Best Song Award!
The Just Plain Folks Music Organization awarded Arctic Voices its 2009 Best Song award in the Native American Song category for the song Cherokee Love Song!
Thanks for Your Support!
Thanks to all of you who supported me in the making of this CD. Special thanks go to Joe and Roxanna Fritch at Sun Valley Records. They had the vision to give me a chance to produce the CD in their Big Woody Studios.
Thanks also to Bruce Innes who did a wonderful job of engineering the CD.
And, thanks to all of you who agreed to sell the CD in your store ... and, of course, thanks to those of you who buy the CD!
Flute Music and Flutes
by Phillip Charette
"Arctic Voices" Wins Best Song Award
The inspiration for Arctic Voices, my first solo flute CD, comes primarily from sounds of the Alaskan Arctic.
Arctic
Voices features
a traditional Yup'ik healing song called Tarvarnauramken, which I heard
many times when I was growing up. It also features the
award-winning Cherokee
Love Song, which is a tribute to other Native American people
with whom I share many things in common.
I wanted to include a broad range of tones, so I used seven different flutes in the recording of this 11-track CD. A single flute could never have achieved the tonal range that I wanted for this CD.
And I'm very pleased to say that one of the songs, Cherokee Love Song won the Just Plain Folks Music Organization award for best Native American Song of the year.
Thanks Just Plain Folks!
Preview and Purchase
Listen to Cherokee Love Song. [Will insert control bar to turn on CD]
Please click to visit CD Baby to listen to more songs and to either download songs in MP3 format or to purchase the entire Arctic Voices CD
Artic Voices was recorded at Big Woody Studios, Sun Valley Recording Company, in Sun Valley Idaho. Singer/songwriter Bruce Innes recorded and initially mastered the CD.
Raku Clay-Fired Flute
The clay flutes I make are two piece instruments which are all low fired, similar to traditional Native American flutes found in the Southwestern U.S.
All my clay flutes are wrapped in deerskin as a decorative element, to protect the flute when handling, and improve the tonal quality of the instrument.
Priced from $300 - $600 depending on the style, sound quality, and attachments.
Wooden Flutes
My wooden flutes are generally two piece bass flutes. I make them from a variety of hardwoods, and often provide them with a stand.
If I use a soft wood, the splitter is inlaid and generally made of a harder wood or some other hard material such as bone.
Priced from $500 - $2,000 depending on the style, sound quality, and attachments.
Let Me Make You a Custom Flute
My Interest in Flutes
Traditionally, there is little evidence that Yup'ik peoples played the flute. However, I have always loved the sound of Native American flute music. And, a number of years ago, I discovered that Yup'ik people sometimes used whistles in pre-contact times for hunting. This fueled my interest and prompted me to learn more about Native American whistles and flutes.
Then, in 1997, with the encouragement of other Native American Flute players, I started making and performing with my own flutes.
Concert Quality Native American Flutes
Since my first crude hand carved flute, I have mastered the art of making my own style of concert quality Native American flutes in hardwoods and low fire clays.
I now specialize in larger bass flutes. I like the deep sound, the challenge presented in making larger flutes, and the presence these wonderful instruments have. These larger bass flutes have deeper tones and sound wonderful with a good sound system.
Outdoor Alternatives
If you're interested in playing a flute outdoors, you may want to look around for a good higher pitched flute which is smaller and better for open air playing. Smaller flutes like the Bedoni style flute are great for open air playing as the higher pitch carries well if you are playing outdoors.
How to Order a Custom Flute
I would be pleased to make you a custom Native American flute. To make a special order contact me at my business 541 . 519 . 2635.
