I’m Jai Uttal, a Grammy-nominated composer and musician, and my heart and mind are filled with the rhythms and melodies of both India and the rock, jazz and reggae of the Western world. My travels through India, where I met incredible saints and musicians, led me to embrace Bhakti Yoga, the yoga of the heart, which I’ve been sharing with you all for over 50 years. 

It's been my deep joy to sing for you, and with you, all these years, creating spaces where everyone can open their hearts and discover the innate beauty their own voices.

Growing up in Manhattan, my father, a record executive, introduced me to the magic of 60’s and 70’s pop music. I  remember so vividly the excitement of sitting with my sister and listening to the latest hits that my dad would bring home from the local radio stations. My musical education evolved from studying classical piano to discovering ‘old timey’ banjo and then screaming electric guitar. But it was when I attended a concert at seventeen years of age that everything changed for me. Hearing Maestro Ali Akbar Khan’s sarode ignited a burning spark in my soul. Under his guidance, I slowly discovered my singing voice, which I was initially terrified to share. Yet, kirtan called me out of my shell, showing me that singing was essential to my own healing and helpful in the healing of others.  

In 1971, when I met my guru, Neem Karoli Baba, my passion for music, kirtan and spirituality fully came together. Through Maharajji’s grace, the practice of singing mantras became my lifeline, or what I like to call my “soul support system.” He planted a seed of longing in me and gave me the tools to water that seed.

As I explored various musical styles and continued my study of classical Indian raga, I began a lifetime journey of musical experimentation and exploration. My first album, ‘Footprints’, aimed to bridge Indian melodies with Western harmony, and it marked the start of a beautiful musical and devotional evolution that, over 20 albums later, continues to this day. 

My latest recording, an extended and highly orchestrated rendition of the Hanuman Chalisa, a 16th century devotional classic, features the Pagan Love Orchestra, my 19 year old son Ezra, as well as many others. It traverses the worlds of reggae, dub, Brazilian jazz, funk, and sweet vocal choirs.