Michael Searching Bear

Artist Information

Biography

Michael is an accomplished musician and performer who's love for music and search for his native
heritage led him to the Native American Wood Flute. With over 35 years of experience and as a
performance and studio musician, as a drummer and percussionist, Michael developed his
talents and perfected his gift for mastering intricate rhythms. Michael has worked as a
studio drummer for many well known recording artists and as a drum clinician. He later learned, under
the teachings of Kenneth Leonard, the electric, acoustic and classical guitars as well as
music theory, history and ethnomusicology as a private student. With this knowledge, Michael
desired to incorporate as many different types of instruments and backgrounds into his
recording compositions - especially Native and cultural instruments.

Michael has continued with this love and has incorporated Native rhythms with many World cultural music.
With Michael's award winning Ceremony cd release, (Best World Recording), he incorporated many world
cultural flavors combined with the love of Native rhythms and the flute. It drew much attention
and proved that all cultures are indeed one, at least in the international language of music.
A step forward from Michael's earlier works of a more meditative subject matter, he won the praise
of his existing fans as well as bringing onboard many more world eclectic tastes. Michael has
continued on this World Fusion path and has released his latest project, The Mirror, with long time
band member TJ Marlatt which incorporates many more facets of music, including world vocals.

Michael's passion and interest has always been in the music arena. With this passion as fuel
Michael has begun teaching on the ancient methods, as well as today's methods, of construction
and uses of the flute in the Native ways of life. Michael has dedicated his life to educating and teaching
his Native culture and using his expertise in the flute and other instruments as a catalyst for this training.

Michael is a full time musician, performer and educator as well as a full time wood flute
maker. He travels and educates on Native American culture and heritage through music
across the country. He teaches and performs in various arenas, from historical societies,
corporate business gatherings, Native arts organizations, festivals, theaters
and colleges to day care facilities, K-12 schools and national events.

Michael is proud to be a member of the Eastern Cherokee tribe & of Powhatan descent....

Michael is the 2009 NAMA (Nammy) winner for Best World Recording for his Ceremony cd.
Nominated for Song of the Year for Indian Reservation, 2009 NAMA (Nammy) Awards.
Nominated for 2009 Just Plain Folks Music Awards Video of the Year, Live in Concert DVD.
Nominated 2009 Just Plain Folks Music Award for Album of the Year, Un earthed and
Just Plain Folks Music Award nominee for Song of the Year - Appalachian Sunrise.
Nominated for 2008 NAMA (Nammy) Best Long Form Video of the Year.
Michael is a Just Plain Folks Music Awards 2006 Album of the Year winner
for his cd Voice From Within and a Song of the Year nominee for The Gathering.
He was a 2006 Nammy Award nominee entree for six categories for his Un earthed cd.
He has also had nominations for the Aboriginal People's Choice Awards
in 3 categories for his Un earthed cd release....


Michael was nominated for 'Artist Of The Year' from the Yankee Peddler Foundation - 2005

Michael's cd's and dvd can be found at many local stores which carry Native and World genre music
as well as Amazon.com, Borders.com, CDbaby.com, Super D cd distribution, searchingbearflutes.com
and can be downloaded @ iTunes, Rhapsody, PayPlay.fm and MySpace and many more.
Michael's cd's are available from his special friends at Paramount Press Inc. -
the exclusive publisher of personal friend Robert Griffing's paintings & books.


Michael is currently available for performance booking engagements as well as workshops, lectures, concerts and other performances. For more information about Michael Searching Bear and arranging for booking engagements, call (330) 296-7413 or contact Michael by Email at michael@searchingbearflutes.com. Please visit his websites at www.searchingbearflutes.com or Michael’s MySpace page at www.myspace.com/michaelsearchingbear or his YouTube site at www.youtube/michaelsearchingbear

Instrumentation

Michael Searching Bear - Native American wood flutes, world instrumentation, guitars, drums, percusions & dulcimers.
Additional band members:
TJ Marlatt - keyboards
Lora Gray - vocals, dance
Jen Richeson - violins, vocals
Jeff Brockett - guitars

Discography

Silent Journey - 1999 (out of print)
Voice From Within - 2003
Un earthed - 2005
Michael Searching Bear Live in Concert (dvd) - 2007
Ceremony - 2009
The Mirror - 2010

Official Website

http://www.searchingbearflutes.com

Links

• Facebook
• MySpace
• Twitter

Audio

• Lowry Gang
  Listen  
• Promontory
  Listen  
• Dawn's Gate
  Listen  
• Indian Reservation
  Listen  
• Our Child's Lullaby
  Listen  
• Night of the Sun
  Listen  

Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• ...the most inspiring [+ Show ]
  

  Just wanted to tell you that I thoroughly enjoyed your show on Friday night at Kent Stage. I have be...Just wanted to tell you that I thoroughly enjoyed your show on Friday night at Kent Stage. I have been to many concerts in all parts of the world, but that one was probably the most inspiring, well done, sincerely, it was a fantastic show.
  

• TAXI REVIEW [+ Show ]
  

  Promontory: It was a strongly evocative piece with a satisfying and original combination of Native A...Promontory: It was a strongly evocative piece with a satisfying and original combination of Native American and Irish flavors. The blend of those flavors was well balanced, with the underlying percussion groove and flute sound leaning more towards the Native American and the flute playing and scale used sounding more Irish. The flute work was the most distinctive aspect of the arrangement. The piece had a nice dynamic build to it, subtly adding layers at a time and ramping up the intensity. Great job on this, Michael!!
  

• Ceremony CD review [+ Show ]
  

  Michael Searching Bear has brought forth his best work to date! His artistic talent, ingenuity and p...Michael Searching Bear has brought forth his best work to date! His artistic talent, ingenuity and passion for detail speaks for itself in his new work titled "Ceremony". Michael has always had a gift for bridging cultures together to unite in harmony the common whole; the human race. Today the real purity lies in your heart, intention and actions. It is for this that Michael's compassion exemplifies the true noble character of the "Good Red Road". Thank you Michael for such extraordinary work...

• Traditional at it's best! [+ Show ]
  

  Absolutely beautiful! Very soothing yet VERY interesting melodies and subtle rythms. Gorgeous! Very ...Absolutely beautiful! Very soothing yet VERY interesting melodies and subtle rythms. Gorgeous! Very well done. The flutes sound stunning.
  
  

• Sounds of a Journey! [+ Show ]
  

  Michael has again brought us a musical journey that can only be experienced through Michael's heart....Michael has again brought us a musical journey that can only be experienced through Michael's heart. His love and sincere reverence for his tradition manifests itself through his music. Knowing Michael as a close friend, teacher and warrior, he truly exemplifies a product of the Red Way in its purest form. As you listen to the tones, you will walk a time-line of Michaels life where he bridges two cultures harmoniously and provides a vision of how two races, though ethnically different, can be brought together to manifest a musical fusion of extraordinary talent. Michael's music has a story to tell and a vision to share. To those who can look beyond the veil, Unearthed will guide you through a vision of one man sincerely dedicated to keeping a vanishing culture in recognition. Wa-do Oginali...
  

• Great Blend of Traditional and Contemporary Music! [+ Show ]
  

  Acoustic guitar, bull roarer, didgeridoo...PLUS Michael Searching Bear on the Native American Flute?...Acoustic guitar, bull roarer, didgeridoo...PLUS Michael Searching Bear on the Native American Flute??!!! Heck, I would have just taken Michael on the flute and Windwalker on the vocals and gladly forked over the dough...but you throw in those other wonderful (and amazingly complementary) instruments as well, done with grace and aplomb, and you've got a one-of-a-kind blend of contemporary and traditional sounds. Didn't think he could outdo his previous release "Voice Within". I was wrong!! Tom Kerr - Executive Director, Kulture Kids [...]

• I am left stunned by your work! [+ Show ]
  

  WOW! Again I am left stunned by your work! Your intense presence and the darkness of the setting is...WOW! Again I am left stunned by your work! Your intense presence
  and the darkness of the setting is very dramatic. It really "pulled me in".
  The acting of the 3 flute players was great! The voice of the soloist was haunting!
  And the "Trail of Tears" was horrific! I hadn't heard about the white roses before,
  and your obvious emotion really added to the effectiveness of the educational segment.
  (The Trail has always totally horrified me - and now I'm living in the town where it all started. Ohmygod!)
  I've also never seen anything like the "Booger Dance". I just LOVE the way you're
  teaching us things we really should know about! I also found it very touching that your
  wife and son were also on stage with you. And I thoroughly enjoyed the added footage
  during "Our Child's Lullaby". Hey, great jacket! I also enjoyed seeing you backstage
  with the fans! And I especially enjoyed your great sense of humor while teaching Cherokee
  to the audience! So different from the show.......... wonderful! I will experinece this
  DVD many more times. Thank you for creating it! Joen Bozarth
  
  
  
  I was very excited to receive this DVD of Michael Searching Bear - Live In Concert!
  From the lovely shorelines of New England, I was taken to another realm,
  one which I can't express thoroughly in words, but one has to feel with the heart.
  This is a DVD like no other, It is beautifully put together,,, and makes one sit
  on the edge of their seat, wondering "Wow, whats next"? A true Joy is this Dvd and one
  that I think is a crucial part of ones' music library.
  You had me amazed and mesmorized. Thank you Michael Searching Bear for introducing me to
  this very different style then I am used too..... You have a TRUE FAN!
  
  
  

Setlist

Smaller shows: 40 to 50 minutes of original music.
Larger performances: 1 1/2 hour to 2 1/2 hours w/ intermission of original music as well as modern and Native dancing. Educational speaking of Native & World culture.
Example set list:
Promontory
Caravan of Camels
All Souls Night
Lowry Gang (acoustic)
Summer Wind/Solstice medley
The Vision
The Booger Dance medley
Flute Talk
Domus Iterum
Moonlight
(approx 50 minutes)

Basic Requirements

Calendar