Customer Reviews

Loon Mountain & Moon

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Several of the pieces are quite good, but there are other Native flute players out there I like much more. Miller's playing is very simple and straightforward, and sometimes, as in the title track, monotonous. His tone is very breathy, almost creaky in spots -- nothing like the richness of Mary Youngblood or the complexity of Kevin Locke. The pieces in which Miller pairs his flute with guitar I find to be stronger than the solo pieces. If you want to hear solo flute, listen to Kevin Locke's "Dream Catcher", Robert Tree Cody's "Dreams from the Grandfather", or Mary Youngblood's "The Offering". If you are interested in Native flute in an ensemble setting, with guitars, drums, and voice, then listen to Mary Youngblood's second album, "Heart of the World" for acoustic music, or Robert Mirabal's "Taos Tales" for more electric sounds. Miller, like the rest of these artists, doesn't smother his flutes with layers of synthesizer goop, and that's a Good Thing (tm).

It's easy to see why Bill Miller won a Grammy last year for his full album offering of Native flute on "Cedar Dream Songs", and this earlier effort-"Loon, Mountain, and Moon"- shows why his awesome talent was so aptly recognized. This album of Native flute is beautifully arranged, full of melodies that will bless your soul and will refresh you in deep places. Bill Miller is truly a national treasure!

AN AWSOME INSTRUMENTAL CD BY A GREAT ARTIST BILL MILLER IF YOU ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH HIS WORK HERE'S A GOOD PLACE TO START I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH OF ABOUT THE MAN THAT IS A INSPIRATION TO MANY HIS MUSIC SHOULD BE IN MORE MOVIES ANOTHER GREAT MUSICIAN IS JIM BOYD ANOTHER GREAT ARTIST BUT WHAT I REALLY LIKE ABOUT BILL MILLER IN ALL HIS CD'S IS THE INSTRUMENTALS THERE BEYOND WORDS TO DESCRIBE BREATHTAKING MUSIC THAT WILL UPLIFT YOU.

Bill Miller plays the flute like Kokopelli. He's marvelous. And his guitar playing is inimitable. He can do it all, from soft traditional Native American music to hard rocking Native American music. He is the consumate entertainer. I saw him in person in November at a powwow, and he was great. He pleased everyone in the varied crowd, from the young to the old, and everyone in between. Buy his music, you won't be sorry.