CD Reviews
The Subway Bhaktis
Inspirational Music CD Samples
Sita Ram by Subway Bhaktis
An uplifting, inspiring new CD of devotional songs and chants
Sita Ram is the name of The Subway Bhaktis first CD of devotional,... ...
VIEW ALL
Add a Review
|
Music
|
|
 |
Bio: Jai Uttal, a sacred music composer, recording artist, multi-instrumentalist, and ecstatic vocalist, combines influences from India with influences from American rock and jazz, creating a stimulating and exotic multi-cultural fusion that is truly world spirit music. Having traveled extensively in... more
Bio: Jai Uttal, a sacred music composer, recording artist, multi-instrumentalist, and ecstatic vocalist, combines influences from India with influences from American rock and jazz, creating a stimulating and exotic multi-cultural fusion that is truly world spirit music. Having traveled extensively in India, where he met many beautiful saints and singers, Bhakti yoga became his personal path. Jai has been leading kirtans around the world for more than 30 years, creating a safe environment for people to open their hearts and voices. His sixth CD, "Mondo Rama", received a Grammy nomination, and he has since released five CDs for the Sounds True label entitled "Kirtan! The Art and Practice of Ecstatic Chant," "Music for Yoga and Other Joys...," “Loveland,” “Pranayama,” and “Dial M for Mantra,” a kirtan remix album. www.JaiUttal.com hide
|
|
Click play to listen to "Ganesha Sharanam"
You need to upgrade your Flash Player to version 9 or newer.
| |
YM: What do you do for a living?
JU: Primarily, I sing Kirtan and I create devotional CDs in many styles. This is a miracle! To be able to make a living singing Gods' names is beyond good luck!!!
YM: How did it all start?
JU: Well, I started getting into Kirtan as a teenager in the '60's. I was also deep into all kinds of music and guitar and banjo at that time. In 1971 I went to India and met my Guru, Neemkaroli Baba, and my relationship to Bhakti and Kirtan and spirituality in general changed, transformed and deepened, becoming the support system of my life and spirit. I was 19. Becoming a "professional" singer was a very long process and a long story…. Fear, resistance, self doubt, etcetcetcetcetc….. But I feel that my Guru was always pushing me forward with his hand on my back to get out there and sing…..
YM:What were some other career ideas?
JU:I never had any other ideas. I can't do anything else. From a very early age I saw myself as an old yogi/musician living in a hut on top of a mountain singing and playing for all who came……
YM: Tell us about your name.
JU:Well, my full Sanskrit name is "Jai Gopal", given to me by a Yoga teacher in 1969. It means 'Victory to Baby Krishna'. Uttal is my family name, originating from Lithuania.
YM: Why sing?
JU: At some point in time my soul told me to sing or die…..
YM: Do you have a favorite mantra?
JU: Well, I have a mantra that I use for silent/quiet japa meditation. And for singing I love so many different mantras. My 'favorite' changes from mood to mood, day to day, but I seem to lean towards 'Shri Ram Jaya Ram Jaya Jaya Ram" and "Govinda Jaya Jaya Gopala Jaya Jaya Radha Ramana Hari Govinda Jaya Jaya".
YM: What inspires you?
JU: Pain, pleasure, love, anguish, life……..
My Guru's grace; my little boy's love, my wife's amazing heart…..
YM: Has your son started chanting yet?
JU: YES!!!!! He sings "Sita Ram", "Hanuman", "Gopala"….
He's three and totally amazing!
YM: The word around town is that you have an amazing Kirtan Camp!!!? Sounds beautiful, please explain.
JU: Kirtan Camp IS an amazing event. We gather for 8 or 9 days and take a long journey into our hearts and souls through sharing, studying, laughing, crying, dancing and, most of all, singing.
Along with a full Bhakti immersion we share musical skills, theories and techniques, enjoy naptime, Ramayana stories and experiment with the art and sadhana of leading Kirtan. This is not for any professional purposes or goals but for fun and the delight of loving our own voices and our own connection to God. I believe that Kirtan needs to be explored as a personal practice in our daily lives rather than an occasional "concert" experience. And we all have absolutely EVERYTHING that we need to begin; a voice, a heart, a yearning for wholeness, and, of course, a mantra!
YM: Who is on your i-pod?
JU:It's an iPhone.
Playlists:
1. Beatles selection
2. Bob Dylan selection
3. Choying Drolma
4. Dance of the Orixas
5. Jagjit Singh
6. Lama Gyurme
7. Maha Mantra (many different versions of the 'Hari Krishna' mantra.
8. Bob Marley selection
9. Mike Seeger
10.BIG Brazilian music selection
11.BIG Old Timey Appalachian music selection.
12.Paste (a selection of new releases)
13. Reverend Gary Davis (country blues)
14.Thunder Love (my new unreleased CD)
15.New Bhajan and Kirtan CDs that I got on our last India trip in January.
Well, you asked!!!!!!!!
YM: What do you do for fun?
JU:
Laugh, dance and play around with my wife and little boy. He's hysterically funny! Play guitar or banjo and sing. Go to the movies with my beloved Nubia. Go to the beach!!!!!!! Also, I'm totally addicted to reading novels…..
YM: Do you think mantra and kirtan can help the world right now?
JU: Yes. Now and always.
YM: What kind of yoga do you like?
JU:Bhakti Yoga! As far as asanas, I prefer a gentle flow class with a LONG shavasana. I struggle with Hatha Yoga.
YM: What can we expect from you in the near future?
JU: "Thunder Love"! My new CD of devotional songs with English, Sanskrit, Hebrew and Arabic words…. Brasilian music, Indian music, Hillbilly music, space music and more… all mixed up!
YM: Where can we find out more about you and your cds?
JU: jaiuttal.com
WATCH JAI ON YOGATV!!! CLICK HERE!
Want more Jai on Yogatv?? Click here!
YM: What do you do for a living?
JU: Primarily, I sing Kirtan and I create devotional CDs in many styles. This is a miracle! To be able to make a living singing Gods' names is beyond good luck!!!
YM: How did it all start?
JU: Well, I started getting into Kirtan as a teenager in the '60's. I was also deep into all kinds of music and guitar and banjo at that time. In 1971 I went to India and met my Guru, Neemkaroli Baba, and my relationship to Bhakti and Kirtan and spirituality in general changed, transformed and deepened, becoming the support system of my life and spirit. I was 19. Becoming a "professional" singer was a very long process and a long story…. Fear, resistance, self doubt, etcetcetcetcetc….. But I feel that my Guru was always pushing me forward with his hand on my back to get out there and sing…..
YM:What were some other career ideas?
JU:I never had any other ideas. I can't do anything else. From a very early age I saw myself as an old yogi/musician living in a hut on top of a mountain singing and playing for all who came……
YM: Tell us about your name.
JU:Well, my full Sanskrit name is "Jai Gopal", given to me by a Yoga teacher in 1969. It means 'Victory to Baby Krishna'. Uttal is my family name, originating from Lithuania.
YM: Why sing?
JU: At some point in time my soul told me to sing or die…..
YM: Do you have a favorite mantra?
JU: Well, I have a mantra that I use for silent/quiet japa meditation. And for singing I love so many different mantras. My 'favorite' changes from mood to mood, day to day, but I seem to lean towards 'Shri Ram Jaya Ram Jaya Jaya Ram" and "Govinda Jaya Jaya Gopala Jaya Jaya Radha Ramana Hari Govinda Jaya Jaya".
YM: What inspires you?
JU: Pain, pleasure, love, anguish, life……..
My Guru's grace; my little boy's love, my wife's amazing heart…..
YM: Has your son started chanting yet?
JU: YES!!!!! He sings "Sita Ram", "Hanuman", "Gopala"….
He's three and totally amazing!
YM: The word around town is that you have an amazing Kirtan Camp!!!? Sounds beautiful, please explain.
JU: Kirtan Camp IS an amazing event. We gather for 8 or 9 days and take a long journey into our hearts and souls through sharing, studying, laughing, crying, dancing and, most of all, singing.
Along with a full Bhakti immersion we share musical skills, theories and techniques, enjoy naptime, Ramayana stories and experiment with the art and sadhana of leading Kirtan. This is not for any professional purposes or goals but for fun and the delight of loving our own voices and our own connection to God. I believe that Kirtan needs to be explored as a personal practice in our daily lives rather than an occasional "concert" experience. And we all have absolutely EVERYTHING that we need to begin; a voice, a heart, a yearning for wholeness, and, of course, a mantra!
YM: Who is on your i-pod?
JU:It's an iPhone.
Playlists:
1. Beatles selection
2. Bob Dylan selection
3. Choying Drolma
4. Dance of the Orixas
5. Jagjit Singh
6. Lama Gyurme
7. Maha Mantra (many different versions of the 'Hari Krishna' mantra.
8. Bob Marley selection
9. Mike Seeger
10.BIG Brazilian music selection
11.BIG Old Timey Appalachian music selection.
12.Paste (a selection of new releases)
13. Reverend Gary Davis (country blues)
14.Thunder Love (my new unreleased CD)
15.New Bhajan and Kirtan CDs that I got on our last India trip in January.
Well, you asked!!!!!!!!
YM: What do you do for fun?
JU:
Laugh, dance and play around with my wife and little boy. He's hysterically funny! Play guitar or banjo and sing. Go to the movies with my beloved Nubia. Go to the beach!!!!!!! Also, I'm totally addicted to reading novels…..
YM: Do you think mantra and kirtan can help the world right now?
JU: Yes. Now and always.
YM: What kind of yoga do you like?
JU:Bhakti Yoga! As far as asanas, I prefer a gentle flow class with a LONG shavasana. I struggle with Hatha Yoga.
YM: What can we expect from you in the near future?
JU: "Thunder Love"! My new CD of devotional songs with English, Sanskrit, Hebrew and Arabic words…. Brasilian music, Indian music, Hillbilly music, space music and more… all mixed up!
YM: Where can we find out more about you and your cds?
JU: jaiuttal.com
WATCH JAI ON YOGATV!!! CLICK HERE!
Want more Jai on Yogatv?? Click here!
show scrolling
You need to log in to add comments
|
|
Comments
There are currently no comments. Be first to comment