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Date: Fri, 18 Feb 2000 11:15:28 -0800
From: Dolores Doyle <canyon@canyonrecords.com>
Organization: Canyon Records Productions
To: CANYON@canyonrecords.com
Subject: NATIVE JAZZ FUSION REVEALED IN "ANCIENT FUTURE"

R. CARLOS NAKAI QUARTET REVEALS NATIVE JAZZ FUSION IN “ANCIENT FUTURE”
 

PHOENIX, AZ (February 2000)  --  On the heels of his two Grammy Award
nominations, R. Carlos Nakai (Navajo-Ute) has released another
collaboration with his namesake quartet that according to Tucson Citizen
music critic, Dan Buckley, should garner another.  “…if there are any
true jazz fans among the nominating board, …“Ancient Future” will be
among next year’s jazz Grammy nominees.”

 “Ancient Future” (www.canyonrecords.com/cr7041.htm) offers original
compositions by the group, collectively and individually, and features
their self-described world beat, native jazz fusion.  The music is
innovative, maximizing group members’ musical styles, pushing the jazz
envelope.

 Nakai displays his versatility on the native flute as well as the
trumpet.  He was classically trained on the latter and studied with jazz
legends including trumpeter Don Cherry who played with Ornette Coleman.
Nakai is currently recognized as the world’s premier performer of the
Native American flute.

 Complementing Nakai’s musical ingenuity are Will Clipman (percussion),
Amo Chip Dabney (keyboards, string bass, saxophones), and Mary Redhouse
(Navajo) on electric bass and vocals.

While some of the album’s cuts were more or less complete prior to
recording, most of “Ancient Future” is extemporaneous, inspired by each
member’s musical history, ethnicity, cultural experiences, and
visions.   Critic Buckley describes the music as “…atmospheric and
evocative, funky, rhythmically playful. . . exciting, never banal….”
“The improvisational impulse is always there…tempered by an egoless…
camaraderie and collective vision.”

Mary Redhouse further extends her vocal exploration on this album
calling upon her “eco-spiritual” style that includes birdcalls, animal
cries, multi-octave scat lines and chanting.  Her bass talents can also
be heard on several tracks.  In addition to the R. Carlos Nakai Quartet,
Redhouse performs with the William Eaton Ensemble, recorded a jazz album
with her family for Canyon Records, “Urban Indian,” and continues
personal musical pursuits.

A multi-instrumentalist, who studied at the Newark School for the
Performing Arts, Dabney incorporates his multi-cultural background of
African, Native American, and European, into his musical understanding,
interpretation, and performance.  He has appeared on over 20 albums and
has recorded two albums of original compositions.

Clipman performs and records with the Nakai-Eaton- Clipman trio, the
William Eaton Ensemble, and other varied groups playing music ranging
from acoustic world chamber jazz to electric trance groove.  He has
recorded over 30 albums and is a published poet.

Nakai’s two Grammy Award nominations fall into the same category, “Best
New Age Album,” and are for “Inner Voices” and “Inside Monument
Valley.”  “Inner Voices” features Nakai’s native flute accompanied by a
32-string orchestra playing Nakai’s most popular melodies arranged by
two-time Grammy Award-winner Billy Williams.  “Inside Monument Valley”
is a collaboration with New Age music pioneer, flutist Paul Horn, and
was recorded in Navajoland accompanied by the sounds of nature.

“Ancient Future” is among the over 30 albums Nakai has released since
beginning his career in 1983 with Canyon Records, an independent record
company based in Phoenix, Arizona.  Canyon Records is in its 49th year
of producing and distributing contemporary and traditional Native
American music.

For additional information, contact Canyon at (800) 268-1141 or by
e-mail, canyon@canyonrecords.com.  Visit their website for sound clips,
visit www.canyonrecords.com.

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