (1989)

Take it to Heart (1986)

BRENT BECVAR

Brent BecVar has worked in direct association with Deepak Chopra and the Chopra Organization for more than 30 years and was one of the first certified instructors of both Primordial Sound Meditation and Perfect Health Ayurvedic Lifestyle . In 1993 with Dr. Chopra and Dr. David Simon, Brent established and supervised the Sharp Center for Mind Body Medicine Residential Program in Del Mar, California, which later became the Chopra Center for Wellbeing.

With over 30 years experience as a psychotherapist, educator, and Vedic astrologer, Brent has studied with respected Vedic Science masters in the U.S. and India. Brent received a master’s degree in education and psychology from the University of Kentucky. He was trained as a certified yoga instructor by Swami Satchidananda and the Integral Yoga Institute in 1970 and has taught and been immersed in Vedic studies for more than 40 years.

PAOLINA MILANA

Embarking on her latest book, Committed: A Memoir of Madness in The Family (She Writes Press, May 4, 2021), author, speaker, podcaster, and founder of Madness To Magic, Paolina Milana’s mission is to share stories that celebrate the triumph of the human spirit: To unleash the power that lies within each of us to bring about change for the better. 

Milana’s professional background is rooted in journalism where as a features writer for a major daily newspaper in the Midwest, she told the stories of other people. Then she moved to the field of PR/media and digital marketing as an executive in both corporate and non-profit environments. Given her experience in an emotionally tumultuous household where she was put in the position of caregiver to unstable family members, she is uniquely qualified to serve as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for children in foster care and as an empowerment and resiliency coach, using storytelling to help people reimagine their lives, write their next chapters, and become the heroes of their own journeys. 

Paolina has won awards for her writing, including her first book, The S Word, which received the National Indie Excellence Award. Her self-help picture book for adults, Seriously! Are We There Yet?!, and her holiday fiction novel, Miracle on Mall Drive both published in late 2020. Paolina is first-generation Sicilian, married, and lives on the edge of the Angeles National Forest in Southern California.

PRAISE FOR COMMITTED:

“COMMITTED is a must-read for anyone struggling with mental illness…This raw memoir brings to light the reality of madness — both in terms of what may surround us and that which may lurk within us.” – Samantha Dunn, author of Failing Paris and Not By Accident

“Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review. This book easily earns all the stars! It’s probably one of the best books on mental illness that I have ever read. Paolina Milana tells her story of having a mother, then later a sister, with paranoid schizophrenia with such honesty and passion. The toll that being a caregiver has on her is completely understandable and she shows real courage. I highly recommend this book!” ~ Librarian

“A modern-day ‘Girl, Interrupted’ but with family. Paolina Milana is an incredible writer and is very brave for sharing her story with us. Mental illness is still seen as taboo and she is breaking down what happens when we are taught to keep it all in the family and never air dirty laundry.”  5 out of 5 stars ~ NetGalley