Paul Winter, Flyways Music Director and Composer
Chris Berry, Flyways Field Researcher Chris Berry lived for 9 years among the Shona people of Zimbabwe, where he learned mbira (thumb piano), from the traditional masters. Eventually he earned the title of "gwenyambira" ("one whose music calls the spirits"), a distinction reserved only for those who have achieved the highest fusion of the technical and the magical in Shona music. Berry and his band Panjea are popular in Zimbabwe and Mozambique, where his albums have reached platinum sales. The Great Rift Valley OrchestraThe music of Flyways will be performed by a new international ensemble, comprised of musicians from the along the Great Rift flyway, with members of the Paul Winter Consort.The Paul Winter ConsortThe Paul Winter Consort was formed by Paul Winter in 1967 and became one of the earliest exponents of world music, combining elements from various African, Asian, and South American cultures with jazz. The group comprises a community of some of the world's finest jazz, classical and ethnic musicians, reflecting the broad realm of music and rich textures of sound Winter continues to explore. The Paul Winter Consort has recorded 40 albums and performed over 2,000 concerts in 48 countries.Other MusiciansLiterally hundreds of individual musicians have contributed to field recordings and composition development. Meet a few of our collaborators below:
enanga harp from Uganda |
Saxophonist Paul Winter has spent the past 30 years exploring ways in which music can be used not only to enrich people's lives, but also to engender dialogue and catalyze change. One of the pioneers of world music, he was also among the first to incorporate sounds of nature and wildlife into his compositions, creating a unique genre of "earth music," which interweaves voices from the symphony of the wild, along with instrumental voices from classical, jazz and indigenous traditions. Winter has recorded 36 albums, of which 12 have received Grammy nominations, and 6 have won. His most recent album, Crestone, won a Grammy in 2008.
