Aaron White

Artist Information

Biography

The music of Aaron White is a mix of Native American sounds and modern music. Mixing the traditional and main stream with world music overtones. From Acoustic and Flute meoldies to Raggae, and Acoustic Blues and Rock. His musical influeces come from different experiences from the life he has lived and the people he has met. From being in Rock bands and blues bands and taking from his Native Roots and up bringing and traditional influences and values. Aaron White has performed with the Flagstaff Symphony,collaborated with John Densmore of the Doors and shared the stage with numorous artist Taj Mahal,Jackson Browne,Bruce Cockburn,Shawn Colvin,Alvin YoungBlood Hart.

You can say Aaron has a sound that is vibrant and alive with culture, nature and beauty. He had been with the group Burning Sky for 12yrs, Skychasers for 3yrs, Blue Stone Project for 5yrs and performs as a solo artist when not with his group. Aaron is currently performing w/ Anthony Wakeman and they have released their first cd in May of 2011, "Handprints of Our People" on Canyon Records. His first group Burning Sky had a Grammy Nomination in 2003 for Best Native American Recording And Won for Group of the Year for 2003 From The Native American Music Awards. Aaron has been on the road for about 18yrs and wouldn't change it for the world. Aaron White performed at the Lincoln Center and The Museum of the American Indian in New York City in Dec 2009 and has done many performances for major private Corporate Functions around the country,(Hermes of Paris, World Scotland Bank, Chase Bank, Mars Co, Teva, Super Bowl XL11 New York Giants Party, Porsche Car Co, Sprint) to name a few.

Instrumentation

Aaron White- Native American Flutes,Acoustic Guitar and Vocals.

Discography

Aaron White has 12 recordings out. And numorous compilations.

Burning Sky-(Canyon Records)1993.
Blood of the Land-(Canyon Records)1995.
Creation-(Canyon Records)1996.
Enter the Earth-(RYKO Disc)1998.
Skychasers-Full Moon Sessions-(WhistlingWind Music/Canyon Records) 2000.
Spirits in the Wind w/ special guest John Densmore-(Canyon Records) 2002, (Gammy Nominated 2003).
Simple Man-(Canyon Records)2004.
Blue Stone Project w/ special guest John Densmore-(Canyon Records)2007.
Blue Stone Project/Solstice Dream-(WhistlingWind Music)2009.
Compilation-Native American Blues and More-Dixie Frog Records/France-2009 European release only.
Aaron White/Into the Night-(WhistlingWind Music)2009.
Hand Prints of our People (Canyon Records) Release-May-2011.

Music Film credits:

Sud Funk- Life of the Navajo. German PBS-1996
Secret of Lizard Women/ABC-Nickelodian-1996
True Whispers/Navajo Code Talkers-PBS-2002
Doe Boy/Randy Redroad Chris Eyre Producers-2002 (NHK Winner Sundance Film Festival)
World Of the Navajo/NHK Production Japan
Shiori Producer 2005
Sheraton Wild Horse Promotional Film-2006 With Complilation CD.
Weaving Worlds-PBS 2007-Bennie Kline Producer.
The Tennis Channel/Enchantment Resort Sedona,AZ-2009
Two Spirits PBS June-2011-Russell Martin and Lydia Nibley Producers.
You can find our music on i-tunes and rapsody......

Links

• Facebook

Audio

• Track 5
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• Into the Night
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• Stand Tall
  Listen  
• John Doe/Solo
  Listen  

Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• Burning Sky Enter the Earth [+ Show ]
  

  Burning Sky, Enter the Earth Burning Sky features Aaron White on acoustic guitar, along with ceda...Burning Sky, Enter the Earth
  
  Burning Sky features Aaron White on acoustic guitar, along with cedar flutes, didgeridoo, and percussion. The rhythmic fingerstyle guitar patterns are key to the group’s sound and mixed near the front of most tracks. A Nashville vamp in one composition, "Tribal Stomp," is a barn burner. The entire album is a song cycle that "re-creates the indigenous vision of spirits emerging from the underworld." Michael Bannister’s drums and percussion tie it all together. A worthy effort with lots of reverb and atmosphere. (Candescence/Rykodisc)
  
  —Gary Joyner
  
  
  

• Spirits in the Wind Review [+ Show ]
  

  Spirits in the Wind, nominated for a Grammy for Best Native American Album, will surprise you. Aaron...Spirits in the Wind, nominated for a Grammy for Best Native American Album, will surprise you. Aaron White, a Navajo/Ute, plays Native American flute and acoustic guitar. Kelvin Mockingbird, a Navajo, plays Native American flute. While neither of these are surprises, their drummer may well shock you. He is none other than John Densmore of the Doors!
  
  This is not the first time that Aaron White and John Densmore have worked together. They have jointly conducted workshops on the Navajo reservation for the young Native American musicians. So let us applaud these two fine gentlemen for their community service and efforts to promote culture and inspiration among the next generation of Native Americans!
  
  This CD is a combination of traditional and contemporary pieces, with the bulk leaning toward contemporary. There is heavy use of rattles by both Mockingbird and Densmore. Mockingbird has the most chilling vibrato to be found in Native American flute. It is almost resounding. When Densmore moves from drums to flute, White fills in the tempo with his acoustic guitar and you will not even notice the absence of the drum.
  
  This collection contains a wide variety of styles and tones. "Dog Soldiers" is slow and haunting with a fantastic flute duet. "Bare Root" is a relaxing, light guitar solo. "Little Wing" is a contemporary piece with a slow tempo that is ideal for slow dancing with lots of spins. It is their tribute to Jimi Hendrix. The varied trills are breathtaking. "Spirits in the Wind" and "Journey Home" are contemporary pieces with moderate tempos. "Star" is a contemporary piece with a slow tempo and light rattle. This selection is ideal for slow dancing. The walking trill is outstanding.
  
  "Medicine Dance" is my favorite of this collection. It is a powerfully moving traditional piece with flute, drum, and rattles. You will feel compelled to get up and dance. This is straight pow-wow music at its best!
  
  "Road Less Traveled" is a contemporary piece with heavy flute trills and rips. It has the best flute composition of the collection. There is such a wide variety of technique utilized. The ending is particularly fascinating.
  
  "Shadow Moon" begins with a low-pitched flute solo that sets the mood as peaceful solitude in nature. A high-pitched flute joins and they execute a beautiful duet. This composition that will take you on your most intimate soul-searching journey, then carry you away into the world when the drums, rattles, and guitar eventually join. It is a solid closure for the collection and will leave you feeling well satisfied.
  
  The jacket cover has a paragraph with each title listing that is a must read. For eclipse, it states: "The heart races and the tide rolls in. The sun and moon dance in the burning skies where the vision is eclipsed by love." This is one of the shorter ones. These are poetic expressions that pack powerful messages! We should all strive to live in accordance with "Beauty Beside Me."
  
  I often set this CD on repeat play while I am writing. It is relaxing, inspirational and just plain beautiful! I urge you to buy a copy today and take a few journeys with these guys.
  
  

• Canyon Records Sante Fe 2009 [+ Show ]
  

  Canyon Artists Headline 60th Annual Navajo Festival of Arts & Culture » NEW RELEASE Canyon Artis... Canyon Artists Headline 60th Annual Navajo Festival of Arts & Culture »
  NEW RELEASE
  Canyon Artists Star at the 88th Annual Santa Fe Indian Market
  Several of Canyon’s finest artists took the stage on Sunday afternoon at the 88th Annual Santa Fe Indian Market and for three and a half hours the audience heard a diverse cross-section of Native music. Artists included Native American flutist R. Carlos Nakai (center), traditional Hopi singer Clark Tenakhongva and his daughter Si’Mana (lower right), classical/tango guitarist Gabriel Ayala (upper middle), singer/songwriter/guitarist Aaron White (middle right), Native American flutist Anthony Wakeman (upper right), and Canyon’s newest artist, Estun-Bah (left side), featuring Darren Yazzie (guitar), Jeremy Dancing Bull (drums) and Tony Duncan (Native American flute) who also performed two show stopping hoop dances. Friend of Canyon, Keith Secola (lower middle) joined Aaron White and R. Carlos Nakai to close their sets. Canyon Records would like to thank the Southwestern Association of Indian Arts (SWAIA) for the opportunity to serve as a sponsor and in particular acknowledge Executive Director Dr. Bruce Bernstein, Gabe Gomez and Melanie Yazzie for their gracious support.
  
  August 27th, 2009 | Tags: Aaron White, Anthony Wakeman, Canyon Records, Clark Tenakhongva, Darren Yazzie, Estun-Bah, Gabriel Ayala Santa Fe Indian Market, Jeremy Dancing Bull, Keith Secola, Native American flute music, Native American music, R. Carlos Nakai, SWAIA, Tony Duncan | Category: Aaron White, Anthony Wakeman, Canyon Records Artists, Clark Tenakhongva, Darren Yazzie, Estun-Bah, Gabriel Ayala, Jeremy Dancing Bull, R. Carlos Nakai

• Evening with Aaron White [+ Show ]
  

  An evening of Native American music StoryDiscussionImage (2)DAILY SUN STAFF | Posted: Friday, Febr...An evening of Native American music
  StoryDiscussionImage (2)DAILY SUN STAFF | Posted: Friday, February 12, 2010 5:00 am | (0) Comments
  
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  Courtesy photo Native American guitarist Aaron White will play with flutist Anthony Wakeman and percussionist Andy Gonzales on Saturday, Feb. 13, at 7:30 p.m. at the Old Town Center for the Arts in Cottonwood. (Courtesy photo) .
  Loading… .
  ..Guitarist Aaron White and flutist Anthony Wakeman will perform Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Old Town Center for the Arts in Cottonwood. The Native American musicians will be joined by percussionist Andy Gonzales.
  
  White is a singer, songwriter, composer, musician and a man of contrasts. His music has found expression in many forms -- in the bands he has lead, such as Burning Sky, Skychasers and Super Chief, and in solo performances at venues like Tusayan's Grand Hotel and in recorded media. His heritage and his flutes tether to the ancient Navajo and Ute cultures, but he grew up in urban California, so he plays a mean guitar. He has played everywhere from a presidential inaugural ball to a benefit concert at Arizona's San Francisco Peaks.
  
  White has shared the stage with Jackson Brown, John Densmore of the Doors, Shawn Colvin, Lyle Lovett, Taj Mahal, Chaka Khan, Michael Nerad Walden, Jefferson Starship's Greg Chiquiso, Redbone, Bruce Cockburn and many others throughout his career.
  
  White's group, Burning Sky, received a Grammy nomination in 2004 for "Spirits in the Wind" in the Best Native American Music category. The group also won Group of the Year at the 2003 Native American Music Awards (NAMMYS).
  
  Wakeman, of the Gunlake Band of Pottawatomi/Oglala Lakota, has been playing the Native American flute for 12 years. Originally from Missoula, Mont., Wakeman moved to Phoenix in 1994 and began an apprenticeship with his uncle, David A. Montour, a noted artist, musician and flutemaker. Throughout his musical life, Wakeman has also collaborated with some of the most respected traditional and contemporary Native American musicians of today. In 2005, he released his first album with Canyon Records, titled Butterfly Dreams. Inspired by the playfulness of his 4-year-old daughter dancing about, this album contains songs that inspire, tell a story and illustrate the beauty of the solo flute. His album was a finalist for New Age Retailer's 2005 Narcissus Award.
  
  Gonzales is an all-around musician. While he plays percussion instruments in the White, Wakeman, Gonzales ensemble, he is perhaps most well known for his bass playing and Latino Band work in the Phoenix area. Since the early 1970s, when he was working with Chuy Castro in the La Raza band, he has played with the best.
  

• Soaring Heights [+ Show ]
  

  In review--Soaring Heights Aaron White & Anthony Wakeman Handprints of Our People Canyon Recor...In review--Soaring Heights
  Aaron White & Anthony Wakeman
  
  Handprints of Our People
  Canyon Records
  
  
  Neither Dinè-Ute guitarist-flutist Aaron White or Lakota flutist Anthony Wakeman are new to my ears. I’ve heard at least two incarnations of White’s duos and heard Wakeman’s solo and collaborative recordings. So listening to White’s and Wakeman’s Handprint of Our People comes as a lovely respite. White’s bluesy guitar (listen to the stunner Dunes of Time) coupled with Wakeman’s ethereal flute connects the earth and the sky. Needless to say I find the duo’s warm acoustic album deeply relaxing. Certainly the music here would benefit massage and energy healing clients who prefer new age and indigenous music with an edge.
  
  
  Wakeman’s flute provides more washes than melodic hooks which contributes to the relaxing vibe. And the deep tones of White’s guitar relieve tension. On End of My Trail, White plays lilting arpeggios which Wakeman’s dragonfly-like flute dances around. On Return of the Twins Wakeman and White perform a flute duo with White playing a double-chambered flute—easily the most relaxing song on the recording. White brings back the honey-warmth of his guitar on the following track, First Light, but by this point, the listener has already reached a state of blissfulness. (In fact, I’m trying to write this review while listening to the recording and all I want to do is let my mind soar like Brother Eagle).
  
  
  Handprint of Our People is easily the most beautiful Native American recording I’ve heard in recent months. I’m fond of flutes and acoustic guitars (having played both). I also believe that with Neptune in Pisces for the next 13 years, flutes will play a much bigger role along with harps and instruments that conjure watery images in our minds. Flutes represent breath and air as well as take our minds and hearts to otherworldly places. I highly recommend this album for people needing a retreat or who enjoy soulful acoustic music. I also recommend this recording for overly tense children, people recovering from an illness, and pets. Even as quiet background music the songs on the recording cleanse negative energy from a room and usher in peaceful vibrations. You’re safe in White’s and Wakeman’s hands. Put this one in the player and allow your hearts to soar the friendly skies.
  
  
  

• Aaron White/Anthony Wakeman [+ Show ]
  

  Aaron White and Anthony Wakeman "Handprints of Our People" Canyon Records www.anthonywakeman.com ...Aaron White and Anthony Wakeman
  "Handprints of Our People"
  Canyon Records
  www.anthonywakeman.com
  www.facebook.com/pages/AaronWhite
  By Sally A Schwartz
  
  "Handprints of Our People" by Aaron White and Anthony Wakeman offers the ambiance of guitar and flute. In songs, such as "Cathedral of the Flute," reminds me of hiking up Cathedral Rock in Sedona, Arizona, where I played my own Native American flute. The experience and the peace that I felt is most certainly captured in this song. White's classical guitar riffs displayed in "Beauty Runs Through All" create a soothing blend with Wakeman's flute. If you are looking for a relaxing CD to help ease the end of your day, this album offers just that.
  

• Handprints of the Southwest. [+ Show ]
  

  By ARomero– June 13, 2011 Posted in: CD Reviews Aaron White & Anthony Wakeman - Handprints of ...By ARomero– June 13, 2011
  Posted in: CD Reviews
  
  
  Aaron White & Anthony Wakeman - Handprints of Our People
  Aaron White and Anthony Wakeman
  
  Handprints of Our People (Canyon Records CR-7083, 2011)
  
  Handprints of Our People is a richly melodic and evocative album by guitarist Aaron White (Navajo/Ute) and flautist Anthony Wakeman (Gun Lake Band of Pottawatomi/Oglala Lakota). The album has an intertribal nature. Wakeman is from Montana in the northern plains and White comes from the southwest.
  
  Together, the American Indian musicians celebrate Mother Earth and the heart and soul of all life.
  
  Wakeman (of the Gunlake Band of Pottawatomi/Oglala Lakota) is an apprentice flutemaker to his uncle, the noted artist David A. Montour, and his experience as a craftsman gives his composition greater expressiveness and depth.
  
  Aaron White is a singer, songwriter, composer and guitarist. He has lead numerous bands, including Burning Sky, Skychasers, and Super Chief. His heritage is Navajo and Ute, although he grew up in urban California.
  
  A beautifully crafted album of American Indian impressions
  

• Handprints of Our People CD [+ Show ]
  

  Handprints of Our People Aaron White and Anthony Wakemen Canyon Records www.canyonrecords.com ...Handprints of Our People
  
  Aaron White and Anthony Wakemen
  Canyon Records
  www.canyonrecords.com
  
  Canyon Records again stretches the
  elastic boundary of Native American
  flute fusion to a new limit on Handprints of
  Our People. Flutist Anthony Wakeman is
  joined by acoustic guitarist Aaron White
  on 17 instrumentals melding the ancient,
  haunting strains of wooden flute with
  a more contemporary acoustic guitar.
  At times jaunty and cheerful (“Into the
  Wind”) and other times more introspective
  (“First Light”), the musicianship of
  the two artists sets this album apart. In
  particular, White displays uncommon
  talent and versatility.
  
  

Setlist

I have enough music for a 4hr gig. All original and some covers as well.

Basic Requirements

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