About John Eddy
Founder of Buddhadoody Productions
Born June 9, 1978 in Tacoma, Washington to my precious and beloved Mom & Dad. Much of our world was emerging from multiple crises: the Viet Nam war, Civil Rights movement, Oil Crisis, and Cold War. My Mom (who is still one of my biggest heroes) is originally from Japan and my Dad (who is one of my biggest under appreciated heroes) is Caucasian. His family can be traced back to the Mayflower. They already practiced Nichiren Daishonin’s Buddhism. Being the only two even “half”-Japanese kids (I have a younger brother who’s also real musical) around at that time, in an American-middle-class Tacoma, WA, going to Public School, trying to be “normal”, having really incredible Western Classical Music & Cultural exposure from my Dad’s parents, riding around in our Volkswagen Beatle, always on the go; felt like like the world somehow naturally came together in our family and we we’re on a mission for something much greater than ourselves. I’m very fortunate and the debt of gratitude I have for my Parents & Family are both humble and immense.
After becoming disenchanted with the mainstream I started becoming more interested in sub/counter culture; Pop-music (although much of the 80s & 90s Rap & R&B is still some of my favorite music), Rock, Punk Rock, & Skateboarding. After some tribulating Middle & Highschool years I decided I really didn’t want to play Heavy Metal and was introduced to Jazz Fusion. Bands like Weather Report, Santana, Return to Forever, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Miles Davis, and Herbie Hancock, Jimi Hendrix, and The Beatles. The 70s were my favorite. But then I went through some kind of “Renaissance” inside myself and started to really value education. I started to enjoy school and got good grades pretty easily. This is when I started going back-in-time with Jazz. Really exploring the amazing Contributors to the Art: John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter, Charlie Parker, Toots Thielman, Stan Getz, Dizzie Gillespie, Mcoy Tyner, Ron Carter, Elvin Jones, Bill Evans, Freddie Hubbard, Donald Byrd, Nina Samone…too many to list here. And of course the Latin greats too: Antonio Carlos Jobim, Joao Gilberto, Tito Puente, Arturo Sandoval, Pancho Sanchez, Chucho Valdez…impossible to list. My study of these masters is still incomplete and I hope to establish a lifestyle where I can become disciplined about music like I never have, and study the greats thoroughly. Although I loved the music, my rhythm was strong, could play most of the roots (and sometimes fifths), my technique, theory, and harmony were always deficient for the simple fact I didn’t “woodshed” enough. Never the less I still loved to play any chance I could get but school, money, and what I was going to do after Highschool were the priorities.
I graduated from high school, moved to Seattle to work with my Uncle’s Landscaping company, and applied to the local music school for Jazz Bass. Although I received about a third of the first-years tuition in Scholarships, it left the other two-thirds to come up with. My Family made just enough money to not be eligible for the low-income financial-aid. My Dad used to joke that we’re “Upper-Lower-Class.” That would have left me with $60,000 to come up with. I would have had to not only have a job, but I thought to myself: “I’m going to come out of School with how many thousands of dollars of debt and then get a job doing what and pay-off the debt when?” I wasn’t ready for that kind of commitment and pressure.
I survived for awhile as a laborer and gradually got into carpentry. I learned a lot, love labor (working), but never could make enough money to survive. After September, 11th 2001 I gradually began to become more and more aware of Geo-Political phenomenon. Our reliance on oil & the Carbon-Pollution, constant war over energy, the often sinister socioeconomic repercussions of the Global Financial institutions. Yes, I believe 911 was an inside job. If you start looking into the conspiracy theories, please take the time to watch the movie on “ThriveMovement.com” called: “Thrive.” It’ll make you feel better. It’s far from hopeless. I wanted to do something but felt overwhelmed and powerless. If it wasn’t for my wife, (at that time I was not practicing Buddhism) I would be dead or in jail.
After suffering a serious spinal injury my ability to earn money gradually decreased while simultaneously I couldn’t keep my attention away from the “thought-scape” (most people call it the “news”). The vast majority of what was coming through the media and what people were talking about was negative. Only the internet offered access to more positive phenomenon if you could find it. I wasn’t playing much music and felt isolated from my friends.I started experiencing the most severe mental, physical, and spiritual suffering I didn’t know was possible. I felt like no matter how hard I tried, it was like I was being crushed or pulled apart simultaneously and my ability to contribute anything of value back to society was disappearing more and more day by day. At the age of 32 I finally started looking at my Mom & Dad and marveled at there ability to continue. They still have the same problems as everybody else but they’re happy.I decided to leave Seattle, move back home, and seriously try practicing Buddhism. We belong to the Soka Gakkai International. The SGI is a lay organization of people from every walk of life all dedicated to World-Peace based on the concept of the individuals’ strength, happiness, and ability to overcome obstacles as the way to create meaningful and lasting World-Peace. We call this process of inner transformation: “Human Revolution” and achieve this through the chanting of Nam Myoho Renge Kyo.
Some of you might remember the Earthquake and Tsunami of 3/11/2011. Almost 20,000 people died and the decimation to North Eastern Japan was diabolical. My Mom’s hometown is 8 miles away from the Fukushima Nuclear Crisis. The area is still evacuated and if it can’t be fixed; no living thing, not even one blade of grass, can live there for 270 million years. Through the power and practice of Buddhism, the constant support and encouragement from fellow SGI members and my Beautiful Family, and thousands of others everywhere struggling to make improvements in themselves and society; I’ve realized: as long as you’re still breathing…it’s never too late. I want to create Music for World Peace and/or help with Renewable Energy.
After a stint with a Bio-Diesel company I thought to myself: “I need to record something now. At the rate my life’s been going I might not get another chance”. So I’ve finally started to devote more time to music. Music is such an incredible form of Human expression. I want to become good enough to start a 21st Century Weather Report. An 8-10 piece group would be ideal. With MCs rapping about the Beautiful future we all want, some Horns and Percussion. It’d be ideal to have representatives from the Catholic, Jewish, and Nation-of-Islam Faiths. And of course, we will never discriminate against our stringent, pragmatic, scientific Aethiests. I chant everyday for this band. I know you’re out there…can’t wait to get together!!
Buddhadoody Productions is for producing other artists who like my style. SAUCE is the loose-conglomerate I’d like to play my “ideal” stuff with and could involve anybody/everybody. I’ll play studio Bass, movie-soundtracks, commercials, collaborate with other artists…..I’m open to anything. My immediate goal is to actually practice at least 4 hours a day (working the Bass & Voice). But I have to start generating income with Music in order to be able to devote the time to it.
Appreciate the struggle!! I hope you enjoy the music. These recordings have been a hellacious labor-of-love and I’m forever grateful to all those involved and who have enabled me to produce it. Thank you all and I love you!! Thanks for your interest. I hope you enjoy the Music & if you’d like to contact me you can find my contact info on the “Contact” page. Thanks again!! May the Force be with you…
SAUCE 