This page gives a brief description of the artists who have contributed their sounds to one or more of the CDs in the Native Flute Tracks series.
Umeko Ando
The Ainu culture of Japan bears many parallels to the Native American Cultures of North America, and Umeko Ando has been one of the Ainu's most devoted perservers of the culture. She respected the Ainu traditions and daily customs, and has made much effort to promote and let Ainu culture prevail by transmitting and preserving the Ainu language, traditional dancing, musicianship, and manners.
The sounds of Umeko Ando's Tonkori were made available for the Native Flute Tracks CDs through Discovery Sound.
Her tonkori music will appear on Jam Tracks in C Minor.
David Darling
"Maverick cellist" is the phrase most often assigned, but it hardly captures the richness, diversity, breadth and sense of humor of David Darling — a man who literally has redefined the way the cello is played and the way music is taught.
Darling is a classically trained cellist who joined the Paul Winter Consort in 1969, an extraordinarily progressive band for its time whose sound blended jazz with Brazilian, African, Indian and other world music — and at times even the voices of animals.
Since he left the Consort in 1978, he has dedicated himself to a solo performing and recording career, and to teaching music and improvisation. In 1986 he co-founded Music for People, a non-profit educational network that teaches and fosters improvisation as a means of creative self-expression.
In 2002, Darling was nominated for a Grammy Award for his CelloBlue album.
David's cello playing appears on Jam Tracks in A Minor.
www.DavidDarling.com
Eve Kodiak
Eve Kodiak has presented internationally on music and movement. She holds degrees from Harvard University and the New England Conservatory, and has done course work in human development at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Her musical explorations have taken her to Dalcroze, Orff, Suzuki, Music Together, Music for People, and more. She has a private kinesiology practice in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, and performs as a piano soloist creating her own improvisational works.
Eve has recorded a number of piano tracks that will appear on future Native Flute Tracks releases.
www.EveKodiak.com
Saskia Lane
A graduate of The Juilliard School, Saskia Lane (double bass, voice, and composition) performs throughout the tri-state area with a variety of jazz, world, pop, and classical artists. Currently, Saskia tours internationally with Dan Zanes & Friends and nationally with her critically-acclaimed cocktail pop quartet The Lascivious Biddies. She can also be seen sharing the stage with the likes of Jay-Z, Beyoncé and Natalie Merchant. In addition, Saskia is active in education and outreach performing in the Carnegie Hall Neighborhood Concert Series.
Saskia's double bass will appear on Jam Tracks in D Minor.
www.SaskiaLane.com
Lynn Miller
Lynn is a co-founder of Expressive Therapy Concepts, a non-profit organization dedicated to the creative arts therapies and related modalities. Lynn produces multi-media concerts that integrate dance, music and art and is developing programs at the South Street Healing Center.
Lynn wrote the Do We Yo track of Jam Tracks in A Minor, on which she also plays guitar and sings background vocals.
www.ExpressiveTherapy.org
Eric Miller
Dr. Eric Miller, a psychologist and certified music therapist, has been working on developing integrative techniques with biofeedback and music.
He serves as president of Expressive Therapy Concepts, a non-profit organization dedicated to the creative arts therapies and he has recently joined the staff at the Mind/Body Connection, a holistic treatment center in King of Prussia.
A variety of music therapy interventions are used to facilitate desired physiological goals.
In addition to using music to cue (classically condition) relaxation, Dr. Miller often asks patients to produce tones or chants that express their emotionality.
Eric's mandolin playing will appear on Jam Tracks in E Minor.
www.Biofeedback.net
Jim Parker
In the ‘70s, Jim Parker opened for legendary performers Ray Charles, Kenny Rogers, Seals & Crofts, and B.J. Thomas, among others.
After an inexplicable 20 year hiatus spent in the corporate world, Jim came to his senses and returned to Nashville and his music roots.
Jim guitar will appear on the Jam Tracks in E Minor and the "Music Minus Flute" series of Native Flute Tracks - Hymns, Traditional Songs, and Folk Songs.
www.JimParkerWorks.com
Mathew Tembo
From Lusaka, Zambia, Mathew Tembo is a well-know reggae performing artist. We met him in Lusaka and spent a day in a recording studio laying down backing tracks for this project.
Mathew is pictured here on the right with Zambian past-president Dr. Kenneth Kaunda.
Mathew's Marimba/Amadinda playing will appear on Jam Tracks in B Minor.
Mathew's w eb site on MySpace
Laura Warfield
Native New Yorker Laura Warfield writes songs, which range from folk/pop to country/ blues, rock, and children's music as the spirit moves her.
Laura has been writing songs since the age of ten. Her topics are wide-ranging, from love rejected (Leave Your Love Behind) to love renewed (Get Closer), from what passes for the economy (Unemployment Line) women's issues (Lord Have Mercy), from the pitfalls of seeking for the truth (Lost In Transit) to those of overcoming prejudice (Live In My World) and the possibilities of bringing peace to the world (New Millenium and Bronx to Baghdad). Her music — with more than a touch of rueful humor, along with memorable melody, rhythm and rhyme — also embodies many styles.
The backing tracks for Laura's Om Mani Padme Hum track appears on Jam Tracks in A Minor, on which she plays guitar and sings background vocals.
www.LauraWarfield.com
Lee Berentsen
Kuldip Bhatt
Eugene Carr
Gary Cope
Peter Dubner
Alfred Goodrich 
Bashiri Johnson 
Terry Kalayjian 
Ron Kravitz
Youssef Mestauri
Jim Oshinsky 
Marie van Vuuren