From Mary Jane:
Newest Randy & Shelley Stenzel family benefit FLUTE AUCTION!
Note: auction ENDS 8-6-09 @ 10 PM!

Colyn & Kitty of Woodland Voices Flutes, have hosted another great auction for the Stenzels and Michael has donated an unusual and very fine flute with a rare coyote fetish.
There are also some beautiful flutes and cases donated by some other great flutemakers.
Check out this auction!!! It's a win/win.

Casa Grande report

In the arid Sonora Desert, just south of the Superstition Mountains, the festival at the Casa Grande Ruins National Park was cool in many ways; beautiful ancient Hohokam ruins and vast archeological site (5 miles square), pottery shards litter much of the park. The concert went well with New Mexico musician, Randy Granger performing with me all three days, playing Hang drums, Randy brilliantly accompanied my experimental rim-blown flutes, it went well with the Arizona evening.

Carlos played a most sweet and gentle concert, his flute playing was like holding a baby bird in your hand. Nice.

 In every way the Park Rangers really took care of us and put on a very good festival. The big stage was right by the large Hohokam ruins, the festival was well thought out and nicely done.

My friend, Ranger Alan Stanz, guided Scott August and me around  remote parts of the archeological park, really amazing. I did suffer some temptation concerning those pottery shards, but I only took pictures.

MGA 

Ancient flutes on stage

I'm going to really roll out the ancient flutes for the Casa Grande event. The flutes I have been reintroducing since 2001 will be there, including Anasazi flutes, Hopi, 3 hole Papago flute, and the Mojave flute.  Current research may bring something "new" to my performance in the way of very obscure and ancient flutes, we shall see. 

I usually play replicas of old flutes but I plan to bring an actual artifact to Casa Grande, this is a 1920s or 1930s Kiowa flute made by the venerable elder; Belo Cozad.  The Belo flute is a Plains Style flute, but this is the real Plains Style flute and very different from our modern NA flutes. The Belo Cozad flute will also be discussed during my lecture.

Well, I need to tune up the time machine, there are some cool old flutes waiting out there.

MGA

Two new songs

I have two new songs on a recently released compilation; Clear Water Reflections. This CD was recorded in Eau Claire, Wisconsin during the International Native American Flute (INAFA) Convention, July 2008. Check out the CD here:  http://cdbaby.com/cd/inafacd  

Track  6: Dust, is an Anasazi flute solo, I'm using one of my recent G# Anasazi design flutes.

Track 13: Mojave, is my first recording with my Mojave flute replica and is a good example of the sort of cool dark tones this wonderful old flute is capable of. The Mojave flute is another great opportunity for exploring an almost unknown instrument.

 My friend Peter Phippen managed this project and also contributed flute songs.

American Indian Music Fest

Here is the link to the Arizona festival in February.

Concert in Arizona; February 2009

I will be in Arizona at the Casa Grande Ruins National Park February 13, 14 and 15 2009 for the first annual AMERICAN INDIAN MUSIC FEST. Click the link on my website for more information. They are scheduling me to play each day during the festival, I expect to play mostly ancient rim-blown flutes: Anasazi, Hopi, Mojave and other lesser known flutes + some of my own modified flutes. I will enjoy presenting my lecture on Ancient Flutes of North America including the introduction of several ancient rim-blown flutes and an artifact or two.  I'll bring my expanded "petting museum" of flute replicas and giveaway PVC  student flutes. AND... MJ and I will have a booth offering our work, teaching folks how to play the Anasazi flute and generally visiting. 
The National Park is working on the website for the festival, I'll have a link as soon as it's available.

Meet Michael in Zion!

Michael will be in Zion at the Native Flute School, June 11 & 12, 2008 and Zion Canyon Art and Flute Festival, June 13-15, 2008.
Come hear him play an Up Close and Personal Concert.
At his workshop, The Art of Sound, he'll share his 30+years' knowledge of the old flutes, his ideas about sound and shaping sound in performance, and will teach those attending how to play the ancient Anasazi flute.
Each student will take-home a PVC Anasazi flute.
Beginners as well as advanced players are welcome.