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Mount Mather Base
Camp
Hobbies & Interests: Glacier
climbing, backpacking, physics, |
Shekon! Skennen koa ken? Niawen. Greetings, peace, thank you for stopping by to visit!Here, make yourself at home (I know, it's kinda windy up here, but the view is great).
No, that's not the Zuni Mountains - nor even New Mexico! That's just a very special place for me, Mount Mather, from a perch overlooking the lower Muldrow Glacier in Denali National Park, in Alaska. There's good medicine up there in those mountains.
No, we don't have mountains like that where I live in Timberlake, not far from El Morro National Monument in New Mexico. But it's a good land here near the Zuni rez, just the same. I'm fortunate to have good water, clean air and - most importantly, surrounded by courteous human beings. Gardening is hard work, though; Zuni clay can double as a good weapon after it's dried out some. Have to keep an abundance of manure worked into it. Unfortunately, livestock can wreak havoc on the landscape, especially during times of drought.
Oh my goodness, I'm forgetting my manners! Aww shucks. Sigh. Well, I'd offer you something to eat or drink, but I'm afraid HTML technology hasn't kept pace with Mohawk custom. Please accept my apologies.
You see, I sit with theClan in the Mohawk Trail Longhouse. I'm descended from the Kaniekehaken ("People of the Flint", or "Mohawk"), of the Hotinosionni ("People of the Longhouse", or "Iroquois") Confederacy. That's me in the black and white (eight year old) picture at right. No, I'm not a time traveler. *Smile* I just took advantage of an Olan Mills special and Photoshop did the rest. Still, I do my best to keep the longhouse tradition strong in my life. so, whenever you don't find me here where I live in the Zuni mountains, you'll find me where my grandfather was born and raised: Kahnawake Reserve outside of Montreal or visiting Alaska, where I was born.
Woodland Valley, NY, July, 2002. 1980 Martin D-35 Dreadnought, DR Medium Phosphor-Bronze hand-wound strings. Fishman 'Active' pickup system, neck reset/refretted by Dale Bluebond, Bluebond Guitars, Philadelphia, PA, 1992. Yes, well, it is true: I'm also a singer/songwriter, composer (traditional Native American, contemporary and classical music), arranger and recording producer. At left is a picture of me and one of my 'sweeties'. I've been playing guitar for 37 years (self-taught for the first nine). In 1979 I began music studies at the U. of AK, Fairbanks. While there in the spring of 1980, I heard classical guitar 'wunderkind' Eliot Fisk in concert. His first encores, three Paganini caprices he'd only JUST finished transcribing, were followed by the most transcendant 'Recuerdas D'Alhambra' (Francisco Tarrega) I'd ever heard.
Well, folks, I was hooked. That summer I began attending master classes led by Eliot Fisk and his teacher, Maestro Oscar Ghilia (protege and assistant of none other than Andres Segovia for many years at the Academia Chigiana in Sienna, Italy). I attended the Aspen Summer Music Festivals of 80, '81 and '83.
In 1982 I transferred to the (then) Philadelphia College of Performing Arts (formerly the Philadelphia Music Academy). By 1986, I'd completed BM Classical Guitar Performance studies - and PCPA had morphed into the University of the Arts (incorporating the Philadelphia College of Art).
In those four years, U. Arts had become rife with collaborative opportunities blending dance, music, theatre, film and sculpture. I stayed another two years ostensibly to pursue studies in music composition and orchestration - but, in truth to stretch my creative imagination with a multitude of collaborative opportunities.
For another nine years I wrote (music and plays), arranged, recorded, produced, conducted and performed music and dramatic works commissioned for theatre productions, dance companies, film and choral and instrumental ensembles in major cities in California, Colorado, New York, Pennsylvania and Alaska. The photo at right is from '95.
But in 1995 I began something of a sabbatical. I look back on the ensuing 13 years as taking time to grow up, mature, release counter-productive stories and 'flama'. I got married, moved to New York, worked for IBM for awhile, lost a sister to cancer, got divorced, moved to New Mexico and lost my mother to alcohol. On the other side of all this I recovered my passion for making music for music sake.
THE LATEST?
Well, I'm 49 now (photo below right) and I've decided it's time to make my debut CD, Facets. Recently purchased ProTools 7.3 and MBox 2 module and an AKG condenser mic.
Currently working on Prophecy, a remake of a Native instrumental piece I wrote and recorded with Robert Yellowwolf in 1995. Prophecy features Ron Warren on Native American Flute and fellow Mohawk Dawn Avery on cello and will be on Dawn's next Okenti CD project. Also working on two originals, Mountain Man and The Musher for Facets. Have begun rescoring music I wrote for Emmy Award-winning filmaker, Don Cox' Afterthoughts (set for String Orchestra with Winds). Started reworking opening material in a sax quartet I'm writing for 1996 Monk competition winner, alto saxaphonist, Jon Gordon.
Last December I performed with Dawn and Ron at the National Museum of the Native American. In February I recorded two of my jazz originals ("For My Father" and "Feelings of Missing You") at the Widener University studio in Philadelphia for the Facets CD. Producing and playing piano was none other than brilliant Tom Lawton, joined by the beloved Larry McKenna on tenor sax, Dan Monaghan on drums, Paul Gehman on upright and Andy Wilson on chromatic harmonica.
Philly jazz vocalist Jeannie Brooks and I have been invited to Hamburg by noted trumpeter Omar Kabir to perform and record there. I'll be leaving rural New Mexico for rehearsals in Philadelphia at the end of July, traveling to Finland for a month, and then finally on to Hamburg.
On a more personal note, I'll be getting married while in Finland (August 17th). I'll ultimately be moving there to be with my wife where she lives, in Oulu. Stay tuned for photos of the most compelling bride-to-be, Satu Perttunen.
Performing blues/folk in Philadelphia. Although my hair appears long here, it's much longer today. I 'ponytail' it now. It doesn't get in the way and I can even pass (for the first few moments) as 'establishment' *gag*
My Day Gig?
I mustn't forget what's currently buying groceries, now should I? I'm currently a part-time 'Systems Administrator' consultant for the non-profit Zuni Entrepreneurial Enterprises on the Zuni Reservation - until I leave for Europe. There are worse day gigs, I suppose *smile*.
Me and Alaska?
Well, my connection with Alaska is another story - a sort of 'work in progress'. If you'd rather avoid this (rather droll, in my opinion) history of my childhood, why not scoot over to a page about Denali's Medicine? Enjoy.....and thank you for honoring me with your patience in reading this far, so I could share these parts of myself with you!
Thank you and come back again! Niawen koa tanon oneh kiwahi!
Links of Interest......
KOLA - Native American Issues and News
