Meet The Children

I may call them "my children" but in reality they are the ones who teach me. Every instrument, has it's own song inside it. It's own energy and spirit waiting for you to "play it out". Many of flutes have traveled with me to Kauaii Hawaii, Mokulmne Wilderness in the California Sierras, Point Reyes National Seashore and Mnt. Tamalpaias in California, Mnt. Diablo in California, Sedona Arizona, Newport Oregon, Lake Tahoe Nevada, and a multitude of parks across California.

Below I have included all of my handcrafted wind and percussion instruments including ones that I made. If you're interested in any of the artisans I have included their links as well. Enjoy!

Blue Wolf – When Ed Hrebec at Spirit of the Woods sent me this flute he emailed shortly afterwards and asked how I liked it. I said “I’m in LOVE”.
This particular flute has a wonderful deep warm tone. And the LIGHTER you blow, the better it sounds. To me the sound even characterizes the blue azurite inlaid wolf paw and the scrolled wolf head fetish. For it’s size, and being made of mahogany, it is amazingly light and comfortable to play.
The hole pattern, which is adjusted for the ergonomics of playing the flute sideways takes a little getting used to. It’s not uncomfortable, just different.
As I said on one of the other flutes, some flutes look ordinary and play incredibly while others look like pieces of art but play like a paper towel tube. Ed’s flutes definitely hit hi marks on both aesthetics and playability. And the fact that he offers so many choices of fetish designs, inlay designs, flute types, woods, and custom features right on his website, you can’t help but get the perfect flute for yourself.

Kokopelli – Go figure, I’m a flautist (among other instruments) but this is my first Kokopelli flute. Kokopelli is inlaid with blue azurite into tiger maple which has a spectacular bright, lively sound. It’s the kind of sounds that will have children dancing around you.
Again, with the options Ed offers at Spirit of the Woods you can’t help but get a dream flute. And if he doesn’t have it on his website, talk to him – he can create just about anything you want.

This flute from Laughing Crow (now in Taos, New Mexico) is stunning both in appearance and playability. Most flutes, no matter how high the quality" have inherent strengths and weaknesses. Some play well but are not aesthetically pleasing while others look like works of art and play like a paper towel tube. This flute has an amazing tone because it's made from African wenge (wen-gay) wood. It is one of the most comfortable playing flutes both in fingering and breath and the workmanship is superb.
This flute was used exclusively on the "WhisperLight volume 4 - Kokyo" meditation/quiet time CD and became a 2007 Native American Music Awards (Nammys) nominee.
You can download a free excerpt MP3 of this song on the CD/Discography page.

Another beautiful and wonderfully playable flute by Laughing Crow. I love the offset mouthpiece so I can slide forward and grab the drone note only when I want it. Being able to go on and off the drone note makes for some very creative playing.

This eagle flute is certified Navajo made Jonah Thompson and I recently picked it up in Sedona, Arizone. It has a very nice warm tone that I didn't expect from a flute of that pitch and size. The rough carving of the eagle is also superb as it looks less "produced". This flute is also highly expressive in it's playability. Laughing Crow also sells this model along with six other totem selections through his website.
This flite was used in "The Gathering" off of my "Spirit of the Village Stone" CD. You can download a free full-length MP3 of this song on the CD/Discography page.

This authentic aboriginal didgeridoo comes from Australia and is handcrafted by the Naiuwa and purchased through Bushcrafts.com. Like traditional Native American flute and drum makers, the wood is gathered ceremonially and with great respect of the Earth Mother. The making and playing of one of these instruments is as much a spiritual journey as it is an artistic one. You can read about the beautiful Naiuwa traditions in the sacred gathering and crafting of the wood at Bushcrafts.com.
This didgeridoo will be featured in the song "Pele's Children" on my upcoming CD, "One Tribe" due for spring 2008 release. This didgeridoo is named "Little Rainbow" (serpent). The special tribal band on Naiuwa didgeridoos - a gift from a spirit woman - relates every instrument to the first one and serves as a spiritual link to the earth. The serpent itself also has the diamonds of the band. A truly sacred instrument that I am honored to play.

This flute is very sacred to me not just because of it's authentic workmanship but also because of the the "medicine art" drawn onto it. It was originally made by a Cherokee family in Oaklahoma. Unlike modern flutes, it is "grandfather tuned" which means it is tuned the way flutes were tuned hundreds of years ago. Some may call this similar to a "stretch tuning". It has a wonderfully simple, organic sound and I use it in ceremony.
The most amazing person, spirit, musician, artist, poet, philosopher, and cat food thrower I ever met is Lindy Danton of New York and she did the inspired artwork on the flute. Incorporated into the artwork is a favorite Rumi quote of both of ours: "Wherever you are, be the soul of that place". This flute is one of my most sacred personal possessions.

This flute is Ecuadorian in style (hence the fetish that looks Mayan/Aztec) and was made by Jose' Cabezas at AncientWinds.com. This particular flute has a very nice "breathy" quality to it. I met Jose while he was playing at the Benicia Farmer's Market in California. He not only makes this type of flute but also handcrafted "pan" style flutes and a variety of percussion instruments.
This flute was used in "Cassandra Wind Spirit" off of my "Spirit of nthe Village Stone" CD. You can download a free full-length MP3 of this song on the CD/Discography page. It will also be featured in my new upcoming meditation CD "WhisperingLight volume 6 - Kauaii".

This very well made baritone ocarina from Song Bird Ocarinas has a wonderfully warm sound. No harshness at all. People comment on it when I play live so I am looking forward to using it more on my next CD.

This Eagle Bone flute is also from Song Bird Ocarinas. Since eagles are endangered, the flutes are made out of ceramic. It has a joyful bird-like quality to it. I am actually using it in a game of "mimmic" with the mocking birds at my house. Lots of fun!

This Kestrel flute, which I named "Fire Hawk" after the Hawaiian goddess, is from Odell Borg at High Spirits. Odell's flutes are very well-known and they are as great sounding as they are ruggedly made. This flute is made of birch. I have a walnut bass flute listed below that is also from Odell.

This bass flute I named "Sleeping Bear" is also from Odell Borg at High Spirits. The tone on this flute is so deep and rich that it feels like it's going right through you. It's called a "Condor" flute and it is played in the song "Dreams of a Sleeping Bear" off of my "Spirit of the Village Stone" CD. You can download a free full-length MP3 of this song on the CD/Discography page.

LOTS More To Come!