I cannot believe it is October already….Summer went so fast!
I got to do so many great gigs this summer that it would be hard to mention all the highlights, but there is one in particular I want to mention, because I woke up this morning thinking about it. This was my first year performing at the Arlington Art Festival, and while I was there I got to meet a Native American flute maker named Paul Ninehouse. His handmade wooden flutes were absolutely beautiful, and when you listened to him play, you were instantly transformed to a different, very peaceful state of mind and body. It was almost magical watching the effect it had on the audience!
Being a woodworker myself, I was also blown away by the beauty and craftmanship of his flutes, not to mention Pauls modesty…..he claimed that the ”tree does most of the work” by creating the wood; he just finds the flute within. He also doesn’t sell his flutes, but he does occasionally give them to people if he feels that the flute rightfully belongs to them. Quite an amazing guy!
Since I was performing right after Paul, it was suggested that maybe we play something together. I don’t normally go onstage with out rehearsing with someone first, but this time it was different. My first thought was to perform “Son of a Seaman’s Daughter” since I recorded it with some pan flute in a few parts. As soon as Paul started coming in with his flute, the song became almost mesmerizing! I looked out in the audience and saw people getting so emotionally involved that they had tears in their eyes. The whole thing got captured on video, so if it turned out I will get it posted on the video page soon.
The second day at the Arlington Art Festival was also the 10 year anniversary of the terrorist attacks on 9/11/01. My song, “Faded Old Flag” was written in honor of our soldiers, and was largely inspired by events surrounding that day. It was bitter-sweet to be able to perform “Faded Old Flag” for the anniversary, especially while being able to see a huge American Flag gently blowing in the breeze a short distance away. I was filled with pride, and also with great sadness as I recalled memories of 10 years ago.
