Anchorage illustrator, musician releases flute book/CD set
A big welcome to Chris Floyd, Anchorage-based illustrator, musician and author of the recently released book and CD set, A Flock of Magpies: Celtic & Folk Melodies for Native American Flute, which he is selling straight from his AlaskaWriters-hosted website, at www.flockofmagpies.com. The website features 30-second mp3’s, so you can hear samples before buying.
The book includes 23 original and traditional airs, waltzes, jigs, and reels, arranged and transcribed for six-hole Native American Flute. It includes arrangements of some traditional tunes, as well as his own original songs, many of which were inspired by experiences and travels in Alaska. The book comes with a companion CD that is intended to help flute players learn the tunes, but also plays well enough on its own to be left in the CD player after lesson time.
In publishing this book, Chris joins a short list of musicians who have added to the written repertoire of Native American flute music, as well as to the much-much shorter list of those writing something other than New Age style music for the instrument. The woodcut-style illustrations of natural subjects—mostly Alaska birds— are more than simple diversion and lend a lovely bonus.
By day, Chris is a scientist with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, but his superpowers include extraordinary illustration skills, an ear for beautiful music, and an interest in a bit of everything. He both a member of the Alaska Flute Circle, and creator of their great “moose-a-pelli” logo, which I love. He also has the fine taste and good judgment to be married to me, but just check out the site and you’ll see that this isn’t all proud-spouse bluster; he’s really that good.
For more information, go to http://www.flockofmagpies.com.
November 24, 2009
