Sw Anand Nivedano

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(Alyrio Lima)


File:Nivedano.jpg


Nivedano is a Brazilian percussionist born in Bahia in 1950. In his twenties he played percussion with Weather Report, Santana and others and came to Osho toward the end of Pune 1. Sarlo remembers him arriving, driving through the ashram front gate in a giant truck as if he owned the place, driving right up to Lao Tzu gate before stopping.

He was one of Osho's gardeners and played at Drive-bys at the Ranch, and came to super-prominence in the sannyas world in late Pune 2 when Osho introduced live guided meditations following his Zen discourses. Osho would call out his name and he would hit one tremendous beat on his surdo, to punctuate the stages of the meditation. More about all this in His Osho News interview (link below).

After Osho left his body, Nivedano moved back to Brazil, where he acquired some land and established an eco-commune called Campo Alegre in far-flung Alto Paraiso, next to Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park.

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In January 2015 we asked Nivedano for his memories about the musical world around Osho. He remembers a wealth of information:

From March 1, 1981 until the day that Osho left us I was the percussionist on all bands formations that came to play for satsangs and darshans.
Then came the Zarathustra days, when Bhagwan went into silence. That band was then: Yashu, Nivedano, Rupesh, Swami Harida, Govindas and Yoga Krishna (tamboura). This was right after Chaitanya Hari stopped playing for the meditations. He was told to go to Saswad and then Ma Yashu became the music coordinator until we went to new Jersey and then to the ranch.
Most of the compositions, after Chaitanya left, were done by the group. Someone would bring a line, a melody and we would complete the song all together at rehearsals. There were singing songs that were specifically composed by someone who brought it ready made, but those were exceptions and mostly were songs played at darshans. Satsang music was usually a team effort, except for few songs that were hits and the best of them were composed by Govindas, Yashu and NIvedano. Swami Karunesh and Swami Kamal also composed wonderful music. Yes to the River is a great collection. Milarepa at Pune 2 did compose many beautiful songs that are still now being played everywhere were celebrations are taking place worldwide.
Nivedano went along to the castle in New Jersey and the band there was Yashu (flute), Govindas (guitars/sitar/mandolin), Nivedano (percussion), Yoga Krishna(Tamboura).
Right after that we went to the ranch, and the band at the 1st Annual World Celebration at Magdalena cafeteria was Govindas (guitar/sitar/mandolin...), Nivedano (drums and percussion), Toby (flute), Rupesh and Prem Git (bass).
With the 2nd Annual World Celebration the band were Govindas (guitars/sitar/mandolin), Toby (flute), Nivedano (drums/percussion), Premgit (bass), Rupesh (congas & tablas), Suresha (singer), Devakant (flutes). At night there was also Anubhava and Anita for music group.
At the 3rd Annual World Celebration: Govindas, Nivedano, Rupesh (congas & tablas), Shiven (percussion), Premgit/Lalit (bass) Shabdunur (trumpet) Toby (flutes/Sexsofones), Suresha (singer), Maniko (singer), Samir (buddhafield garage- guitar and singer), Vinit Garimo/Arup´s boy friend (guitar). I´ve forgot the keyboard player´s name.
And at the 4th Annual World Celebration the same band plus someone that Sheela sent to harass the band, I also forgot that one´s name. And then also Anugama on keybords. Actualy Anugama played keybords in many celebrations. Also at that time Sheela decided that we should add Swami Bhavito (violin) and the other Russian swami who played guitar. You can hear that that music was a bit different and was really wonderful.
When Osho was arrested we did Basho´s Pond and had Chaitanya Hari playing flutes and his parafernalia.
There was at the ranch, every year 4 celebrations, and the band was basicaly the one that I am giving you the names. Maybe I am missing someone but it was basically that formation.
We then went round the world with Osho and in Greece there was Nivedano (percussion), Shavdo/Japanese (guitar and flutes), and a guitar player that I´ve forgot the name of.
In Uruguay there was Nivedano and Milarepa and also we did play in Portugal once or twice.
Back in India, Poona-2, at Chuang Tzu auditorium the band at first was only an Indian Swami who played tambourine and sang sutras. Osho then decided that it was time for more energetic music and we started playing with this formation: Milarepa (guitar/singer), Nivedano (percussion), Swami Kamal (bass/keybords), Swami Karunesh (keybords), Swami Devakant (flutes), and Lalita (flutes). At times Swami Rupesh played tablas and percussion. This formation went on until we moved to the Buddha hall.
In the new Buddha hall the band was bigger and most the time was this formation: Milarepa, Nivedano, Karunesh, Kamal, Sat Gyan (Japanese bass player), Shavdo (bass player), Rupesh (percussion), Devakant, Lalita and the English keyboard player who later on was the music coordinator. She was Pratap´s girlfriend for a long time, easy to find her name.
Then one night Nivedano and Milarepa had a heated argument about the quality of the music that was being played for the morning and evening meetings and it was then decided that we would only play from then on drums and not the singing and sweet mellow music anymore. The master loved it and then started the Oshoba. This was a name given to the music that we were playing. Not Samba but Osho-ba. This was the music played at the darshans every night for 18 months. Drove everybody insane and made us fell enemies for life. Osho loved it and told a few that if they were not happy they didn´t need to come to the evening meeting, period.
This band was then formed as this: Nivedano (drums/percussion/snare drum), Milarepa (big surdo drum), Swami Marco (small surdo), Swami Sandesh-japanese (shakers), Swami Teerth japanese (brasilian tambourine), Swami Abhivandan japanese (agogo), Swami Satprem japanese (2nd small surdo and small percussions). The piano player was a Dutch swami that now I can´t remember the name but will send it to you as soon it comes again.
There was other formations later on, after Osho´s departure, but the recorded music at the communes were basically made by the above listed musicians. I am sorry if I forgot somebody but those were the basic crew in residence.
Thank you, love to you, Nivedano


Contact Details

address
RPPN Campo Alegre
Alto Paraíso - GO
Caixa Postal 2538
CEP 70849-970
Brasilia - DF
email
contatoecoparaiso.org.br
website
Campo Alegre
discography
1975 : Tale Spinnin' with Weather Report
1976 : Starbright with Pat Martino
1976 : On the Town with Webster Lewis
1976 : Live from the Showboat with Phil Woods
1978 : Electric Guitarist with John McLaughlin
1978 : But Not For Me with Masabumi Kikuchi
1978 : Mistral with Randy Roos
1979 : Electric Dreams with John McLaughlin
1980 : Live at the Public Theater in New York, Vol. 1 with Gil Evans
1980 : Live at the Public Theatre in New York, Vol. 2 with Gil Evans
1981 : Susto with Masabumi Kikuchi
1982 : Madjap Express with Masabumi Kikuchi
1987 : Chuang Tzu’s Dream
1987 : Open Window
1987 : Love Is An Invitation
1988 / 2005 : Oshoba - Zen Anecdotes in Sound
1993 : Fragments of Truth
videography
2012 : Nivedano leading an "Oshoba" workshop
see also
Interview made by Sw Anand Goloka with Sw Anand Nivedano, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, June 2012.
Interview in Osho News 2014
Dancing Poets
Campo Alegre: o berço das águas