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