| When you ask someone why he or she likes | | | | Carlos Nakai duo. Mr. Kater, who is of |
| a band, performer or style of music, the | | | | German heritage, played piano, and Mr. |
| usual response is either, "they're | | | | Nakai the native flute. I discovered |
| awesome," "they rock" or "it's fun | | | | that I too like the sound of the native |
| stuff." People tend to say that music is | | | | flute. I went to a Kater and Nakai |
| simply for entertainment. And as for | | | | concert in Chicago, where Nakai |
| musicians, the reason they play music | | | | mentioned a week-long workshop at the |
| either involves "the call" to do so or | | | | Feathered Pipe Ranch in Helena, Montana. |
| the ego-driven need to stand in front of | | | | I had a choice of paying about $1,200 |
| a crowd. But why do we even have music? | | | | for the flute workshop taught by Mr. |
| Is it, as Shakespeare stated, "to soothe | | | | Nakai and his partner and flute-maker, |
| the savage beast"? It's not like it's | | | | Ken Light, or going to Japan for two |
| life or death. Or is it? For Gera Clark | | | | weeks, all expenses paid by the school |
| and John Sarantos, who perform on Native | | | | where I was teaching. I chose Montana. |
| American flutes as the NightDancers, | | | | [Mark Kirby] What lead you to play this |
| music is that deep. Mr. Santos started | | | | kind of meditative music? |
| with the simple desire to express | | | | [John Sarantos] We don't think of it as |
| himself musically, but discovered that | | | | only meditative music. We worked hard to |
| the Native American flute, by its | | | | stay away from falling into that |
| nature, takes one beyond pigeonholed | | | | stereotype of musical style on our CD. |
| functions, including new-age | | | | Although a lot of people use our record |
| "meditation" music. Ms. Clark's journey | | | | for meditation, they also use it for |
| to music started with desperately | | | | healing and relaxation. Several people |
| needing something of a life line at a | | | | who have cancer told me that they find |
| critical time. She states: "After a | | | | inner peace while listening to 'Montana |
| prolonged critical illness, I began to | | | | Crossings'. |
| put my life back together... While on | | | | [Gera Clark] In fact, after John had his |
| this spiritual path, I discovered the | | | | cancer surgery last year, we decided |
| Native American flute." In this era of | | | | that 10% of the gross sales from |
| art-as-diversion, or lifestyle | | | | 'Montana Crossings' would be used to buy |
| accessory, it is a wonderfully pleasant | | | | flutes for cancer patients. So far, we |
| surprise to be reminded that, as Clark | | | | have donated flutes to cancer flute |
| and Santos reveal in the interview | | | | circles and individuals in New York |
| below, music is a powerful and healing | | | | City, Chicago, Lansing, Michigan and |
| force. | | | | Jefferson City, Oregon. |
| [Mark Kirby] What kind of music was | | | | [Mark Kirby] Are Native American flutes |
| played in your home when you were | | | | more like shakuhachi flutes or |
| growing up? | | | | transverse flutes in terms of technique? |
| [Gera Clark] My mother played classical | | | | [John Sarantos] Neither. The shakuhachi |
| music on the piano as an escape from her | | | | can take three months just to get one |
| existence as an urban housewife raising | | | | note. The transverse requires many hours |
| four children. When I started school, my | | | | of playing to learn just the basic |
| mother went back to work and I noticed | | | | scale. The native flute is one of the |
| her appetite for opera increased | | | | easiest instruments to play. I have |
| dramatically. My father fancied himself | | | | taught elementary children to play the |
| as being Bing Crosby and I would catch | | | | native flute, and they have started |
| him now and then trying to learn the cha | | | | playing songs in about five minutes or |
| cha. Meanwhile, my sister would sneak | | | | less. |
| in rock and roll. We aspired to write | | | | [Mark Kirby] Describe the flutes that |
| music together in the style of Carol | | | | you use in terms of size, number of |
| King. We also listened to some of my | | | | holes, type of wood, etc. |
| relatives' records, one being Seamus | | | | [Gera Clark] We use flutes ranging from |
| Ennis, my grand uncle who played the | | | | four to six holes and from four inches |
| Uilleann pipes (an Irish type of | | | | to five feet. |
| bagpipes). | | | | [John Sarantos] Traditionally, most |
| [John Sarantos] During my early years, | | | | flutes were made from soft woods; for |
| my mother would play classical and | | | | example, cedar and pine. However, when |
| operatic music when I was in school, but | | | | the Europeans came, they brought with |
| very little music was played while I was | | | | them tools that made it easier to create |
| home except at Christmas. | | | | flutes out of harder woods; some flutes |
| [Mark Kirby] What kinds of music have | | | | were even made from old gun barrels. |
| you studied prior to the Native American | | | | [Gera Clark] Today, flute-makers are |
| flute? | | | | creating flutes from all types of woods, |
| [Gera Clark] As a child, my mother would | | | | from cedars to walnut to iron wood, to |
| bribe me with soda to take piano lessons | | | | even flutes made out of one of the |
| because she wanted me to be a child | | | | hardest woods: ebony. |
| prodigy. When I was able to travel on my | | | | [John Sarantos] We also have a wide |
| own, I took up the traverse flute, which | | | | assortment of clay flutes based on the |
| I carried with me for three years. | | | | Aztec and Mayan cultures made by master |
| [John Sarantos] I tried learning the | | | | flute-maker Xavier Quijas Xyotol. |
| drums from the junior high school music | | | | [Mark Kirby] How did you arrive at the |
| teacher, but he told me I had no rhythm | | | | name of NightDancers for your musical |
| and would not work with me. After | | | | duo? |
| attending a Jethro Tull concert and | | | | [Gera Clark] One day John and I were |
| being inspired by Ian Anderson's flute | | | | talking and discovered that we both used |
| playing, I tried the transverse flute, | | | | to walk around our individual houses in |
| but was told by my flute instructor that | | | | the middle of the night without any |
| I was tone deaf and she wouldn't work | | | | lights on. We came up with the name |
| with me. I tried singing, but I was told | | | | Night Walkers. |
| that I was tone deaf by three major Los | | | | [John Sarantos] However, most people we |
| Angeles voice coaches and they would not | | | | talked to thought that the name sounded |
| work with me. I tried guitar and banjo, | | | | too much like vampires or ladies of the |
| but it was hard to play just cords as I | | | | evening. |
| could not sing along with myself. Then I | | | | [Gera Clark] After discussing a variety |
| discovered the Native American flute. | | | | of names, we came up with NightDancers. |
| [Mark Kirby] How did you come to start | | | | [Mark Kirby] When did you decide to |
| playing Native American music in | | | | record 'Montana Crossings'? |
| general, the flute in particular? | | | | [Gera Clark] John and I had been playing |
| [Gera Clark] After the death of my | | | | together for about two years. John |
| husband and a quick rebound marriage and | | | | would travel from Milwaukee during his |
| divorce, followed by a prolonged | | | | vacations, and we would play for our |
| critical illness, I began to put my life | | | | friend Bob Hegler, who encouraged us to |
| back together. I also began searching | | | | keep playing together. We enjoyed |
| for beauty. While on this spiritual | | | | playing so much that we used to spend |
| path, I discovered the Native American | | | | hours playing over speaker phones when |
| flute. | | | | John was still living in Milwaukee. When |
| One day, I found myself about a hundred | | | | we started performing in local New York |
| miles west of New York standing outside | | | | venues, people would ask if we had a CD |
| a Tibetan Buddhist Temple, when suddenly | | | | they could purchase. After about a year |
| I heard the most beautiful sound. | | | | of doing live performances, we felt that |
| Following the powerful, yet haunting | | | | we had created a wide variety of songs |
| sound, I discovered it emanating from a | | | | that we wanted to share with others. |
| Native American flute, played by Ed | | | | [Mark Kirby] Why did you choose to |
| Callshim (Ponca Sioux). After this | | | | record at Avatar Studios in New York |
| experience, I finally found a flute of | | | | City? |
| my own at the National Museum of the | | | | [John Sarantos] I had been writing |
| American Indian in New York. Later, when | | | | record reviews for the International |
| traveling to Niagara Falls with my | | | | Native American Flute Journal for about |
| teacher, Amy Lee (Iroquois), a deep | | | | ten years and could tell when an artist |
| desire to connect with my earlier | | | | used a home computer all the way up to a |
| travels in the southwest was awakened. | | | | professional sound studio. If we were |
| On one particular journey, I found | | | | going to put our time, effort and money |
| myself exploring the canyons along the | | | | into a recording, we wanted it to sound |
| Rio Grande. Eventually I was led to the | | | | the best it could. I asked several |
| mountains and the Taos Pueblo, where I | | | | people if they could recommend a sound |
| heard that haunting sound drifting | | | | studio in New York City. Avatar Studios |
| through the air. I followed it to its | | | | was one of the top three studios on |
| source, a little adobe. Looking inside, | | | | several people's lists. |
| I met a kind and talented gentleman who | | | | [Gera Clark] We were also very fortunate |
| encouraged me to play the native flute. | | | | that Tino Passante of Avatar recommended |
| That gentleman, unbeknownst to me at the | | | | Jim Anderson for our sound engineer. Jim |
| time, is one of the finest Native | | | | understood the sound that we were |
| American flute players in the world, | | | | striving to obtain, and he succeeded in |
| John Rainer, Jr. (Taos/Creek). Leaving | | | | capturing that sound. |
| New Mexico with renewed faith, I was | | | | [Mark Kirby] How are the titles |
| led, via The American Indian Community | | | | connected to the songs you are playing? |
| House in New York, to Franc Menusan | | | | Are these titles indicative of what the |
| (Muskogee Creek). He became my extremely | | | | music is supposed to evoke? |
| patient mentor for several years. | | | | [Gera Clark] The titles are indicative |
| On my birthday, I flew out to an R. | | | | of the inspiration behind the music. |
| Carlos Nakai (Navajo/Ute) concert with | | | | [John Sarantos] Hopefully, each person |
| the San Francisco Symphony, where I | | | | will have their own emotional response |
| learned about the Renaissance of the | | | | to the music depending on their own |
| Native American Flute workshop in | | | | journey. |
| Montana. I came back to New York and | | | | [Mark Kirby] What types of events or |
| booked myself a flight to Montana, which | | | | venues do you play? |
| was where I met John Sarantos, and our | | | | [Gera Clark] One of our goals is to help |
| musical partnership was born. | | | | spread the beauty of the flute to |
| [John Sarantos] My mother, who was | | | | others, whether it be playing our music |
| 84-years-old at the time, introduced me | | | | for others to listen [to] or sharing our |
| to the music of the Peter Kater and R. | | | | knowledge on how to play the flute. |