Osiyo, oginalii.  Akaluga dawado.   Hello my friends.  My name is Akaluga, meaning watchful.  In English, this is the same as Greg.  I began playing the Native American Flute to supplement the stories that I tell at scouting campfires and advancement ceremonies.  While this CD can be considered a companion to my storytelling CD, I have become fascinated with the music that can be produced by this simple instrument, even for those without a music background.

The legend goes that Woodpecker was sad because he couldn’t sing like the other birds.  But he was given a vision to drill out a hollow branch and place holes in the top.  When the wind came up, the forest was treated with a unique sound never before heard.  Woodpecker gave the branch to the young brave who had encouraged him, asking that he share it with the two-leggeds to remind them that everyone had been given special gifts that they were meant to share. 

This CD is an assortment of familiar songs played on the Native American Flute (NAF).  All songs were transcribed into Nakai tablature for the NAF, and each is played only with a single flute handmade out of cedar wood by Greg (Akaluga).  In some cases, songs were mixed on the computer to achieve multiple sound tracks.  Every sound on this CD was created by a single person.

The album begins with “U ne La nv” (Amazing Grace), the most requested song for the NAF.  This is due to the fact that Amazing Grace is the only song that the Cherokees were allowed to sing on the infamous “Trail of Tears”, and has subsequently become the Cherokee National Anthem.

We are all given gifts by the Creator, and music that comes from the trees in the form of the Native American Flute is my simple offering.  It is only appropriate that the old Shaker Hymn, “Simple Gifts” is the title track to this album.   This is followed by other well-known Shaker tunes, including “How can I Help but Singing” and “Lord of the Dance”, which leads into a number of other inspirational hymns, including music that is often heard around campfires.

The next section deals with Patriotic songs, followed by ballads of the Old West.  This leads into a short collection of traditional Native American songs.  These are the songs that were meant to be played on this instrument.  Completing this section are three original scores written and performed by Akaluga.  Additionally, this special scouting edition contains several bonus tracks of traditional boy scout campfire songs. Finally we conclude with “Taps”, completing the circle of another simple gift given to us by the Creator, a day in which to share the music in all of us.

DonadagohvI, Akaluga

1. U ne la nv (Amazing Grace) (1:42)
2. Simple Gifts  (0:50)
3. How Can I Help But Singing (1:00)
4. Lord of the Dance (0:44)
5. Will the Circle be Unbroken (0:53)
6. Prayer of St. Francis (1:14)
7. Peace is Flowing Like a River (1:09)
8. Morning Has Broken (0:35)
9. When the Saints (1:08)
10. Frere Jacques (0:43)
11. Kumbaya (1:02)
12. God Bless America (1:04)
13. America the Beautiful (0:46)
14. My Country ‘tis of Thee (0:32)
15. Colorado (0:31)
16. Yellow Rose of Texas (0:34)
17. Home on the Range (1:05)
18. Down in the Valley (0:38)
19. Canoe Song (1:05)
20. Zuni Sunrise (traditional) (1:10)  
21. Lakota Courting song (traditional) (0:52)
22. We n’ de ya ho  (1:33) (Cherokee Morning Song)
23. Geronimo Song (traditional) (1:26)
24. Song for Grandfather (traditional) (3:11)
25. And the Hollow Branch Sings (1:38) (Greg Jameson)
26. Stormy Nights (Greg Jameson) (1:05)
27. Lullaby of the Loons (Greg Jameson) (2:24)
28. Trail the Eagle (0:47)
29. Back to Gilwell (Woodbadge Song) (0:42)
30. Johnny Appleseed (0:21)
31. Ging Gang Gooli (1:54)
32. Order of the Arrow Song (0:44)
33. Philmont Hymn (1:10)
34. America, America (1:38)
35. On My Honor (1:24)
36. I Love the Mountains (2:49)
37. Scout Vespers (0:52)
38. Taps (0:40)