Gary Stroutsos' Blog

Greetings! I wanted everyone to learn more about my dear friend and mentor Danilo Lozano one of the finest Cuban flute players and producers of Cuban musicians in the world.

Professor Lozano teaches at Whittier College in LA and produced CUBA LA for Narada Records, and he is the music director of the Latin Jazz All stars based in LA.   Danilo has been a dear friend and has taught me so much about Cuban flute music.  His father Rolando Lozano (my favorite flute player in the world) is one of the most famous flute players ever from Cuba on the five key wooden flute.   He was in the famous  Orquesta Aragon (check You Tube).  They are swinging,  and he played with Mongo Santamaria and Cal Tjader, famous Latin Jazz artists from the 60’s.

Danilo and I are going to be recording sacred Afro Cuban Yoruba music with afro cuban percussion and vocals by Cuban culture bearer, volcalist Lazaro Galarragua.   We will be using various woodwinds for this project.   As the world of flute music continues to grow into new and exciting paths, please remember that flute music from Cuba is all about the drum and the haunting, chant-like qualities that one can produce from the vocal aspects of their music.   It is an honor for me to be in the presence of these great Cuban artists and to play my flute sound.

One of my greatest challenges playing woodwinds with afro Cuban musicians, for their sense of timing is very advanced and has such a spiritual quality to it.  I hear very little flute music other than that of  the Latin artists, and am very excited to bring more awareness of this music to all of you in the future!

Remember “put your own fingerprints on your music and long tones lead to a song”…

Into The Winds…

Gary Stroutsos

Greetings and welcome to my first journey within the Native American flute portal blog. I want to thank Jeff and Geoffrey for asking me to come on board. I was asked to share a glimpse of my own World Flute music journey, to inspire others to listen and “make knowledge out of sound”.

We sometimes forget the many past flute masters who have gifted us with a foundation of sounds. Or as I like to say, “a base for yourself to be free from” in your own playing, at whatever level. Many of these great players like Charles Lloyd, Paul Horn, Yusef Lateef, Hozan Yamamoto, Eric Dolphy, Herbie Mann, James Newton, and Rolano Lozano (to name a few) had a natural spirit inside their music. “We must know it is their deep spirit and traditions that has created a better world through their music”. I have studied these flute masters for over 35 years and have had personal encounters with some of them who have inspired me to carry on the lineage the best way I can through education and by the example of my playing.  Many people in music exist in rules–rules can govern the expression.  One goes through a process to reveal their soul. The challenge is, what will you do with it? The great masters went beyond just the notes, or as my flute teacher James Newton told me “the notes are only the beginning of swing”.

Or to quote my Navajo culture bearer Paul Thompson “If your heart is in the right place the flute will take care of itself”.

Many flute players over the years have asked me how to get inside the music and become artists. Well first one must like there own notes and have a concept in there playing and a foundation to create and improvise there work either on record or in a live performance setting.

“You must let your instincts lead you to a good place”. I hope to share many observations i have made through my years of travels so you the player can be inspired by listening and playing some of the masters work of the past and present. I have had a wonderful opportunity to be part of the world flute lineage for the past 35 years and want to share in a good way with yuo all.

Till next time play up to the music!

Into the Winds we go…

Gary Stroutsos