Hon Muru (Bears Ears)

The landscape of the Southwestern United States is at the heart of this new recording by Hopi singer Clark Tenakhongva. As rugged as the land of its people, the Hopi language, Hopílavayi, conjures images and stories from time immemorial. Supported here by Gary Stroutsos playing the leena, a Hopi long flute, supposedly the oldest known wind instrument in North America, and subtle organic percussion provided by Matt Moon Nelson, Tenakhongva’s chants often morph into incantations, creating a trance-like experience. Exquisitely recorded, the album’s sequencing allows for breathing thanks to three instrumental tracks, strategically placed. If the stunning beauty of the numerous canyons and mesa tops of Bears Ears is not available to you, this album by a respected singer and traditional cultural practitioner is your closest entry into this sacred cultural landscape. Mineral music of aerial transcendence.