This time around there are two Native American-style flutes from Earth Tone Flutes: A dyed Curly Maple mid/low D with an Ebony Raven block and a salvaged old growth Redwood mid F# with a Peruvian Walnut Bear Claw.    These might even be something of a rarity since I’ll no longer be making Native American style flutes in the foreseeable future, so get em’ while they’re  hot!

Here are some pictures:

Only subscribers are eligible for the prize drawing.  Not a subscriber?  To learn how to become one, click HERE.

I first heard this sound inside a now long-gone company called “The Nature Company” in a mall in Seattle, Washington. The sound was from “Flash of the Mirror” by a traditional Lakota (Hunkpapa Band) and Anishinaabe flute artist, Kevin Locke.  Kevin was one of the first to go back to the elders and learn traditional songs, which he later played and recorded on his flutes.

The pure solo aspects of his sound drew me to North Dakota to meet him, and study with him the music and the culture of his people that produced his work.  When he first met me at Makoche Recording studios in downtown Bismarck, North Dakota, he asked me, “What are your motives and intentions with this music and the flute?”  I had to think on that for a minute, and I told him, “I want to learn the songs and play them in a good way.”

Today there seems to be very little interest in the traditional songs passed down by families over time still being sung, and few are played on Native American Flutes.  I understand how we are moving faster today and have so much information on hand, but it is important that these songs be preserved.

What we must better understand is that it takes time to shape the music and study the songs in order to begin to play them with some sense of respect and dignity the music deserves.  The time I spent early on building a foundation through these artists I have met, studying the songs, and recording the songs has been so valuable to me as an artist and someone who wants to carry the music forward.

The road has not always been easy, what with recording industry interference, false promises, hurt feeling among artists, issues of ownership of the music, and just the sad reality of this being a very small niche market of interest.  However, through it all, when one puts in the time, they can begin to have a sound they can call their own.  I entered this world in the best way possible:  Through the people who produced the music first, and I learned the right way (and am still learning today, for the musical journey is never done).

I would never have a had an opportunity to become the recording artist that I am today, or a cultural outreach artist, or someone who could write my thoughts down, if not for the time on the Northern Plains of Dakota and Makoche Records putting out my first recordings and introducing me to the American Indian artists from that label.

How did I approach this music, other than traveling to North Dakota and meeting some American Indian artists, you may ask?  Coming from an American Jazz music background, I understood the deep meaning of the Afro-American art form we call Jazz today.  I understood how melodies written for jazz soloists were to be improvised upon.  This is what Jazz artists do:  They improvise.  You practice scales and technique, but you cannot teach the art of being on the spot, soloing over the melodies written for you.  With regard to the “vocal aspects of traditional American Indian love songs,” I took the same approach I did with Jazz songs and learned the melodies, then rewrote the melodies in my solos.  One of the first examples of this style is on my recording, “Winds of Honor,” and is a Navajo chant I learned from Navajo flute maker Paul Thompson, entitled “Shi Ni Sha.”  I started the chant, played a solo, and then repeated the chant in order to give it form. This had not been done to my knowledge prior to 1996.

I have carried this method, for lack of better term, through to the present day when I play these songs I know.  I feel this gives the music a sense of foundation or a “base from which to be free.”  I have learned over the years how important these songs are to the people.  My travels and conversations with Elders have taught me that the songs came to the person through the spirit world, through dreams, and other forms. These songs were not composed like a Jazz composer would write a song.  This has given me a new outlook on the music and how to present it with more respect, if I am gifted with a song to learn that did come form the spirit world.

The space and timing of these songs takes a long time understand.  There are “hidden phrases” in this music.  Playing a traditional song that may sound so easy to hum or read from TAB is quite different when you play it on the flute.  How do you make it “sound like the land?”  We need to “make knowledge out of sound,” as Hunkpapa Lakota blind Medicine Man, Joe Flying Bye, told me many years ago on the banks of the Grand River at Sitting Bull Sundance camp one hot day.  “You have to play the songs right or you may get throat damage and die.”  I was not ready to believe him then.  I do today.

When I first started to learn the unique relationship the land had with the American Indian music, it brought to life many moods and inspirations that furthered my quest to play the music of the American Indian.  I remember standing on the banks of the Missouri River hearing the meadowlarks and the geese flying overhead, or inside the canyon walls of Canyon de Chelly listening to the winds whistling through the canyon.  I was thus beginning to better understand how I was using these spaces as a musical collaborator, or partner, to inspire me to learn songs, then to go into the studio and record them for all to enjoy.

I always try to bring the history of a sacred space into the music as a way of giving the music a certain depth and emotion, or, as I like to say, “music through history.”  Practice outside if you can, and go visit places that inspire you.  I will always return to these places and play the songs from my heart and soul forever.

We have to look at traditions not our own, and this flute, in a good way.  We have to share in a good way.  We have to play the songs in a good way.  We have to contribute what we can, with no egos involved, in a good way.  We have to share any knowledge we have in a good way.  The people I know shared with me–some may wonder why they shared–but in the end, the music is what counts and we must carry it forward.

You will be rewarded in your own way if you are willing to do the work that it takes.  This is all I did:  Work over many hours and many years, and connect your heart with the music and the land.

“We come through ~ we play our songs ~ and we are gone.”

So what this means is that December and January are being added to the already back-logged drawing.   What this also means is a mighty prize drawing that will have no less than eight separate winners!

The December prizes consist of a shakuhachi flute made by Colyn Petersen of Shin-sei Shakuhachi and donated by Flute Portal member Bryce Goebel.    This flute is made from Eastern Red Cedar and is a 1.8 size in the key of D.

The other December prize has been donated by Visionhawk Music and is one of their custom flute bags!  Pendleton Wool Flute Bag.  8″ diameter, 34″ long.  4 inside pockets.  Made of beautiful, durable Pendleton Wool.  Holds 8-12 flutes.  Carry comfortably with the extra wide shoulder strap.  Made by Visionhawk Music.  Retail price $135.00

The January prizes have been donated by Erec of Cutting Edge Flutes.  Erec has donated an amazing collection of four of his ground-breaking 3-D printed flutes! Here they are:

And of course, the October and November prizes from Earth Tone Flutes will also be added to the pile!  They are the Curly Maple NAF in the key of A and the Curly Maple Anasazi flute (for right-handed player) in the key of C.

Only subscribers are eligible for the prize drawing.  Not a subscriber?  To learn how to become one, click HERE.

Donations have a been a bit thin on the ground as of late, so I’m stepping in to provide some goodies to our loyal subscribers.  This time we have a Curly Maple NAF in the key of A, featuring a Black Walnut Bear Claw block, and an Ancient Pueblo (Anasazi style) flute, also of Curly Maple, in the key of C.    This is a very user friendly key for one of these flutes, being comfortable for most any player.

Here are some pictures:

Only subscribers are eligible for the prize drawing.  Not a subscriber?  To learn how to become one, click HERE.

These flutes are meant to be fingered with one hand while the other hand acts as a note-bender.  The open holes provide a partial pentatonic scale, and by partially covering the foot of the flute with the other hand, the player can bend notes like a trombone player, providing a full chromatic octave!  They are tons of fun and in the hands of a skilled player they can do things that no ordinary flute can do.  There are two different “keys” here: C and E, and the woods represented are Black Walnut, Curly Maple and Eastern Red Cedar.  I’ll try to get a sound sample online to go with these…

Only subscribers are eligible for the prize drawing.  Not a subscriber?  To learn how to become one, click HERE.

Only subscribers are eligible for the prize drawing.  Not a subscriber?  To learn how to become one, click HERE.

David Chu; Flute specialist and owner of Sideblown Technologies

A few weeks ago I travelled down to Boston for some meetings and to visit some flute makers. An interesting fact is that most of the classical concert flute makers in the USA are located in the Boston area.  The older established companies like Wm. S. Haynes and Verne Q. Powell along with the newer companies like Burkart, Brannen, Arista, Emmanuel, Williams and Nagahara are all within 50 miles of each other. The advantage for this is that they can share a lot of the same suppliers and the same highly skilled work force. Many technicians leave one company to work at another and never have to move. Others even start their own businesses making complete flutes, providing service freelance or specializing in making peripherals.

One such person is David Chu. Originally from Hong Kong, he first came to Boston to study classical flute at the New England Conservatory. He later moved to Phoenix where he wrote music for film and television as well as playing and contracting orchestras for film music sessions.

He then returned to New England where he began working for Burkart Flutes and Piccolos where he learned the trade of flute making.  After that he worked for Arista Flutes and eventually became the General Manager of Wm. S. Haynes Company.

Now David works has created his own company called Sideblown Technologies repairing modern flutes as well as restoring historical flute by such makers as Louis Lot and Bonneville. These great French flute makers flourished during the 1860s to 1930s. Some of those flutes are pitched at        A 438 and others have had the holes repositioned to play at A440.

David has also created his own line of hardwood and bamboo headjoints.  I bought one of his bamboo headjoints that clip onto the Boehm system concert flute many years ago.  I have used it quite a bit for studio work. It is very handy when a composer needs an exotic tone but the piece has a lot of chromaticism.

The headjoints David is fashioning out of the hardwoods like grenadilla and boxwood are particularly excellent. These headjoints have wonderful sound and crisp articulation.  He offers them with and without the wooden lipplate.

Restored historic French flutes and newly made hardwood head joints

For more information please look at David’s website http://www.sideblown.com which among other things is a great resource for used instruments and other flute related sites.

Here is some info from the seller:

The Ruby Pro African djembe drum is a professional level djembe that sounds absolutely fantastic and is built to perfection. Made with the utmost care and attention to detail this Pro African djembe drum is a hand-carved beauty that is not only stunning but a true work of art. It just doesn’t get any better than this!

Features:

• Legally Harvested, Environmentally Sustainable Mahogany wood
• Get full access to growing library of Djembe Lessons online
• Every drum comes with a Djembe Care & Maintenance Guide
• One-piece Mahogany solid shell construction
• Government Certification Process
• Low Stretch Alpine Nylon HTB 5 mm rope runners
• Natural, unbleached heads for authentic look and sound.
• 3 ring system at the head for more stable tuning and elimination of skin slippage
• Lathe turned for uniform thickness
• Lateral groove/rough surfaced carvings on interior bowl to reduce overtones
• Premium selected goatskin drumheads

The Bag: Beautiful earth tones in this fabric djembe bag. Features 2 heavy duty black zippers and a front pocket for storage. Each bag is quilted with padding to protect your instrument for storage or when transporting to gigs.

Mini Djembe: The X8 Drums Mini Djembe is hand carved and hand painted. Each one comes with a goatskin head and sturdy rope runners. Measures approximately 6″ tall x 4″ head.

Only subscribers are eligible for the prize drawing.  Not a subscriber?  To learn how to become one, click HERE.

The next prize was donated by Flute Portal member Scott Shuffitt (thanks Scott!) and it is an ABS flute made by Dr. Hal Kacanek of “Sounds We Make, LLC”.   It is a clever design and very nicely done.  On top of it all, it sounds great!  Very nice travel or backpacking flute–totally waterproof and nearly indestructible.  Here is a pic:

Only subscribers are eligible for the prize drawing.  Not a subscriber?  To learn how to become one, click HERE.

S.P. Shepard has donated one of his speckled, black bamboo beginner models!  Here are some pics:

Our other shakuhachi has been donated by Colyn Petersen of Shin-Sei Shakuhachi!  It includes a leather utaguchi cover as well as a Tsuyutoshi (Cleaning Cloth, not shown).

Not a subscriber?  Click HERE to learn how to be eligible to win this prize!