I don't know how this fits into Circle "Ideas"...lol... it's the first time I'll sit in one... but it seemed a good place to post this...lol.
I am FREAKING out!!!!!! I looked and looked, and it turned out Dock Green's circle is the closest to me, so I e-mailed him a couple days ago. And I got an answer this morning... he said, and I quote:

"We'd love to have you join us."

WOOHOO!!!!

I got to meet Dock at Echoes, and he is SOOO cool, I can't wait to see him again!

Lucky Dog

Bow Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Told you so, long ago, I think. You said it wasn't close.

You, sir, were definitly right...lol. And it's still across the other side of the county, maybe an hour and a half drive. But after searching all over, it still turns out to be the closest. Actually there's one a bit closer milage wise, but it means driving down into Tampa, and I avoid that whenever possible! lol.
And I won't lie, I was a bit scared to ask him. Dock's name is legendary, so to me it was sort of like asking Yoda if you can sit in on the Jedi Council...lol.

You haven't gotten to know Dock, yet. He is as nice and gentle a soul as you can ask for. No problem being in his circle.

Actually I got to talk to him at Echoes... and I agree, he (and Mark Holland) are about the nicest guys you could ever ask to meet.

In fact, all of the performers I got to talk to, Jeff, Michael, Arvel, Ed, Dock, Mark... who else, I'm forgetting someone...
Oh yeah, Billy... all of them are really cool.
I think there's someone else... It all happened so fast...lol... if I forgot someone I apologize...

Anyway, VERY good people! Not at all like stuck up rockers you hear about on TV.

Hi JJ,

Did you by any chance get any video of Michael Graham Allen playing the Anasazi? if so can you post it somewhere?

No, and I'm really sorry I didn't. I got to watch MGA sprawled out on the lawn with Mark Holland Sunday afternoon... it as an amazing experience. But my camera was dead by then.
The problem was I never intended to do video, it was sort of an after thought. I was just trying to get something I could watch at home later, I had no clue the camera would pick up the sound so well or I'd have taken more flash cards and batteries. I'm very bummed I missed taping so many other acts.


Unless there's something sooner I don't know about, the next events I'm going to is Rhythms.
MGA will be there and I'll definitly be more prepared then. Actually I can't wait, because I'll finally get to meet Jan Seiden in person... a VERY nice lady!

You Tube my friend:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcN2ccajrN4

Oh cool, there is some stuff of him out there.
But I am sad I didn't get him at Echoes... I swear it was like the whole world stopped for a few minutes to watch.
I've told people it was like an Anasazzi haze fell over the whole event.....a very magical moment, even compaired to the other performers. Not that they weren't all great, they were, but this was absolute magic. The sound was so powerful I just got goosebumps right now thinking about it.

That's where I got to meet Mark Holland. We were lying there on the grass watching MGA, and he seemed as facinated as me. We chatted some between songs, but when MGA started Mark clammed shut as fast as me and we just sat there and enjoyed it.
I can't wait until November!

Correcto Mundo Rick! Dock Green is a truly generous and extremely kind man! *He also happens to be an excellent flute player!*

Jim, if you only had one flute to call your own, but you have some truly wonderful friends like Dock in your life, then you would more than likely consider yourself a very rich man! Our flute journey just keeps getting better when our lives are touched by so many fabulous flute folks!

I feel that I gained greater riches last night when our flute circle was truly blessed by the attendance of a man that could easily walk side by side with Dock! We were all quite enlightened by this gentleman's stories, and we were treated to some of his fabulous flute playing from deep within his heart!
This gentleman was accompanied by his lovely wife who shares the same "twinkle of life" as her husband, and she was also an absolute pleasure to meet. I had the opportunity to play a couple of this man's super sweet river cane flutes, and he seemed to really enjoy playing a few of my "Mountainflutes". Our surprise guest also enjoyed playing my friend Sue's terrific little Lacewood B that was crafted by our very own Portal Pal, Greybeard/Ed! We also had another very talented and very sweet gal join us last night who is a music teacher! Double Bonus!!! It was a indeed a grand evening of sharing, community, flutes, and rhythm goodies. Yup, that whole magical blend is what makes attending a flute circle gathering so incredibly special!

Jim, I hope that you have a great time amongst your new friends when you attend your first flute circle gathering with Dock and his flute pals!

No Rick, it is not who you may have guessed, but this gentleman is indeed a flute maker! I have yet to meet the other fellow in our area who is now a flute friend via email, but our mutual friend Dan does hope to one day venture out to Havana for our flute gathering.

You can take a peek at the Tallavana Flute Circle's very special new friend, Jim Hale, along with his bio and some of his flutes on the link below.

http://www.ancienthands.com/news.html

Hi Marsha, he would be from one of the areas we were looking over, last month, while we were on the way to WNC. We actually stopped off to look over Crossville, as a community, as we went through.

My own heritage is from NE TN, in the tri-cities area, of Johnson City, Bristol, Kingsport.

I feel as though I am home, about the time I get to Dickson, TN, and the feeling remains the entire time I am in the Smokey Mountain / Blue Ridge Mountain area.

Lucky you!!!!! Our Northeast Ohio Flute Circle broke up a few years back and I sorely miss it.
Wish there was one in my area. Oh well....maybe one of these days.

Jim,

Dock Green is one of the first in contemporary times to use the NAF for healing purposes. He has a regular practice and is affiliated with a hospital in Tampa.

MusicMan,

There are lots of vids of Michael Graham Allen playing the Anasazi flute on youtube. Just search on youtube for Michael Graham Allen Anasazi. Here's one with him bending a few notes. Very cool.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpAURQZkkGA...feature=related

Marcos

Hi Marcos,

Thanks I seen all of them, just wondered if Jim has anything from the last venue.

You will have a great time Jim. Most all flute circles welcome new members, and the ones that don't, you wouldn't want to be a member any way LOL. I drive over an hour to my circle and "unfrtunately" I have to drive into the Smoky Mtns to get there..... sigh.... ;-) I hope you have the time of your life!
Blessings,
Beth

Actualiy Dock's circle met last week and I didn't go. I wanted to, but I had just seen a new Dr for my back and got some new pain killers that knocked me for quite a loop until I got used to them. I wasn't going to drive all the way to the other side of the county all strung out like that.

Musicman, no, unfortunately I didn't get any video of MGA. By the time he played Sunday my camera was full. I'll see him at Rhythms and definitly get something then.