Personnel: R. Carlos Nakai (Native American flute); Jim A. Apperson, Blayne Barnes, Priscilla Benitez, Judith A. Benson, Marna Bowling, Jeanette Ensley, Linda J. Lambie, Rebecca Lyman, Cynthia A. Peters, Sandra Guy Zimmerman, Michael Prokes, Mai Thuy Clark, Delite Hewes, Coralie Hurst, Jeannine Kasparian, Krista L. Lynch, Paulyna Nutaitis, Ana Ortiz (violin); Laura Apperson, Patricia Cosand, Caroline Leland Ruiz, David A. Sego, Sidney Williams (viola); Maria Lane Simiz, Moe Gastineau, Debra Pearson, Jason M. Stone (cello); Claudia Botterweg, Bradley Lovelace, Steven Millhouse (bass).
Producers: Billy Williams, Jack Miller, Robert Doyle.
INNER VOICES was nominated for the 2000 Grammy Award for Best New Age Album.
The best instrumental albums have the power to engender a kind of bestilling, ablutionary effect. This collection of sweeping tapestries from Native American flautist R. Carlos Nakai is one such collection. And though "haunting" may seem a somewhat threadbare bit of musical parlance, no other word resonates with as much truth when describing Nakai's flute tone.
The compositions, which marry themes played on the wooden Native American flute to the lush backing of a full orchestra, are interpretations of melodies that Nakai has made familiar in past recordings. The title cut and "Daybreak Vision" are especially beautiful arrangements, as the later works a transportive spell of a sort that befits its title. The presence of the orchestra brings about varying--but consistently pleasing--effects when paired with the flute melodies. "Catfish Muse" works a gentle call-and-response theme between flute and strings, while "Winter Solistice" is given a Tchaikovsky-like lilt.
