An excellent "source" book for any one with an interest in the Native American flute. It is suitable for classroom instruction, as well a self-tutoring. This text covers topics from history and designs to learning how to play the Native American flute. An explanation and description of the TABlature created by R. Carlos Nakai, an aid for the notation of music for the Native American flute, is also included, as well as student exercises. Music is also included ranging from simple beginning tunes to music for intermediate and advanced students. Additionally, contact information for approximately 50 Native American flute builders is listed.
Tim "WindWalker" Crawford has performed on five albums of music of the Native American flute: Shadows (1992), Guardian Spirits (1993), Mystic Visions (1994), Hear My Heart (1995) and the latest release, his first solo album, on his own label (WindWalker), Voices, (1998). Tim is currently working a new solo album with an anticipated release date of spring 2000.
Crawford wrote a book on the Native American flute entitled Flute Magic: An Introduction to the Native American Flute, first published in January 1998. In September 1999, a 172-page second edition was published. Tim composes and arranges music, in TABlature, for the Native American flute. As of September 1999, Tim has copyrighted 34 original compositions for the four-, five-, and six-hole Native American flute, as well as arranging and transposing 12 traditional and indigenous songs.
Several of Tim's songs, as well as several articles written by Tim, have appeared in the Voice of the Wind which is the quarterly publication of the International Native American Flute Association. Most recently, Volume 4, 1999, contains an article titled "Song Writing: Getting Started" for the Native American Flute.
Tim's music has appeared or has been featured on a number of videos with the most recent being the video documentary Steinauer Nebraska (1997). In October 1999, Tim was commissioned by a Boston composer to record 10 tracks for use in the 1999 film Iditarod.
Live performance venues, both inside and out of doors, have included folk festivals, coffee houses, cafes, book stores, flute gatherings, dedications, ceremonies, and record stores. With one exception, Tim has hosted an annual workshop on the Native American flute at the Anchorage Folk Festival since 1994.
In 1994, 1995, and 1998, Tim attended a week-long workshop on theNative American flute hosted by the world-renowned teacher and recording artist R. Carlos Nakai. In 1996, Tim attended a Music Production Workshop at Berklee College of Music.
Tim "WindWalker" Crawford, 59, has resided in Anchorage, Alaska for 32 years. He is a member of the International Native American Flute Association, the Arizona, Northern California, Montana, Utah, and Oregon Flute Circles, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS), the Alaska Music Industry, an associate member of the Audio Engineering Society (AES), and is presently represented by ASCAP.