Jai Uttal
Encyclopedia
Jai Uttal 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 Baul
s, the wandering street musicians of Bengal
. Jai settled among them, communicating only through music, which ultimately helped establish his unique style1.
While some of Jai's music is used in the practice of yoga
2, 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
.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. 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
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
to become a student of sarod
Sarod
The sarod is a stringed musical instrument, used mainly in Indian classical music. Along with the sitar, it is the most popular and prominent instrument in the classical music of Hindustan...
player Ali Akbar Khan
Ali Akbar Khan
Ali Akbar Khan , often referred to as Khansahib or by the title Ustad , was a Hindustani classical musician of the Maihar gharana, known for his virtuosity in playing the sarod...
for traditional voice training and to learn the sarod
Sarod
The sarod is a stringed musical instrument, used mainly in Indian classical music. Along with the sitar, it is the most popular and prominent instrument in the classical music of Hindustan...
, a 25-stringed Indian instrument. Later he traveled to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
where he studied yoga under Neem Karoli Baba
Neem Karoli Baba
Shri Neem Karoli Baba or Shri Neeb Karori Baba , also known to followers as Maharaj-ji, was a Hindu guru and devotee of the Hindu deity Hanuman...
. He was also deeply inspired by the Baul
Baul
Baul .Though Bauls comprise only a small fraction of the Bengali population, their influence on the culture of Bengal is considerable. In 2005, the Baul tradition was included in the list of "Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity" by UNESCO.-Etymology:The origin of the word...
s, the wandering street musicians of Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
. Jai settled among them, communicating only through music, which ultimately helped establish his unique style1.
While some of Jai's music is used in the practice of yoga
Yoga
Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on Supersoul...
2, it is not all meditative; his 1990s records also used elements of jazz, reggae and rock and often featured powerful horn
Horn section
In music, a horn section can refer to several groups of musicians. It can refer to the musicians in a symphony orchestra who play the horn . In a British-style brass band it refers to the tenor horn players. In popular music, it can also refer to a small group of wind instrumentalists who augment a...
arrangements by Peter Apfelbaum
Peter Apfelbaum
Peter Apfelbaum is an American avant-garde jazz pianist, tenor saxophonist, drummer and composer born in Berkeley, California. He first emerged on the jazz scene in the late 1970s, performing with Carla Bley from 1978–1982 and touring with Warren Smith and Karl Berger. Around this time Apfelbaum...
. In addition to Baul influences (particularly in the lyrical realm), elements of his music are strongly influenced by kirtan
Kirtan
Kirtan or Kirtana is call-and-response chanting or "responsory" performed in India's devotional traditions. A person performing kirtan is known as a kirtankar. Kirtan practice involves chanting hymns or mantras to the accompaniment of instruments such as the harmonium, tablas, the two-headed...
, and bhajan
Bhajan
A Bhajan is any type of Indian devotional song. It has no fixed form: it may be as simple as a mantra or kirtan or as sophisticated as the dhrupad or kriti with music based on classical ragas and talas. It is normally lyrical, expressing love for the Divine...
.
Family
Jai was born Douglas Uttal to Larry Uttal, a music executive, and Pamela de Frece Uttal. He is married to Brazilian-born Nubia Teixeira and has a son, Ezra Gopal.Discography
- Footprints (1990) - with Don CherryDon Cherry (jazz)Donald Eugene Cherry was an innovative African-American jazz cornetist whose career began with a long association with saxophonist Ornette Coleman. He went on to live in many parts of the world and work with a wide variety of musicians.-Biography:Cherry was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and...
and Lakshmi ShankarLakshmi ShankarLakshmi Shankar is a Hindustani classical vocalist of the Patiala Gharana. She is known for her performances of khyal, thumri, and bhajans.Born in 1926, Lakshmi started her career in dancing... - Monkey (1992)
- Yoga Chant
- Spirit Room (2000)
- 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)