Muruga 

(Muruga Booker, Steve Booker, Steven Bookvich)

Musician/Artist/Producer/Band Leader/Drummer/Public Speaker

Band Leader - Muruga Cosmic Boogie

News & Announcements

Sitting Bull Standing Tall 

A Media Stream LLC Movie

Directed by Muruga Booker

Now avaliable for rent and purchase!

www.sittingbullstandingtall.com

"Eternal Echoes"

Muruga, Paul VornHagen, & Alext Terzian

(New Age/World/Jazz)

"I Get the Blues"

Muruga Booker

(Blues-Rock-Experimental)

MURUGA COSMIC BOOGIE 

ALL NIGHT LONG

CD and merch @ Media Stream LLC

Out on all major streaming

BOOKER & BRIDGES DALIGHT 

 WORLD JAMDEMIC

Vinyl, CD and merch @ Media Stream LLC

Out on all major streaming

"DANCING FEET" (official video)

Muruga Cosmic Boogie - All Night Long

The latest single and video from the new Muruga Cosmic Boogie release "ALL NIGHT LONG"!

We have CDs and digital downloads for sale on our Media Stream LLC website and the album is on all major streaming services.

Muruga's Story

60s: Early rock - Folk/Rock into Woodstock '69

Muruga Booker, born, Steven Bookvich '42, has been playing music and drums since the age of 3 when he knew he would be a musician and artist and at 6 he took his first lessons with Misha Bishkoff who was also a teacher of Gene Krupa.

At the age of 16 young Steven Bookvich played on his first album with Reverend Heart and the Musical Hearts of Detroit's liberty temple. With the Low Rocks, they would garner a regional hit with "Blueberry Jam" in 1960 when he was 17. 

He has been making music since!

Low Rocks 1961-62
Spiker Drivers 1960s - Steve Booker RIGHT

Low Rocks

The Low Rocks were one of Detroits first garage Rock N Roll bands to come out of a vibrant 50s Detroit music scene.  

Check out "Snicker" by the Low Rocks!

Brenda Lee

In 1965 Muruga joined Brenda Lee's touring band called "The Casuals" as their drummer and was sponsored by Rogers Drums. 

Jim and Jean

Muruga recorded and played with Jim and Jean on Changes (1964), People World (1966)

The Chess Mate Cafe..."Hooker & Booker"  60s-70s

Muruga (at the time Steve Booker) was the house band and music advisor at The Chess Mate after-hours club in Detroit from 1965-71. Leading the house band he would often back up the blues, folk, and jazz artists who would come through town and be in need of a backing band. This included backing up the likes of Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, John Lee Hooker, Buffy St. Marie, Jim & Jean, and more. Out of this scene arose his relationship playing in Detroit with John Lee Hooker. Sometimes billed as "HOOKER & BOOKER." They would perform at The Chess Mate, Red Carpet, and 20 Grand and on the Tube Works TV show.

Crossing Paths With Jimi Hendrix... Buzzy and beyond

Buzzy Linhart

Buzzy Linhart & Hendrix

Muruga and Buzzy Linhart had a deep creative friendship from the 90s including their collaboration with James Gurley and KOS with ART-OFFICIAL INTELLIGENCE but Muruga also happened to bump into Buzzy when they both first saw Jimi Hendrix perform prior to Hendrix having any of his albums out. Muruga also had the blessing to be invited to jam with Jimi one night in New York at The Scene along with an all-star group of musicians. 

"Muruga told me to get inside and hear the greatest guitarist in the world..." - Buzzy Linhart

"Buzzy also worked with Eddie Kramer and Mitch Mitchell putting vibraphone on the song "Drifting" which appears on all three variations of the "Cry Of Love" sessions. Buzzy:" I first met Jimi at the Cafe Au Go Go at the middle of a rehearsal with Hendrix and John Hammond Jr. We were just stopping by to pick up a couple of drums or something. 

This was a pivotal evening for me because as I approached the Cafe Au Go Go, the famous drummer Muruga (of Weather Report fame)was exiting the club - Muruga told me to get inside and hear the greatest guitarist in the world. I went down the dimly lit stairs into the showroom of the Cafe Au GoGo and turned the corner into the big room and saw Jimmy James & The Blue Flames and John Hammond Jr. rehearsing for an up-and-coming show." (original)

WOODSTOCK 1969 - "PEACE, LOVE, MUSIC"

Muruga with Richie Havens and Tim Hardin at Woodstock
Muruga playing hand drums with Swami Satchadananda at Woodstock

Muruga played at the '69 Woodstock Festival with Tim Hardin

Muruga played at the 1969 Woodstock Festival with Tim Hardin on night one. The band was flown in on a helicopter and to get out of the festival grounds he caught a ride with Arlo Guthry in his "Woodie" smoking hash the ride out. It was at Woodstock where Muruga met Swami Satchidananda who bestowed on him the name "Muruga" previously having gone by "Steve Booker."

70s: Brubeck's-Jazz Fusion... Ginsberg & Dylan... Al Kooper

Darius Brubeck

Muruga and Darius Brubeck also had a group together called MBR along with clarinetist Perry Robinson.

Muruga also played Carnegie Hall with The Brubeck Generations.

Weather Report

Muruga's use of eastern hand drums in Jazz and western music was a big innovation 

Allen Ginsberg w/ Bob Dylan as well as Perry Robinson

Muruga's use of eastern hand drums in Jazz and western music was a big innovation 

DEATH TO DISCO + BEYOND

David Peel

Collaborated with David Peel from 70's on...


SOLID

Michael Henderson

Michael Henderson of Miles Davis fame

Naked Songs

Al Kooper

Muruga performs on the song "Peacock Lady"

URSA MAJOR

URSA MAJOR

A Dick Wagner project that Muruga played talking drum on. 70s rock!

Nada Drum

Nada Drum Invention

Muruga invented the "Nada Drum" which he played on many P-Funk albums as well as on "Blues from the Rainforest" and "Circle of Drums." He patented it in '85 and manufactured it through Latin Percussion for a number of years. The Nada Drum invention came to him in meditation at the Integral Yoga Institute in 1970.

Muruga is currently working on limited-edition models of the Nada Drum. Each with a custom-painted drum shell. Stay tuned! 

80s: Muruga's P-Funk Decade 

Muruga with Greg Riley and Bob Dennis of the Disk Ltd. with George Clinton and members of P-Funk.

P-Funk All Stars Era

Muruga was brought into the fold of P-Funk in the late 70s by Bootsy Collins and ever since has been a part of the P-Funk "Extended Family" of musicians. Through out the years many P-Funk members and alumni have collaborated with Muruga including George Clinton, Belita Woods, Treylewd, Michael Hampton, Gary Shider+

Muruga playing Nada Drum with George Clinton
Muruga & Belita Woods

"Let your butterfly free!" - George Clinton 

"Freedom, is Freedom of the need to be FREE." - George Clinton

"The Electric Spanking of War Babies" 1981

Muruga plays Electric Nada Drum on "Funk Gets Strong"

This album also features Sly Stone who also recorded on several Muruga & The Soda Jerk Songs during that era.

"Computer Games" 1982

This album features the legendary song ATOMIC DOG

"Urban Dance Floor Guerillas" 1983

Cosmic Boogie guitarist Tony Thomas is also on UDFG

"Hydraulic Pump"

SODA JERKS

Muruga & The Soda Jerks were being produced by George Clinton in the 80s. 

"Superstar Madness" would be released on the P-Funk Family Series

Godmama 

"Here" 1982

This Bootsy Collins production was one of Muruga's first projects with the P-Funk Family

George Clinton 

 "You Shouldn't-Nuf Bit Fish" 1983

Muruga played all sorts of odd percussion in addition to his nada drum on lots of the 80s era P-Funk materials

Red Hot Chili Peppers 

 "Freaky Styley"  1985

Muruga is credited with "massages" and gave RHCP yoga guidance and massages during the time they recorded the album in Detroit. 

Muruga & The Soda Jerks

"Twinkies eaten by vegetarians.. Super Star Madness"

90s: California Years... Merls & Jerry Garcia... Trance Music

Muruga & Premdas - "Journey of the Drums" 1990

The first of what would be a series of trance drumming albums Muruga put on in the 90s on his Musart record label. 

Merl Saunders w/ Jerry Garcia - "Blues from the Rainforest" 1990

Billboard charting collaboration with Merl Saunders and Jerry Garcia.

Muruga's wife and collaborator Shakti provides backing vocals on this record

P-Funk Family Series - Soda Jerks - "Superstar Madness" 1993

"Superstar Madness" is the only Muruga & The Soda Jerks song to get an official release.

This song features Sly Stone on bass. 

"Blue for the Rainforest" music video

Blues for the Rainforest

Muruga and Merl came together and recorded this album to bring attention to the rainforest of South America and the environmental impact of humans on our endangered rainforest. Unfortunately, this issue is even more important today. 

Muruga, Merls, and Shakti recorded the basic tracks and Jerry Garcia came on board and recorded his guitar parts. They would film a video of an edited version of the song "Blues for the Rainforest."

1991 Muruga recieved the Hiroshima Voices for Peace Award

Muruga UFM - "Rock the Planet" 1992

Features production and vocals by George Clinton

Features James Gurley of Big Brother and the Holding Co. 

Merl Saunders & The Rainforest Band 1992

This band lineup also included Steve Kimock on guitar and has John Popper sitting in

Foom - "Earth Sauce" 1994

Featuring long time friends Pat LaRose, Muruga Booker, Perry Robinson, and Hubie Crawford. 

P-Funk All Stars - "Dope Dogs" 1995

Muruga is is on the song "Pepe" and would often play with the live p-funk band through the 90s for their west coast dates and was with them for the landing of the Mother Ship in Central Park, NY.

California 90s Rave-Tech Scene

Muruga played many commercial and underground "Rave Parties" in the San Francisco and Santa Cruz area through the nineties. Including live musical collaborations with Goa Gil as well as the project ART-OFFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.

2000s: Muruga GVCB... Chesky releases CIRCLE OF DRUMS

Muruga & The Global Village Ceremonial Band 2003

Featuring Belita Woods from P-Funk on 3 songs

Olatunji, Muruga, & Sikiru - "Circle of Drums" 2005

Originally recorded in '95 and remastered to SCCD Audio 5.1 for this Chesky Records release

Swami Satchidananda - "The Woodstock Years" 2005

Swami Satchadananda gave then Steve Booker the new name "MURUGA" at Woodstock Festival in 1969 and Muruga would go on to study under and play with Swamiji

Spike Drivers 2002

This was a rerelease of 60s era Spike Drivers music which Muruga recored on as "Steve Booker" 

QBICO RECORDS - Free Funk - "Free Funk" 2005

A QBICO RECORD limited edition colored vinyl release and features Belita Woods and Tony Mamina on vocals. Also includes a cover version of Cream's "Sunshine of Your Love"

Paul Walker - "Long Lost Tapes" 2009

The lost tapes found! 

QBICO RECORDS - Muruga and Robinson Dyad  - "Bubble Waves" 2007

Another QBICO RECORD vinyl release featuring Muruga and Perry Robinson on clarinet

2010s: QBICO UNITE... Tabla Mastery... Woodstock 40

Detroit QBICO UNITE concert with Faruq Z Bey and vinyl release! 

Joty Drums

Won a Detroit Music Award for "Outstanding World Music Recording" 

John Churchville is a grammy award winner on the album with Billy Strings !

Woodstock 40th - 2013

Muruga played drums with Tim Hardin's band

MURUGA FREE FUNK 

 "Taking it Back 2 the Tribe" 2011

Featuring Richie "Shakin" Negan

The Cosmic Hoedown Band 

 "Changing The Sound of Your Room" 2013

Featuring Tony Thomas who played with Muruga on Urban Dancefloor Guerillas by Pfunk. This album includes 2 covers - "Maggot Brain" and "Machine Gun"

Wormhole Cafe 2016

Featuring several Parliamant-Funkadelic alumni

"Solar Rhythms"

A collaboration with David Leikam

COSMIC BOOGIE - "ALL NIGHT LONG" 2021

NOW OUT

Booker and Bridges DaLight - "WORLD JAMDEMIC" 2021

NOW OUT

Muruga Booker - "Boom Zoom" 2021

Won a Detroit Music Award for "Outstanding World Music Recording"

Booker Blues All Stars

 "Booker Plays Hooker" 2017

Muruga played with John Lee Hooker in Detroit in the 60s and 70s and they were often booked as "Hooker and Booker." 

James Gurley and Muruga Booker

 "It's Big Huge" 2016

Muruga and James Gurley were dear friends and recorded this album shortly before St. James passed away. A real monster of a record. 

The Muruga Band  

"Michigan Mud" 2014

This one a Detroit Music Award for "Outstanding World Guitar" and features Michigan up and coming guitar virtueoso Justin Weirenga on guitar 

Booker, Dansby, Sauter & Love  

"The Hand I Was Dealt" 2011

Muruga recorded this album with two old friends and one new one. Muruga and Sauter & Dansby went back to the 60's adding Misty Love of Kid Rock vocal fame.

MURUGA ART

Visual Arts

Muruga is a visual artist who draws, paints and works in the digital art medium. 

His art is featured on many of his album covers including many collaborations with QBICO and Sagittarius A-Star Records out of Italy with our dear friend Emanuele. 

Muruga started his art career as a youth painting signs in the Detroit area and also took lessons at the Detroit Institute of Arts. 

Muruga recently produced and directed the short film SITTING BULL STANDING TALL with his son Aaron. Currently available at www.sittingbullstandingtall.com

"Sun Ra"

Sagittarius A Star Record Cover by Muruga

"Bubble Waves"

QBICO Record Cover by Muruga

"Muruga"

TODAY-NOW-CURRENTLY

Muruga Cosmic Boogie w/ Dennis Coffey

"Taking the Time to Tell You" Live 2022

Opening artwork by Muruga Booker

Muruga Booker

Today Muruga produces music from his "Sage Ct" recording studio in beautiful Ann Arbor, Michigan where he lives with his beloved wife and collaborator Shakti.

Muruga also works on his visual art and is currently working in multi-media video including the short film "Sitting Bull Standing Tall".