birdxofxprey

Musicians

User ID#: 134131
Location: Fishers, Indiana, 46038
Style:: Classic Rock, Funk, Jazz
Instruments Played:: Bass Guitar, Drums, Flute, Keyboard, Vocalist - General

Now Seeking

Vocalist - General, Keyboard

About
Influences
Equipment
Audio/Video

Description:

Screen Name:: birdxofxprey
Sex:: M
Age:: 47
Studio Musician:: No
Level Of Commitment:: Moderately Committed
Years Playing Music:: 25
Gigs Played:: 50 to 100
Tend to Practice:: 1 time per week
Available to Gig:: 1 time(s) per week
Most available:: Nights

I sing and play a variety of instruments including electric bass, traditional American Indian flutes, keyboards and drums. I have composed and recorded over 40 original tunes on 6 full length albums, some of which are up-loaded on this page (songs are listed in chronological order with the most recent at the top and the older tunes at the bottom). I'm currently taking a short break from recording, but remain interested in jamming for fun (and possibly more than that if things go well...).

All the tunes on this page were written, arranged, performed and produced entirely by myself (except Zuni Sunrise and Amazing Grace - I didn't write those tunes, I just arranged, performed and produced them - and Parallels, that one was written by Chris Squire and recorded by YES, but I arranged, performed and produced this version, and added a few new lyrics too). All birdxofxprey tunes are copyright protected.

You'll notice that some of my music is American Indian in its orientation. I should be careful to point out that I'm not a Native person. While I have been ceremonially adopted by an Oglala family on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, I have no Native ancestors. The "Hollow" album (which features traditional American Indian flutes) is therefore not for sale; if you are moved to purchase music of this sort, please buy it from a genuine Native artist and help support The People! All songs from "Hollow" are available for free; download them as MP3s on this page (just click the audio/video tab above for all the downloads), or come see me and I'll give you a copy of the "Hollow" CD. The liner notes from "Hollow" are pasted below as well.

At your convenience, please give a listen to the last tune on the list above; it's a tribute to American Indian political prisoner Leonard Peltier. Leonard has been in jail for 33 years. Amnesty International, along with every recognized government in the world (except for the US) acknowledges Leonard's innocence and demands his immediate release.

For more information about Leonard Peltier, visit http://www.whoisleonardpeltier.info

Thanks for visiting, I hope you enjoy the tunes!

E-mail me: <birdxofxprey@yahoo.com>

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Inside liner from "Hollow" -

Every sound on this CD was produced by a hollow tube. A total of 36 different tubes were used, including traditional American Indian flutes, didgeridoos, chimes, PVC and other plastic pipes, and a straw. These tubes varied in diameter from ¼ inch to 5 inches, and they varied in length from 3 inches to 20 feet. The tubes came from places all over the world, including the US, Indonesia, Nigeria, Ireland, Peru, and China. Most of the sounds were produced by blowing air through the tubes, sometimes (as in the song Hollow) the tubes were lightly struck with a variety of padded mallets. Of course, many other “tubes” are involved in the production of this music; wires through which electrical signals are passed, microphones that collect sound waves, etc. If you think about it, this CD doesn’t really have any actual music on it, just a digital code that will be converted to sound by the tubes and wires in some CD player, and then processed into a (hopefully enjoyable) musical experience by the tubes in your ears and the nerve cells that carry the signals to your brain, etc.

Each tube has a distinct and individual voice that, by itself, sounds simple and average. And yet, when working together, they are able to produce a limitless array of complex sounds that are beautiful and rich. While recording these songs I couldn’t help but wonder if people could become like hollow tubes and work together in this way.

“I could feel the power begin to come into me, and I reached up to help it. It was wonderful, and my energy grew until I was completely filled with power. Before long I thought I would explode! Then I saw people of all races all around me, and I gave the power away to them. All of them were very grateful, and it made me feel good to share in this giving. As I emptied myself out, I could feel more power coming into me, and it was wonderful!
That is how I become a little hollow tube."

From Wisdom and Power
by
Fools Crow, Oglala Lakota

Influences:

YES, Rush, Steely Dan, Tower of Power, Victor Wooten, Jaco Pastorius, Spin Doctors, Santana, Marcus Miller, Stanley Clarke, Chicago, BS&T, EW&F, Brecker Bothers, Pat Metheny, Carlos Nakai, Douglas Spotted Eagle, Tree Cody, Bill Miller, Tal Wilkenfeld, Carol Kaye, Meshell Ndegeocello