Music: News: Harmony, Respect and Healing Abide in CD and DVD by Native American

Kenneth Little Hawk has a new CD, and a new DVD, of inspirational and healing music.

Millions have heard the Native American flute music of Kenneth Little Hawk through his recordings, films, and live performances. His Native flute sound can be heard in the award-winning films Lewis & Clark and The West, directed by the highly acclaimed director Ken Burns. Little Hawk has performed with many world class musicians, including the Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra and the Westchester Philharmonic. He has also recorded 5 albums over the past 10 years and is known for spreading his message of harmony throughout the world. Over the years, he has performed at distinguished venues such as Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, the National Theatre and the American Museum of Natural History. In 1998, he was invited to meet President Clinton at the White House for a special screening of Lewis & Clark and performed in the East Wing.

The New York Times has this to say about Little Hawk: "Mr. Little Hawk would weave a spell with his words, play a haunting little melody on a bamboo flute or cast an intense look at the audience. And then he would deliberately break the mood with a modern reference, reminding people that, after all, he was not only an Indian with knowledge of the old lore but also a regular 21st-century guy."

The Talking Tree CD represents the second time Little Hawk has collaborated with Cherokee drummer Thunder Bear. In 1996, they recorded a world music CD, First Light, as a result of performing around New York City in a band that promoted a connection to all life through it's musical offerings. The band was called Sinhtala, which is an Inuit name for spiritual energies on the surface of the Earth.

Little Hawk and Thunder Bear reunited in October 2006 to record The Talking Tree which is an acoustic album of original music. The project evolved into a celebration of nature, featuring the Tree, which is the source of both the flute (tree branch) and the drum (tree trunk). The result is an inspired set of 16 tunes with a bonus recording of Little Hawk telling his "Talking Tree" story of generosity and respect. The album also features carefully placed nature sounds recorded in the Waitomo forest of northern New Zealand by award-winning sound designer, Dan Dugan of Partners in Rhyme.

The CD begins with an open-hearted invitation of love, compassion and humility with a drum beat that leads into a "Beautiful and Majestic" flute melody. It is followed by another flute and drum piece, "Walk Among Them," featuring a chant that welcomes the presence of ancient wisdom. "Of Living Things," is a percussive piece dedicated to all life on the Earth, with Thunder Bear soloing on drums and Little Hawk on shaker. To many Native Americans, the drum is like the beating of the heart, a rhythm that keeps the body and song in balance. The CD continues to lead the listener on a journey of surprise and delight with amazing synchronicity between the flute and drum.

"Music comes through us, not from us, so we can share the gifts of the spirit." says Kenneth Little Hawk.

Speaking about the collabration on this CD, Thunder Bear says, "To be able to play with Little Hawk again is such a wonderful gift. Over ten years have passed since our last CD and it is as if we never stopped playing. We tuned in to each other immediately and the music just flowed. We have a very special musical connection, and the sound to my ears is total harmony, especially between the wooden flute and wooden drum...the music feels very natural and very inspired."

Little Hawk agrees, "We do hope our listeners feel our encouragement to bring love, unselfishness, humility, and compassion to all the peoples of Earth. What comes through us as musicians is that we are all connected. We are reaching out to all the hearts and minds to add the message of the Talking Tree to their daily lives. Be generous and respect all life."

During the same week of recording The Talking Tree CD, Little Hawk was filmed for the The Little Hawk Show DVD. Several tracks on the CD serve as background music for the DVD. Here, viewers can join Little Hawk on his Native American journey in the tradition of his ancestors and enjoy his entertaining stories & songs for all ages that teach how to live "In A Good Way." The DVD features over 30 minutes of bonus footage and is especially well suited for family entertainment.

Long ago, when Nature was respected with sacred reverence, stories were passed on by word of mouth, from heart to heart, from generation to generation, with as many levels as there are in the universe. Many tales told of how the animals danced and sang, and cried and spoke with each other. Little Hawk's Ancestors made all this come alive in his heart with their storytelling. Through these oral traditions came stories and songs for all ages, to entertain, teach, and remind us that we're connected to all other living things and how we can live IN A GOOD WAY.

The message was, and is, that all life is related and we must exist in harmony with nature and other people--regardless of who they are or where they came from. This truth must be told to each generation so they, in turn, will teach their children the truth. Little Hawk credits his Grandparents and the generations who came before him for teaching him that much of man's humanity comes through us and not from us. He honors traditional beliefs and, through this recording, welcomes the opportunity of sharing these ways with others.

Little Hawk hopes to leave people with the knowledge that they can make choices to live in harmony with one another and the environment. The Little Hawk Show DVD is currently available at Amazon.com and previews are available at the Little Hawk Show website at www.littlehawkshow.com.

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