Carlod Nakai

This collection presents music released by eleven-time GRAMMY nominee R. Carlos Nakai over the second 20 years of a distinguished career which earned him a Platinum and two Gold Records. Nakai (Navajo-Ute) has explored the expressive range of the traditional Native American flute in a wide range of genres - jazz, new age, classical, Hawaiian, and EDM. “In Harmony, We Journey” is the companion album to Nakai’s first “best of” collection, the top-selling “In Beauty, We Return” (100,000+ sold).

Migration seems almost capable of sweeping away any sense of trouble, and soothing out any fears. The music on the album is basically of an improvisational nature, with pianist Kater and flautist Nakai developing themes and ideas that were then fleshed out in the process of recording. The music was conceived originally as a foundation for personal ritual; in the thematic development that followed, the scope of the music was widened to include spiritual growth as well, hence the title and direction of the tracks. The root of the music continues to be Kater's gentle piano constructions coupled with Nakai's Native American flutes, whistles and low-key chanting and humming; other instruments are built into this foundation, strengthening the whole rather than indulging in arrangement for the sake of it - there's no apparent attempt to impress with musical trickery here…

Named for the traditional Navajo song "Shi Ni Sha," I Am Walking collects the best of contemporary Native American music, blending the airy beauty of flutists Andrew Vasquez, Joseph Fire Crow, Gary Stroutsos, and R. Carlos Nakai with notable singers Joanne Shenandoah and the Coolidge family of Walela. The result is rich with the spiritual beauty of ancient Navajo, Hopi, Oneida, and other Native cultures. Too many bright spots dominate this collection to list them all, but among the most special goodies are Walela's "Wash Your Spirit Clean"–floating with angelic voices, sparkling guitar, and crisp percussion and drums–and "Oweegon" from Jim Wilson's Little Wolf Band, which sends Priscilla Coolidge's vocals and Native chant flowing over spicy electronic rhythms like cold water through river rocks. A majestic collection for kind hearts.