
"Nourish your whole being with tranquil beautiful music & Ayurvedic cooking"
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I was a Sydney northern beaches girl and began singing jazz with James Morrison in high school. I had a varied music career performing cabaret, pop, world and dance covers, but my musical heart was untouched until I went to India. It was in the Himalayas I discovered Indian classical mantras and devotional songs, falling in love with the healing sounds, exotic instruments and ancient ragas that touched my soul and inspired a new voice. My award winning song ‘Himalaya’ sings of this love affair and connection to spirit through music. Since India, a surge of creativity gave birth to my debut album Letting Love In and a range of yoga and meditation albums under the brand Café Mantra.
Cafe Mantra Music is beautiful blend of sacred mantras and flowing melodies that drift over hypnotic rhythms, ambient soundscapes and deep cello drones. My voice has always been pure and sweet and when I sing my heart fills with joy.
My career in music has spanned 40 years. In my 20’s I performed the club and pub circuits in Australia and Asia, singing and dancing with acts like Nick Bavarell & Nettwork, The Stilettoes and Wildchild. In my 30’s I owned her own burlesque cabaret club Joanna’s creating a unique blend of exotic lunchtime entertainment with singing, dancing and striptease cabaret performances. In my 40’s I crashed and burned in the most spectacular way, landing in rehab. After 20 years of riding the wave of success and excess, I found I had burned out mentally, physically and spiritually.
Being in rehab was the most challenging time of my life and the most transforming. I had to learn to live again without drugs and alcohol. I had to learn how to relate with people, to go out and enjoy life, to feel love and connection without substances. I had to learn how to heal my body and mind of chronic fatigue, pain, anxiety. I didn’t want to live anymore so I had to learn how to heal my spirit. I found the way when I went to India and 15 years on I have my mojo back!
I did have another crisis. This time it was musical.
“All my life I sang other peoples songs, but after India, I had to write and sing my own. When the music is inside you, it just has to come out. At age 43 I wrote my first original album ‘Letting Love In’ which is all about my healing journey. I left Sydney in my campervan to travel with my music, do gigs and find a new home. I was in Byron Bay when I had a musical crisis. The tension was building. I was promoting my album and shopping around for gigs. I had so many knock backs in that area. Door after door closed in my face. In fact I didn’t get any gigs at all, so I started busking. I was at The Channon markets and had busked for 3 hours to thousands of people and only got 20 cents! I was very distressed. I had so much invested. So much time, energy, love, creativity and money into this album and got nothing in return!! Or so I thought. I’d finally had enough. I just let go. I decided no one was going to buy my music, so I went to the tip and chucked all my CDs in the dumpster. I remember looking down into the grubby bin and feeling such relief! Time to move on. After that I started singing mantra and my life changed completely. The profound part about this story is that 7 years later, I entered my song ‘Himalaya’ into the Dolphin Music Awards and won! People want my music now, they are coming to gigs, buying my albums and loving what I have to offer.
I am so grateful to have found this path. Since 2011 I have been travelling Australia and Asia to festivals, concerts, yoga retreats and events to share the sounds of spirit and the sacred science of mantra. I continue to travel, record and teach harmonium and mantra at my beautiful home in West Haven.
The products below are my favourite albums. Peace is the first one I wrote and comes with such love for the first mantra I heard, So Hum. Sacred Journey tells of my story to India in song and the mantras I have learned since that journey.
May my music fill you with peace and joy.
Blessings
Calming, meditative, relaxing, and uplifting are some ways people describe Cafe Mantra Music because they have experienced the healing energy of sacred sound. You see, my music is not only beautiful, but scientifically created to harmonise your whole being … your mind, body and soul.
Are you experiencing stress, anxiety, fear, illness, uncertainty? If so, this negative energy impacts your mind and subtle frequencies to go out of harmony, out of tune. Much like a guitar that needs tuning regularly, so do our minds. Mantra music awakens the vibrations of peace that are deeply embedded in you, and you come back in tune with nature and feel relaxed, content and happy. Magic!
How Is Cafe Mantra Music Unique?
Cafe Mantra Music uses a special tempo of 60 beats per minute which is the resting heart rate. Just by listening, your subtle energies come into alignment with this innate rhythm. This tempo coupled with the healing vibrations of Sanskrit mantras, soothes your mind and nervous system without effort. All !you need do is listen, let go and allow the music to take you on its healing journey. Easy!
Everything I create follows the ancient Vedic sciences of yoga, mantra and Ayurveda. As a qualified Ayurvedic practitioner, my knowledge and experience couples with a deep devotion to bring a richness, depth and spiritual energy to my music, teaching and cooking with the intention to help you nourish your entire being.
Blessings for your peace, health and happiness!
x Jo Kelly
Love It! Beautiful, spiritual and tranquil music to practice yoga to or just chill out.
I feel like my entire being received the most phenomenal tune up. It was a full body experience to meditate, listen and chant with Jo.
I’ve just had the best day ever learning the harmonium and chanting. Thank U Jo, I’m still buzzing! With Love Barbie
I love the way Jo explains of the science and health benefits behind Ayurvedic nutrition. And her recipes are delicious!
Jo Kelly
Award Winning Singer Songwriter, Mantra Music Artist, Teacher, Ayurvedic Health Consultant.
Jo is an award winning songwriter, mantra music artist, teacher and Ayurvedic Health Consultant (Dr. S. Ajit, (BAMS PCAS)
Jo won the 2015 NCEIA Dolphin Music Award for her song ‘Himalaya’ in the Adult Contemporary category.
Jo’s been singing all her life, but her true musical heart was untouched until she went to India. She fell in love with the healing sounds, exotic instruments and classical ragas that touched her heart and inspired her to record a range of albums for yoga and meditation. Since India, Jo has recorded seven albums under her brand Cafe Mantra and continues to record new music as divine inspiration comes forth.
Jo travels Australia and abroad to yoga festivals, yoga retreats and conscious music events to share the sound of spirit and the sacred science of mantra and Ayurveda. She teaches and consults at her home in West Haven, NSW.