BODHI JEFFREYS

This Friday, July 24, I'm releasing Om Mani Padme Hum, the third single from my forthcoming album, Mantras in Kingston.

Om Mani Padme Hum is one of the most beloved and widely chanted mantras in the Buddhist world…

I’ve always been more responsive than generative. For example, I can’t tell jokes well and I’ve never been able to create a joke. No idea how. However, when people are talking, I’ll often see something very funny about the situation.…

Back in 2008, I was living in La Costa, walking for hours every day to clear my head and write music.

On one of those walks, I passed a house with a van parked out front. Not just any van…

There's a moment, when you're intending to do something nobody's done before.

Mantras in roots reggae. Sanskrit on a roots reggae riddim. A vision I'd been carrying this idea around in my heart and mind for decades.

When I reached…

I already told you how reggae took over my musical life when I was 22, so NOW what do I write about? Oh! How about how mantras found their way to me? Good idea!

It all began… [scene fades out…

Yup, it’s story time! Not about the single that’s out today — but what led to it.

There I was, 22, standing in a crowd watching a local reggae band called The Effects play an outdoor show. When the bass…

I really enjoy doing these duet videos. Honestly, my part is the easy one. I sit down, hit record, sing the song, and that’s pretty much it.

But those who join me? They’re the ones doing the real work.
Here’s…

Love Me Do. What a song title! Who thinks of that??? Brilliant. And really, it’s humanity’s universal outcry.
What? Less commentary? Fine! Back to music.

There’s no way The Beatles wouldn’t be my biggest influence.
Paul taught me melody…

When I first sang Father and Son in clubs as a young man, I’m sure I was only hearing one half of the story — the son’s. The restless energy, the urge to step out into life, the feeling of…

Good news and… well… jeez!

The good news is that the Father and Son performance video drops today on YouTube.

The “Life Is” news is that back on October 13th, during my trip to New York for my high…

Hey hey — a new single! Wait… or is it an old single??? Whatever.

Back in college, Father and Son by Cat Stevens (Yusuf Islam) was the top request at just about every acoustic gig I played. Coffeehouse, wine-and-cheese cellar…

My Life in a Monastery?

In the ‘80s, the renowned songwriter, Diane Warren, did a critique of my lyrics. While some of the input was flattering and generally positive, she highlighted a core deficiency in my writing: filler and fluff. …