This page gives a brief description of the artists who have contributed their sounds to one or more of the CDs in the Native Flute Tracks series.
Umeko Ando
The Ainu culture of Japan bears many parallels to the Native American Cultures of North America, and Umeko Ando has been one of the Ainu's most devoted perservers of the culture. She respected the Ainu traditions and daily customs, and has made much effort to promote and let Ainu culture prevail by transmitting and preserving the Ainu language, traditional dancing, musicianship, and manners.
The sounds of Umeko Ando's Tonkori were made available for the Native Flute Tracks CDs through Discovery Sound.
Her tonkori music appears on
Jacqueline and David Bhuyan
Jacqueline Bhuyan (M.M. in Music Theory, Arizona State University) a former college music
and private piano teacher, has written several collections of solo piano music,
with major influences being her love of nature and humanity,
the Romantic and Impressionistic periods of the Western classical tradition, folk and ethnic traditions,
and the harmonies of jazz.
Performing at various cultural events in the Denver area, her music has been described as
‘calming, beautiful, etheral and mesmerizing.’
She is active in advocacy for arts and music in education and coursework in cultural understanding.
Check out her new piano CD Reflections on Life's Journey, done with cellist David Darling.
David Bhuyan is the son of Jacqueline.
He works as a software engineer; is an accomplished guitarist, both acoustic and electric;
is a composer incorporating classical, rock and various ethnic styles;
does electronic arranging of music; and has performed locally with different bands.
A total of six tracks written by Jacqueline and performed by her and David appear (two each) on Jam Tracks in G Minor, Jam Tracks in F# Minor, and Jam Tracks in E Minor.
Web site: www.ForeverRubato.com
Richard Brooner
Richard is a composer and performer (trumpet, piano, Native American style flutes, and various hand percussion instruments) from Jeffersonville, Indiana. He has a degree in music composition from the University of Louisville.
He is currently a principal consultant with an HR software firm, having worked in software and human resource consulting for over 20 years. You can check out some music by Richard with NAF at Branches Breath and other music on Richard's MySpace Page (for the original music of Mercury Falling).
Four of Richard's compositions appear on Jam Tracks in F# Minor and another two compositions are on Jam Tracks in E Minor.
Nick Burman
Nick became involved with the didgeridoo (mago) in 1993 and since then has toured the U.K, Europe and the northern territories of Australia. He facilitates one to one workshops, group workshops and classes in didgerdoo playing techniques and has featured in T.V documentaries, radio broadcasts and many newspapers.
Nicknamed the “the Burmanator”, Nick has aquired years of experience as a live artist having performed everywhere from pavements and festivals to stadiums full of sports fans.
Nick's didge playing appears on Jam Tracks in F# Minor.
Visit Nick on the web at Dyframix.com.
Eugene Carr
Eugene Carr originally trained at the Juilliard School, and then earned undergraduate degrees at both the Oberlin Conservatory and Oberlin College. Aside playing at Bnai Jeshurun, Gene’s musical activities are mainly focused in the world of free improvisation. He participates regularly in workshops and concerts of improvised music and is now working on his first full CD. Gene Carr is been a resident cellist at Congregation Bnai Jeshurun since 2001, where he performs each Friday night.
In real life, Gene is a graduate of Columbia Business School and the founder and president of Patron Technology, which provides the web-based PatronMail e-mail system and other technology to more than 1,500 arts and non-profit institutions across the United States and in eight foreign countries.
Gene's cello playing appears on Jam Tracks in A Minor, Jam Tracks in F# Minor, and Jam Tracks in E Minor.
Jim Cook has been playing and recording guitar and synthesizers
for over 20 years and picked up the NAF 3 years ago.
Gary Cope
Gary is an Indiana native currently residing in Indianapolis.
He is a multi-instrumentalist performer who started his musical training learning tenor saxophone in 1970.
After high school he attended the University of Evansville as a saxophone performance major and began playing professionally in 1978.
He has shared the stage with John Mellencamp, played keyboard and saxophone in Carl Storie's band and toured Canada from Ontario to Alberta in the early 80s.
His Native American flute journey started in 1996 and he is currently in the Native American flute ensemble Shilombish playing Weissenborn-style guitar, keyboards, saxophones, hand percussion, and various other exotic world and folk instruments. He has released 3 solo CDs that were recorded and mixed in his home studio where he plays almost all the instruments on the recordings.
Gary's The Huron Carol backing track appears on his CD Sacred Water and is on Jam Tracks in E Minor.
Web site: www.shilombish.com
David Darling
"Maverick cellist" is the phrase most often assigned, but it hardly captures the richness, diversity, breadth and sense of humor of David Darling — a man who literally has redefined the way the cello is played and the way music is taught.
Darling is a classically trained cellist who joined the Paul Winter Consort in 1969, an extraordinarily progressive band for its time whose sound blended jazz with Brazilian, African, Indian and other world music — and at times even the voices of animals.
Since he left the Consort in 1978, he has dedicated himself to a solo performing and recording career, and to teaching music and improvisation. In 1986 he co-founded Music for People, a non-profit educational network that teaches and fosters improvisation as a means of creative self-expression.
In 2002, Darling was nominated for a Grammy Award for his CelloBlue album.
David's cello playing appears on Jam Tracks in A Minor.
www.DavidDarling.com
Roth Herrlinger
Roth lives in Santa Monica, CA, though he grew up in the Midwest. He has traveled to the far corners of the Earth, and his music bridges the world's cultures and connects us with the essence of the ages.
His first solo instrumental piano album, "Translucent," was released in early 2009. A track from that awesome CD appears on Jam Tracks in E Minor.
www.RothHerrlinger.com
Eve Kodiak
Eve Kodiak has contributed “Rainbow on my Shoulder” to
Jam Tracks in G Minor.
Her most recent CD is a duet album with David Darling, The Return of Desire: Improvisations,
for cello and piano.
Her upcoming performances include solo improvisation concerts for the Monadnock Music Festival in the summer of 2009.
A kinesiologist/musician, Eve has published CD/Book sets combining music and developmental movement. Rappin' on the Reflexes is currently being used on five continents.
Projects in the works include a CD/Book set with Paul Madaule and The Listening Centre of Toronto,
and a DVD/CD/Book set called Anyone Can Improvise!
Eve's offices for her one-on-one and group work are in Cambridge, MA, at The Lydian Center for Integrative Medicine.
www.EveKodiak.com
Ron Kravitz
Ron Kravitz is the creator of Music in the Moment (The Songs Within You, Improvisational Workshops for Everyone), that focus on discovering and exploring one's own inner and outer world of rhythm and sound. It is often conducted in his home studio where participants are surrounded by hundreds of percussion instruments from around the world.
Ron co-wrote and plays Tongue Drum, Shruti Box, and Djembe on one track on Jam Tracks in G Minor. Ron's djembe playing appears on Jam Tracks in E Minor. Ron's Hang drum playing will appear on Jam Tracks in D Minor.
www.MusicInTheMoment.com
Saskia Lane
A graduate of The Juilliard School, Saskia Lane (double bass, voice, and composition) performs throughout the tri-state area with a variety of jazz, world, pop, and classical artists. Currently, Saskia tours internationally with Dan Zanes & Friends and nationally with her critically-acclaimed cocktail pop quartet The Lascivious Biddies. She can also be seen sharing the stage with the likes of Jay-Z, Beyoncé and Natalie Merchant. In addition, Saskia is active in education and outreach performing in the Carnegie Hall Neighborhood Concert Series.
Saskia's double bass will appear on Jam Tracks in D Minor.
www.SaskiaLane.com
Jonny Lipford
Jonny Lipford is a 19-year-old, self taught, recording artist from the northwest region of Florida.
He began his journey with the Native American Flute at the age of 13, yet even at such a young age,
Jonny knew this was no passing whim. This was indeed his destiny.
His passion for the NA Flute and music in general is shaping his musical career sending him throughout the
United States sharing his music with others.
Jonny is considered by many to be an “Old Soul”.
His wisdom and outlook on life far exceeds his young age.
A piano-only version of Jonny's Vanilla Skies track appears on Jam Tracks in G Minor.
www.JonnyLipford.com
Lynn Miller
Lynn is a co-founder of Expressive Therapy Concepts, a non-profit organization dedicated to the creative arts therapies and related modalities. Lynn produces multi-media concerts that integrate dance, music and art and is developing programs at the South Street Healing Center.
Lynn wrote the Do We Yo track of Jam Tracks in A Minor, on which she also plays guitar and sings background vocals. Lynn wrote and performs on two tracks on Jam Tracks in E Minor.
www.ExpressiveTherapy.org
Eric Miller
Dr. Eric Miller, a psychologist and certified music therapist, has been working on developing integrative techniques with biofeedback and music.
He serves as president of Expressive Therapy Concepts, a non-profit organization dedicated to the creative arts therapies and he has recently joined the staff at the Mind/Body Connection, a holistic treatment center in King of Prussia.
A variety of music therapy interventions are used to facilitate desired physiological goals.
In addition to using music to cue (classically condition) relaxation, Dr. Miller often asks patients to produce tones or chants that express their emotionality.
Eric's samba-style guitar is featured on the opening track on Jam Tracks in G Minor. Eric's mandolin playing appears on Jam Tracks in E Minor.
www.Biofeedback.net
Jim Parker
In the ‘70s, Jim Parker opened for legendary performers Ray Charles, Kenny Rogers, Seals & Crofts, and B.J. Thomas, among others.
After an inexplicable 20 year hiatus spent in the corporate world, Jim came to his senses and returned to Nashville and his music roots.
Jim's composition and guitar playing appears on the Jam Tracks in E Minor and the "Music Minus Flute" series of Native Flute Tracks - Hymns, Traditional Songs, and Folk Songs.
www.JimParkerWorks.com
David Rudge
Dr. David Rudge, Violinist, Director of Orchestras and Conductor of Opera at SUNY- Fredonia, is also the Director of the Improv. Collective, a free-improvisation performing ensemble. As an improvising musician, he has studied and/or performed with Paul Winter, Paul Horn, Walter Thompson, Arthur Hull, Don Campbell; and has conducted for David Darling and Jean-Luc Ponty.
For many years Dr. Rudge has been closely involved with Music for People, an international organization founded by David Darling, that promotes self-expression through music and improvisation. Dr. Rudge has taught Free-Improvisation in such diverse settings as Oklahoma State University, the Omega Institute of Holistic Studies, the Connecticut Public Schools, in the MfP leadership-training program at the Kiental Center in Switzerland, and at the Tenri Cultural Center in NY City.
David's violin accompaniment appears on Jam Tracks in F# Minor. and Jam Tracks in E Minor.
www.DavidRudge.net and www.fredonia.edu/som/improv
Mathew Tembo
From Lusaka, Zambia, Mathew Tembo is a well-know reggae performing artist. We met him in Lusaka and spent a day in a recording studio laying down backing tracks for this project.
Mathew is pictured here on the right with Zambian past-president Dr. Kenneth Kaunda.
Mathew's Marimba/Amadinda playing will appear on Jam Tracks in B Minor.
Mathew's web site on MySpace
Marie van Vuuren
Marie grew up on the east side of Detroit and began taking organ lessons at the age of 7.
Upon entering middle school she began studying double bass and continued her studies well after graduation from high school.
Later, she attended Guilford College as a music major where she studied classic guitar performance and pedagogy, as well as private lessons at North Carolina School of the Arts.
In addition to her academic work, she has also had the honor of performing in master classes
for guitarists Andrew York, William Kanengiser, Elena Papendreau, and Ricardo Cobo among others.
She performs locally as a soloist and in ensembles, and has been teaching guitar since 1997.
Marie is currently in the Musician and Leadership program with Music for People
where she enjoys exploring new instruments (NAF being one of them),
improvising and leading groups in improvisation and music/sound exploration.
Most of her spare time is spent composing, recording, painting and drawing www.Music2Art.com,
as well as contributing music and production on independent film projects for SV2 Studios www.sv2studios.com .
Marie's classical guitar appears on the "Ne Tongo" track of Jam Tracks in G Minor.
www.Music2Art.com
Laura Warfield
Native New Yorker Laura Warfield writes songs, which range from folk/pop to country/ blues, rock, and children's music as the spirit moves her.
Laura has been writing songs since the age of ten. Her topics are wide-ranging, from love rejected (Leave Your Love Behind) to love renewed (Get Closer), from what passes for the economy (Unemployment Line) women's issues (Lord Have Mercy), from the pitfalls of seeking for the truth (Lost In Transit) to those of overcoming prejudice (Live In My World) and the possibilities of bringing peace to the world (New Millenium and Bronx to Baghdad). Her music — with more than a touch of rueful humor, along with memorable melody, rhythm and rhyme — also embodies many styles.
The backing tracks for Laura's Om Mani Padme Hum track appears on Jam Tracks in A Minor, on which she plays guitar and sings background vocals.
www.LauraWarfield.com
