Goa Gil (born Gilbert Levey in San Francisco on 11 October 1951; died 26 Oc… Read Full Bio ↴Goa Gil (born Gilbert Levey in San Francisco on 11 October 1951; died 26 October 2023) was an American-born musician, DJ, and remixer and party organizer. He is remembered as one of the founders of the Goa trance and psytrance movement in electronic music. In addition to his own albums and DJ mixes, he co-founded The Nommos.

Gil grew up in the middle of the San Francisco music scene of the sixties; he left to journey to India in 1969. As a musician and then undergoing intense Yogic practice with Gurus in the Himalayas, he tried to unite the music and yoga into One Spirit. The result was the Goa Full Moon parties, and his concept of "Redefining the Ancient Tribal Ritual for the 21st Century". His focus was in trying to use the party situation as a medium to uplift the consciousness of the participants through the Trance Dance Experience.

He says: "Since the beginning of time mankind has used music and dance to commune with the Spirit of Nature and the Spirit of the Universe... We are trying to use Trance Music and the Trance Dance Experience to set off a chain reaction in Consciousness... Through the Trance Dance Experience hopefully people will become more sensitive and aware of themselves, their surroundings, the crossroads of humanity, and the needs of the planet... With this Awareness comes Understanding and Compassion� THAT is the need of the hour, and the true Goa State of Mind !!!"

He met Ariane Macavoy in Goa in 1985. Her keen interest in African Djembe drumming and West African Traditional Dance had a big influence on the development and direction of Gil's musical tastes and concepts. Together they formed The Nommos, with the goal to combine Psychedelic Trance with West African Traditional Drumming.

Discography

DJ Mixes:

Spiritual Trance Vol. 1 (CD) - Fairway Records
Spiritual Trance Vol. 2 (CD) - Fairway Records
Deck Wizards Vol. 4: Kosmokrator / Goa Gil (CD) - Psychic Deli
Goa Gil - Ceiba - Kode IV @ Burning Man '97 (2XCD) - Ceiba Records
Forest Of The Saints (CD) - Avatar Records
Cyber Baba 2000 (CD) - Phonokol
Towards The One (CD) - Avatar Records
Karmageddon (CD) - Avatar Records