Early community folk music festival. Performers shown here include Mimi Farina, Mama Cass, Judy Collins, Joan Baez, Arlo Guthrie, and Stephen Stills.
The 1960s was an era of rapid social change in America, and Esalen played an important role in furthering the incredible creative energy of the time. In its early days the Institute was already a gathering place for social activists, scientists, philosophers, psychologists and artists, leaders from all fields working to advance human potential in exciting new ways. The vision on which Esalen was founded came into focus with the help of innovative authors and intellectuals. Dozens of musicians came to Esalen and performed at folk music festivals and community celebrations. Throughout this decade there was no Arts Center as such, and the Art Barn was used as a private residential and work space by local artists.
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musicians visual artists authors movement artists
artists in other disciplines or multiple creative fields
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1960s
Judy Collins and Joan Baez, folk musicians and social activists, performed at Esalen festivals. Beginning in 1961, at the age of 19, Joan lived at the Institute on and off for years and was responsible for bringing many other famous musicians to the Institute. She co-led Esalen's New Folk Music workshop in 1964. From 1964 through the early 1970s there were seven "Celebration At Big Sur" music festivals. Joan Baez was a principal convener. Performers ranged from folk, to rock, jazz, gospel, and ethnic genres. Joan has given numerous concerts at the Institute and continues to visit and enrich the community with her creative work today.
Arlo Guthrie, Stephen Stills and the Chambers Brothers are amongst the well-known folk and rock musicians who performed at the Joan Baez Folk Festivals at Esalen.
Mimi Farina, singer/songwriter and sister of Joan Baez, and her husband, musician Richard Farina, performed at the early folk music festivals.
Aldous Huxley, author of Brave New World and a leader of the "Human Potentiality" movement, presented at Esalen quite often when visiting with his wife Laura in the early 60s. He was a central figure in the intellectual culture at Esalen and contributed to forming the vision on which the Institute was founded.
Allen Ginsberg, poet and social activist, often came to Esalen and became an important part of the Institute's social milieu from the early 60s to 80s.
Laura Huxley, musician, psychotherapist and proponent of Human Potentiality, often participated in Esalen workshops and later led them, remaining one of the community's most faithful friends from the 60s onwards.
Edward Weston, photographer of spectacular landscapes, frequented Esalen and shot some of his finest work on the grounds.
George Leonard, author, aikido master, founder of Leonard Energy Training, human potential pioneer and president of Esalen, has taught workshops at the Institute since the 60s.
Selig Morganrath, painter and landscape designer, was the first person in charge of maintaining the grounds and set out the plan for Esalen's infrastructure and landscaping through the mid to late 70s. He is largely responsible for the early metalwork, woodwork and glasswork around the property and for how Esalen looks today.
Michael Murphy, co-founder and chairman of Esalen and author, has been a proponent of the human potential movement for over 40 years.
Ansel Adams, photographer and conservationist, along with Ed Weston's son Brett and other prominent photographers, led one of Esalen's first workshops in 1963 in homage to the late Ed Weston. The tribute included a showing of Weston’s work.
Robert Anton Wilson, author of The Illuminatus Trilogy, and other well-known science fiction writers have brought their creative input to the community since the 60s. Wilson came to Esalen frequently through the early 90s and led many workshops.
Dick Horan lived in the Art Barn, using it as a pottery studio. He encouraged exploration of the plastic arts at Esalen through his own creative work and his involvement with a local folk artists' organization called the Guild of Hands.
Buckminster Fuller, inventor, environmentalist, architect, educator and humanitarian, left his mark on Esalen from the 60s through the 70s, visiting and giving numerous presentations to the community.
Jane Watkins, folk artist, painted backdrops for Esalen and Big Sur community music festivals during the Institute's early days.
The Grateful Dead, famous folk-rock musicians and cultural figures, came to Esalen in the 60s.
Joseph Campbell, author and mythologist, contributed to Esalen's vibrant, explorative intellectual scene from the 60s on, passing through to attend seminars and participate in social life at the Institute.
Joni Mitchell, known best as a folk singer, though also a painter and musician in a variety of genres, gave performances at Esalen celebrations in the early days.
Ali Akbar Kahn performed at Esalen many times.
Robert Rauschenberg, pioneering Pop artist, visited Esalen and shared with the community the spirit of experimentation and innovation which infused his work through performances with musician John Cage around the late 60s and early 70s.
James Cotton, Chicago blues harmonica player, often spent time at Esalen participating in the social scene and rehearsing.
The seminal jazz-rock band Blood Sweat and Tears played at the Esalen music festival in 1971.
John Cage, avant garde musician and composer, introduced his highly abstract soundscapes at Esalen in performances given with artist Robert Rauschenberg.
Credence Clearwater Revival, rock musicians, played on the pool deck at Esalen for one of the Big Sur community celebrations.
George Harrison, Ringo Star and Ravi Shankar. Members of the Beatles visited and Shankar visited and performed at Esalen quite a few times in the 60s.
Bruce Springsteen, at the age of 19, performed with his first band "Steel Mill" for a New Year's Eve party 1969/70.
Grace Slick, rock singer and painter, performed at Esalen in the 60s.
Gerald Heard, author, historian, lecturer and philosopher, participated in the intellectual scene at the Institute in the 60s.
Simon and Garfunkel were amongst the lineup of famous performers at early Esalen music festivals.
Hunter Thompson, screenwriter and journalist, worked as a security guard at Esalen in the early 60s.
Michael McClure, Beat poet, essayist and playwright, presented his work at Esalen in the 60s.
David Meltzer, Beat poet and musician, performed at the Institute in the 60s.
Fritz Faiss, once a student under Paul Klee and Wassily Kandinsky at the Bauhaus, conducted month-long workshops in which painting became a vehicle for expanded perception. Like other artists who worked at Esalen during the 60s, he made a strong link between art, contemplation, and transformative discipline.
Philip Whalen, Beat poet, read his work at Esalen in the 60s.
Merce Cunningham Dance Company performed at Esalen in the 60s.
Dennis Murphy wrote his novel "The Sergeant" while in residence on the grounds; it was later made into a feature film.
1940s and 50s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s