Gathering of Nations and Thoughts About Spring Gigs

I hope this post finds everyone well. Spring in southern New Mexico means wind and more wind. Trees are greening up and I’ve learned that Mesquite trees will always tell you when it is safe to plant your garden. I’ve been busy with a few gigs, trying to get to recording, writing and building a sound isolation booth. The Taizé service I was part of was very beautiful and reflective. It still amazes me that I am playing the Hang and Native American flutes and singing in part of a ceremony. Using my music in these ways is so different that concerts or other gigs, but every day I affirm that “I perform my music in perfect ways, for wonderful people and for perfect pay.” So who am I to argue?

Next week I’ll be in Albuquerque. One gig is a good old-fashioned working type where I’m playing for the annual meeting of a national heating equipment association at a swank resort on Santa Ana Pueblo. The other is at the Gathering of Nations International Powwow. I’m honored to be a part of that and will just do what I do and maybe have some resonance leading to greater things. The Gathering of Nations is remarkable and the awe when the Grand Entry comes in is something I look forward to. I am performing on Stage-49 Saturday, April 25th at 11:20AM. Again with my Hang, such a new instrument in the midst of tradition. People ask me all the time if it is a Native American instrument or a traditional one and I have to again relay the story of its origin, where it is from, how I got mine etc., etc. Instruments were being created by the first peoples all the time and exchanged often. Innovation is nothing new but you have to take a lot of ribbing and slack-jawed questions when you are doing something completely new to people. Of course playing the Native American flute for people who are hearing or seeing it live for the first time is thrilling and an honor. I feel like an ambassador for the flute most of the time.

Being a person who suffers from Arthritis flare ups can be tiring. When it happens at the same time a bout of depression happens it can be a challenge to find any good that I am doing in the world. I’m not whining and don’t really want any sympathy. These are just the realities of my situation and I know I’m not alone in my experience. For a while this spring I’ve had times where I feel completely useless when I feel I’m not getting anywhere and am always chasing gigs and I see other players who are better at ingratiating themselves and being downright aggressive pursuing gigs, festivals and teaching workshops. I finally had a dream where my late dogs came to me and really gave me a talking to in their own way. I got their message. Battling severe depression is not like having the blues in any way. Not having insurance I rely mostly on herbal supplements. Sometimes they aren’t enough. One wonderful and caring friend and fan even asked me if I they had done something wrong because I had not been as warm and friendly. It is hard to explain that it is “me” who has the problem and finding the energy to constantly create and give means I need to shut down and recharge sometime. With Arthritis I really can’t hike or be in nature which has always been my tonic. I had to work really hard to remind myself that I need do absolutely nothing more than what I am doing right now and believe it is exactly right for me and for everyone else. Mining that level of emotion and truth can be hard a person. History is rich with examples.

In May I’ll be heading up to perform at the Zion flute and drum festival in St. George, UT. On the way I’ll do a show in Tucson with some wonderful musicians, Martin Klabunde and Stephen Cumberworth. We will present a show May 13th at a little casita called The Ranch 3742 N. Edith Boulevard, Tucson, AZ, 85718 at 7:30PM. We are going under the name “Trio Corona” and it should be fun. Martin is an excellent African drummer and Stephen a talented flutist. More info on my website or MySpace calendar. I’m always looking for more gigs so if you would like to host a house concert, a show at your community theatre or center or even your church please contact me.

Randy

Zion Flutes Fest Wrap Up

I’m back from a road trip to the Zion Canyon Art and Music Festival in Springdale, Utah. Though the weather was amazingly hot, dry and breezy—kind of like living in a huge blow dryer set on low—overall some really excellent music took place and loads of fun.

On my drive up, which is a 13 hour drive from my home in New Mexico, I camped out in Canyon de Chelly on the Navajo Reservation of northeast Arizona. Canyon de Chelly is a deep, red-walled canyon with a small river running through it. The Anasazi and later the Navajo have made this verdant canyon home. Driving into Zion Canyon is always stunning and stirs every part of my being. Seeing the friends I’ve made again always makes me happy. This time I met several new people as we gathered around the campground across from the entrance to the festival. Rick Dunlap and his family on Djembe, the Tank Tongue Drum which sounded like a Hang and son Ricky on didgeridoo and all the others who were jamming up a storm made for a raucous good time. I volunteered to MC the open mic stage on Saturday and Sunday. I loved hearing the flute players from all over the country. Some really nice and original music was made.

Probably because I had a Hang drum with me several people asked me to sit in with them. Kiriel from Phoenix, Stephen DeRuby, the Dunlap Clan and others that I played with were all just really open and we all shared a passion for the Native American flute and its possibilities. Joe Young, a musician from Boise, Idaho did a fantastic job with sound and played an amazing set of music. He was nice and asked me to sit in on Hang and Cornell Kinderknecht on Bansuri played so beautifully both in his solo set and with us.

Will Hoshal asked me and California musician Vince Chaffin to sit in during his concert and it was just an hours worth of smiling on both sides of the stage. Thanks Bill. Can’t wait to do it again. Being able to do what is your passion is truly a privilege. All the dehydration, sunburn, egos, too little sleep and extremely long drive was worth it. On the return trip I camped below Sunset Volcano Crater north of Flagstaff, Arizona. Very serene.

I lusted after so many flutes this year and really wanted one of John Kulias’ ceramic flutes and several of Michael Allen’s flutes but since gas is over $4.00 a gallon so the choice was pretty clear. Buy flutes or walk home….ha ha

Here is a video/photo montage of Canyon de Chelly and Zion Canyon set to a song from my new CD “A Place Called Peace.” The song is “Apache Tears.” The CD is ready and available but I’ll post a note soon about a special MySpace offer….stay tuned.

Randy

Zion Canyon Bound

Well as I sometimes do I like to start by saying it is so hot here. It has been in the low 100’s for the past week with a steady wind and at sometimes a downright gust accompanied by so much dust and grit it could sand blast a tree bare. People say well at least it’s a dry heat to which I respond—you mean like an oven or a blow dryer? I was driving outside of El Paso yesterday when the hugest Dust Devil I’ve ever seen picked up a road sign and slammed it into a car which swerved causing all sorts of craziness.

So in the midst of this heat I’m off to the Zion Canyon Art and Flute Festival again this year in Springdale, Utah. It is a 12-hour drive so I’m going to camp halfway in Canyon de Chelly, pronounced (Canyon de Shay) an ancient Anasazi dwelling site on the Navajo Reservation in northeastern Arizona. I’m looking forward to being surrounded by silence, stars and such spiritually significant land. The other night I was playing at a party in the Gila national forest in a funky town called Kingston. When it got dark the number of visible stars was just breathtaking. The moon was a thumbnail but so bright like someone cut a slit in the curtain. I was playing my Hang while a friend played her didgeridoo then another guest read a poem and some others sang on guitar. It was quite magical….or was it the homemade beer? Of course people went crazy over the Hang and scheduled a few concerts for me in the fall so it was a great time.

Zion canyon is really beautiful but I do wish the festival would return to the original October dates. It is really hot there and I couldn’t find a room nor tent site so am staying 45 minutes away in St. George. That is almost two gallons of gas and at over $4.00 a gallon it is getting a little tough to tour. I’m playing and MCing the open mic stage on Sat. and Sun. I love hearing what flute players are doing. On my return trip I’ll camp in the mountains or something near Flagstaff, AZ. It should be slightly cooler. I’ll take pictures especially for my fans in Europe, Japan and Eastern Europe. Thanks.

My new album “A Place Called Peace” is scheduled for release next week though I don’t know if it will be back in time to take to Zion. Oh well I have others… I’ve uploaded a song from the CD called “Double-Barrel Train Wreck” which you can download for free. Woo hoo. It is a solo song on a double barrel, or drone, Native American flute which imitates a train in motion. When I perform it live I say it is like a Native American flute met an electric guitar and collided with a locomotive. Listen for the Bluesy riff at the end—my nod to Hendrix! I always welcome your comments!

Have safe travels.

Randy