Jai Uttal
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Jai Uttal (Template:Lang-hi) is an American musician and singer-songwriter born in New York City. Often performing with his "Pagan Love Orchestra," Jai's music is influenced by his R&B roots of the 1960s and '70s and by traditional Indian music, which he first became familiar with at age 19.
When he was 19, Jai moved to California to become a student of sarod player Ali Akbar Khan for traditional voice training and to learn the sarod, a 25-stringed Indian instrument. Later he traveled to India where he studied yoga under Neem Karoli Baba. He was also deeply inspired by the Bauls, the wandering street musicians of Bengal. Jai settled among them, communicating only through music, which ultimately helped establish his unique style1. Jai continues to study under Indian music legend Ali Akbar Khan.
While some of Jai's music is used in the practice of yoga2, it is not all meditative; his 1990s records also used elements of jazz, reggae and rock and often featured powerful horn arrangements by Peter Apfelbaum. In addition to Baul influences (particularly in the lyrical realm), elements of his music are strongly influenced by kirtan, and bhajan.
Family
Jai was born Douglas Uttal[1] to Larry Uttal,[2] a music executive, and Pamela de Frece Uttal.[3] He is married to Brazilian-born Nubia Teixeira and has a son, Ezra Gopal.[4]
Discography
- Footprints (1990) - with Don Cherry and Lakshmi Shankar
- Monkey (1992)
- Yoga Chant
- Spirit Room
- Beggars and Saints (1995)
- Shiva Station (1997)
- Nectar (2001)
- Mondo Rama (2002)
- Kirtan! (2004)
- Music for Yoga (2004)
- Pranayama (2005)
- Loveland (2006)
- Dial M for Mantra (2007)
- Thunder Love (2009)
- Bhakti Bazaar (2010)
- Queen of Hearts (2011)
References
- ^ "Can You Sing Om?" Time Magazine Article By Michele Oreckl published Sunday, Sep. 28 2003 [1]
- ^ Obituary of Larry Uttal
- ^ Obituary of Pamela de Frece Uttal
- ^ Jai Uttal Biography page