"I made my first flute during the summer of 1977," begin the liner notes to Joseph Fire Crow's self-titled CD, Fire Crow. The flute of which Fire Crow writes is not the metallic flute which today we hear in marching bands and concert halls, but rather is a wooden flute intricately decorated in bright yellows, stunning reds, and deep blues. The liner notes continue: "I literally cannot put into words the feelings I experienced as this flute spoke to me, I just knew that it was."

Joseph Fire Crow, a Native American of the Northern Cheyenne nation, is an absolute master of the Northern Cheyenne flute. His CD's seventeen selections present him playing several different Cheyenne flutes, in both solo and ensemble settings.

Those of us who shudder at the thought of the shrill utterances of a solo flute can rest easy: the Northern Cheyenne flute has a sound altogether different from the flute to which we are accustomed. The flute Fire Crow uses most when playing as a soloist has a low range that extends beyond that of the "conventional" flute, which cannot play lower than a middle C. Its lower range, in conjunction with its dark, "wood" sounds, gives the flute a timbre that is surprisingly warm. Tracks such as "First Flute Song," and "Woman Comes First" feature the flute's soothing and introspective quality. Other tracks call for a brighter sounding flute. "Early Morning," a song in which the flute mimics the singing of birds, is a light, virtuostic piece full of fast, double-tongued passages.

The music itself almost defies description. On the one hand, it is deeply rooted in the Cheyenne tradition. This is particularly apparent on the solo flute pieces, as well as on those tracks featuring traditional singing and drums. On the other hand, the songs themselves were composed by Fire Crow and go beyond the traditional. Several tracks, for example, include synthesized accompaniment. Thankfully, the synthesized sounds are always tastefully handled, and never does the music diminish into New Age. The song "Creator's Prayer" is a seamless union of the flute and the synthesizer, proving that the past and present can indeed be joined to express new ideas. David Swenson, the CD's producer, deserves much credit for maintaining this delicate balance throughout. Overall, Fire Crow is an inspiring presentation of music that captures the imagination as well as the ear.

As published in Good Times, June 4, 1996.
© 1996 by Michael L. Maliner. All rights reserved.