Musicians

Sonam: sopranino recorder, alto and tenor recorders, trumpet, cornetto, kaval, gajda, mridangam, bahu, bansuri, tabla, dumbek, West Indian double flute, Balinese flute, punji, donno, tokay, gungon, conch shells, Tai gongs, voice, PVC pipe
Joel Harrison: electric and acoustic guitars, keyboards, donno, voice
Tom Schmidt: electric bass, drums, bow harp, conga, aboriginal rhythm sticks, dumbek, keyboards, khomei singing, Tibetan gong and assorted percussion
Paul Melnychuck: electric piano, er hu, lanang Balinese gong, mbira, kora and balafon keyboards
Larry Chernicoff: keyboards, tupan, vibraphone
Dan Morris: drums
Steve Curry: drums
Dana Maiben: violin

Native Lands

Native Lands is a collection of ethnic folk songs from around the world–arranged, performed and recorded largely with indigenous instruments and some modern aesthetics. Innovative arrangements from the traditional music of Tibet, India, Bulgaria, China, Bali, and Western Africa, and, original compositions inspired by the idioms of these lands, comprise this CD. Reflecting the charm and character of these places, the music instantly takes the listener to a journey of the past, to a world far away.

In 1979 Sonam and Joel Harrison met at the Creative Music Studio in Woodstock, NY during an Art Ensemble of Chicago intensive. They began a musical partnership that lasted on and off for 10 years. Their search for new ways of combining folk songs from around the world and, improvisation, led to this recording, begun in 1987 and completed in 1989. Since then Joel has deepened his involvement with jazz, while Sonam has delved more into folk musics. But for both this project represents an early stage in what has been a lifetime’s work—the exploration of hybrids between sounds from around the world and American roots. Produced by Paul Melnychuck, and 24-bit re-mastered in 2002, Native Lands represents the first release from Minds On Hold.