Music for Meditation, Reflection or Therapy, Day or Night: an Interview With the Nightdancers

When you ask someone why he or she likes athat I too like the sound of the native flute. I
band, performer or style of music, the usualwent to a Kater and Nakai concert in Chicago,
response is either, "they're awesome," “theywhere Nakai mentioned a week-long workshop at
rock" or "it's fun stuff." People tend to say thatthe Feathered Pipe Ranch in Helena, Montana. I
music is simply for entertainment. And as forhad a choice of paying about $1,200 for the flute
musicians, the reason they play music eitherworkshop taught by Mr. Nakai and his partner and
involves "the call" to do so or the ego-driven needflute-maker, Ken Light, or going to Japan for two
to stand in front of a crowd. But why do weweeks, all expenses paid by the school where I
even have music? Is it, as Shakespeare stated,was teaching. I chose Montana.
"to soothe the savage beast"? It's not like it's life[Mark Kirby] What lead you to play this kind of
or death. Or is it?  For Gera Clark and Johnmeditative music?
Sarantos, who perform on Native American flutes[John Sarantos] We don't think of it as only
as the NightDancers, music is that deep. Mr.meditative music. We worked hard to stay away
Santos started with the simple desire to expressfrom falling into that stereotype of musical style
himself musically, but discovered that the Nativeon our CD. Although a lot of people use our
American flute, by its nature, takes one beyondrecord for meditation, they also use it for healing
pigeonholed functions, including new-ageand relaxation. Several people who have cancer
"meditation" music. Ms. Clark's journey to musictold me that they find inner peace while listening
started with desperately needing something of ato ‘Montana Crossings'.
life line at a critical time. She states: "After a[Gera Clark] In fact, after John had his cancer
prolonged critical illness, I began to put my lifesurgery last year, we decided that 10% of the
back together... While on this spiritual path, Igross sales from ‘Montana Crossings' would
discovered the Native American flute." In this erabe used to buy flutes for cancer patients. So far,
of art-as-diversion, or lifestyle accessory, it is awe have donated flutes to cancer flute circles and
wonderfully pleasant surprise to be reminded that,individuals in New York City, Chicago, Lansing,
as Clark and Santos reveal in the interview below,Michigan and Jefferson City, Oregon.
music is a powerful and healing force.[Mark Kirby] Are Native American flutes more like
[Mark Kirby] What kind of music was played inshakuhachi flutes or transverse flutes in terms of
your home when you were growing up?technique?
[Gera Clark] My mother played classical music on[John Sarantos] Neither. The shakuhachi can take
the piano as an escape from her existence as anthree months just to get one note. The
urban housewife raising four children. When Itransverse requires many hours of playing to
started school, my mother went back to worklearn just the basic scale. The native flute is one
and I noticed her appetite for opera increasedof the easiest instruments to play. I have taught
dramatically.  My father fancied himself as beingelementary children to play the native flute, and
Bing Crosby and I would catch him now and thenthey have started playing songs in about five
trying to learn the cha cha.  Meanwhile, my sisterminutes or less.
would sneak in rock and roll. We aspired to write[Mark Kirby] Describe the flutes that you use in
music together in the style of Carol King. We alsoterms of size, number of holes, type of wood,
listened to some of my relatives' records, oneetc.
being Seamus Ennis, my grand uncle who played[Gera Clark] We use flutes ranging from four to
the Uilleann pipes (an Irish type of bagpipes).six holes and from four inches to five feet.
[John Sarantos] During my early years, my[John Sarantos] Traditionally, most flutes were
mother would play classical and operatic musicmade from soft woods; for example, cedar and
when I was in school, but very little music waspine. However, when the Europeans came, they
played while I was home except at Christmas.brought with them tools that made it easier to
[Mark Kirby] What kinds of music have youcreate flutes out of harder woods; some flutes
studied prior to the Native American flute?were even made from old gun barrels.
[Gera Clark] As a child, my mother would bribe[Gera Clark] Today, flute-makers are creating
me with soda to take piano lessons because sheflutes from all types of woods, from cedars to
wanted me to be a child prodigy. When I was ablewalnut to iron wood, to even flutes made out of
to travel on my own, I took up the traverseone of the hardest woods: ebony.
flute, which I carried with me for three years.[John Sarantos] We also have a wide assortment
[John Sarantos] I tried learning the drums fromof clay flutes based on the Aztec and Mayan
the junior high school music teacher, but he toldcultures made by master flute-maker Xavier
me I had no rhythm and would not work withQuijas Xyotol.
me. After attending a Jethro Tull concert and[Mark Kirby] How did you arrive at the name of
being inspired by Ian Anderson's flute playing, INightDancers for your musical duo?
tried the transverse flute, but was told by my[Gera Clark] One day John and I were talking and
flute instructor that I was tone deaf and shediscovered that we both used to walk around our
wouldn't work with me. I tried singing, but I wasindividual houses in the middle of the night without
told that I was tone deaf by three major Losany lights on. We came up with the name Night
Angeles voice coaches and they would not workWalkers.
with me.  I tried guitar and banjo, but it was hard[John Sarantos] However, most people we talked
to play just cords as I could not sing along withto thought that the name sounded too much like
myself. Then I discovered the Native Americanvampires or ladies of the evening.
flute.[Gera Clark] After discussing a variety of names,
[Mark Kirby] How did you come to start playingwe came up with NightDancers.
Native American music in general, the flute in[Mark Kirby] When did you decide to record
particular?‘Montana Crossings'?
[Gera Clark] After the death of my husband and[Gera Clark] John and I had been playing together
a quick rebound marriage and divorce, followed byfor about two years.  John would travel from
a prolonged critical illness, I began to put my lifeMilwaukee during his vacations, and we would play
back together. I also began searching for beauty.for our friend Bob Hegler, who encouraged us to
While on this spiritual path, I discovered the Nativekeep playing together. We enjoyed playing so
American flute.much that we used to spend hours playing over
One day, I found myself about a hundred milesspeaker phones when John was still living in
west of New York standing outside a TibetanMilwaukee. When we started performing in local
Buddhist Temple, when suddenly I heard the mostNew York venues, people would ask if we had a
beautiful sound. Following the powerful, yetCD they could purchase. After about a year of
haunting sound, I discovered it emanating from adoing live performances, we felt that we had
Native American flute, played by Ed Callshimcreated a wide variety of songs that we wanted
(Ponca Sioux). After this experience, I finally foundto share with others.
a flute of my own at the National Museum of the[Mark Kirby] Why did you choose to record at
American Indian in New York. Later, whenAvatar Studios in New York City?
traveling to Niagara Falls with my teacher, Amy[John Sarantos] I had been writing record reviews
Lee (Iroquois), a deep desire to connect with myfor the International Native American Flute Journal
earlier travels in the southwest was awakened.for about ten years and could tell when an artist
On one particular journey, I found myselfused a home computer all the way up to a
exploring the canyons along the Rio Grande.professional sound studio. If we were going to put
Eventually I was led to the mountains and theour time, effort and money into a recording, we
Taos Pueblo, where I heard that haunting soundwanted it to sound the best it could. I asked
drifting through the air. I followed it to its source,several people if they could recommend a sound
a little adobe. Looking inside, I met a kind andstudio in New York City.  Avatar Studios was
talented gentleman who encouraged me to playone of the top three studios on several people's
the native flute. That gentleman, unbeknownst tolists.
me at the time, is one of the finest Native[Gera Clark] We were also very fortunate that
American flute players in the world, John Rainer,Tino Passante of Avatar recommended Jim
Jr. (Taos/Creek). Leaving New Mexico withAnderson for our sound engineer. Jim understood
renewed faith, I was led, via The American Indianthe sound that we were striving to obtain, and he
Community House in New York, to Francsucceeded in capturing that sound.
Menusan (Muskogee Creek). He became my[Mark Kirby] How are the titles connected to the
extremely patient mentor for several years.songs you are playing? Are these titles indicative
On my birthday, I flew out to an R. Carlos Nakaiof what the music is supposed to evoke?
(Navajo/Ute) concert with the San Francisco[Gera Clark] The titles are indicative of the
Symphony, where I learned about theinspiration behind the music.
Renaissance of the Native American Flute[John Sarantos] Hopefully, each person will have
workshop in Montana. I came back to New Yorktheir own emotional response to the music
and booked myself a flight to Montana, which wasdepending on their own journey.
where I met John Sarantos, and our musical[Mark Kirby] What types of events or venues do
partnership was born.you play?
[John Sarantos] My mother, who was[Gera Clark] One of our goals is to help spread
84-years-old at the time, introduced me to thethe beauty of the flute to others, whether it be
music of the Peter Kater and R. Carlos Nakai duo.playing our music for others to listen [to] or
Mr. Kater, who is of German heritage, playedsharing our knowledge on how to play the flute.
piano, and Mr. Nakai the native flute. I discovered