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| July 29, 2009 |
Gary Stroustos
Within You Without You
Woodwind master Gary Stroutsos breathes a vibrant stillness
into songs steeped in reverence for his lush Pacific Northwest home, flute masters and the spirit of George Harrison. From the opening “Within You
Without You,” a stunning raga-length interpretation of the timeless Beatles
classic, Stroutsos’ suite of Zen-quiet tone poems, jazzed with Chinese flutes,
cello, percussion and koto, attest to the depth of still waters.
Already an acknowledged international virtuoso on flute,
Gary displays his creative gifts and natural awareness of global flute
tradition to full effect on Within You Without You. Drawing from his
experiences in jazz, new age, Cuban, Asian and native music settings, Stroutsos
pushes further past the invisible borders explored on Quiet Fire, and takes his
rightful place among today's master musicians.
"Gary is one of the true improvisors on world flutes and his Within You Without You is a warm bath of lilting, twisting melodies that move like vines over his sparely verdant backings. He takes the George Harrison and Beatles' title tune and turns it into a 16-minute modal meditation." --John Diliberto, Host/Producer, Echoes
Also from Gary Stroutsos
Quiet Fire represents
a new nexus of sound. Koto-harp guitar, Chinese bamboo Xiao flute, water drums,
udu and other exotic instruments don’t just mingle; they merge. The result:
earfuls of open sky and whispering willows, a natural sound to unwind the mind
and pacify the soul.
Attuned to the soothing hum of well-being, Quiet
Fire is a musical journey impelled by an innate
sensitivity. To luxuriate in its depth is to gaze into the reflecting pool of
the heart. The view will ignite your imagination and restore your spirit.
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An Interview with Gary Stroutsos
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Q: What inspired you
to create this album?
Gary Stroutsos: I wanted to retrace my roots and love for
George Harrison. I reconnected with the most inspiring composition – Within
You Without You—and found a path to
recreating the piece in my own way to honor George and his passion and love for
the music of India.
Q: How is Within You Without You different from your previous albums?
GS: I have never done a song by someone else, let alone one
that is 16 minutes long! This recording reveals my soul in a way my past 20
recordings have not.
Q: What is a raga?
GS: A raga is a traditional melodic type in Hindu music
consisting of a theme that expresses an aspect of religious feeling. It sets
forth a tonal system on which variations are improvised within a prescribed
framework of typical progressions, melodic formulas, and rhythmic patterns.
Ragas are associated with a particular mood and a particular time of the
day.
Q: What was your experience while reinterpreting Within
You Without You for this album?
GS: I experienced a very healing and spiritual journey
during the more than six months I worked on the vocal aspects of the piece and
created what I wanted under my Xiao flute performance. I was so excited to
listen to the original and know I did not want to recreate the original way of
the song. George would have liked that! My wish was to soar out and put my own
fingerprints on the music.
Q: You describe your compositions as tone poems. What are tone poems?
GS: “Tone poems" are how I describe my way of
expressing my music that is connected to the natural world and creates an
improvised framework.
Q: You are known as an historian and cultural storyteller
when it comes to global flute traditions – particularly those of North American
indigenous peoples. How does that influence your own music?
GS: I always share what has been shared with me in a good
way. I have been blessed to have studied with some of the finest world flute
artists in the world. You can make a better world through music and sounds,
dreaming dreams. We must know it is all from the spirit and the great
innovators who set the stage for artists like myself. The "living
tradition" is alive and I am among artists who are committed to keeping it
alive.
Q: You have a diverse background - jazz, Afro-Cuban, American
Indian music. How is that revealed on this album?
GS: The influence of my American Jazz and Afro-Cuban
background is revealed in improvising over themes. If you listen to the tracks
on this album you will understand that the nature of improvised music is alive
and well.
Q: Within You Without You reflects your reverence for your Pacific Northwest home. How is that
reverence communicated through your music?
GS: Without the trees and the sea I am lost. Their voices
are ever present when I create my music.
Q: What is your greatest intention as a musician?
GS: My intention is to find the spiritual inside the phrases
of my flute playing and always show respect and promote the theme of
"music without borders."
The heart reveals the work and it has to be in the right
place.
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About Gary Stroutsos
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International recording artist Gary Stroutsos is a composer, educator, producer, and performer of world flute music that celebrates traditional cultures and their reverence for the earth. Performing on Native American and Chinese flutes, his “tone poems” are deeply respectful of ethnic cultures and the spirit of place found around the globe.
A noted American Indian flute historian, Stroutsos has been credited with helping to preserve the songs of North American indigenous culture. He pushes the boundaries of world music with an innovative blend of his own cultural references and a background in jazz, Afro-Cuban and Native American music. Stroutsos composed and performed music featured in the Ken Burns PBS documentary Lewis and Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery, and was invited to perform before President Clinton at The White House. He has been featured on NPR broadcasts, New York Evening at the Pops, and the syndicated radio program Echoes.
For press inquiries, please contact Beverly Yates.
To order wholesale CDs, please contact White Swan Records.
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