Shilombish is a four-piece Native American flute musical ensemble that emanated from the Indiana Flute Circle - a society of members that collect, play, construct and promote the Native American flute. The music is a mixture of textural sound improvisation, composed melodies and spontaneous harmonic counterpoint played over a layer of percussion, piano, guitar, and other rhythmic sounds. There are also many other instruments incorporated into the performances including vocalization, udu, frame drum, didgeridoo, bowed psaltery, temple chimes, jaw harps, thumb pianos, various kinds of rattles and other percussive instruments.

Press Info

Shilombish has played at many venues throughout central Indiana, mostly festival-type events, libraries, museums and coffee shops. Shilombish played it's first gig at a meeting for the Midwest Chapter of Ethnomusicology at the University of Indianapolis in April 2002. Since that performance Shilombish has played the History Festival at the Indiana Historical Society, the One Earth Festival at Garfield Park, the Children's Museum of Indianapolis, the Indianapolis Arts Garden at Circle Center Mall, several local Starbuck Coffee shops and Borders Book Stores. Shilombish is currently working on a CD project and is preparing for an audition for the Young Audiences of Indiana Organization.

Similar Artists

Burning Sky,Robert Mirabal,William Eaton,Gary Stroutsos

Influences

R. Carlos Nakai,Kevin Locke,Mary Youngblood,Nawang Khechog

Bio

Shilombish is made up of 2 music performance majors and two veteran flute performers. Artists include Patrick Nielander, a composer and veteran Native American flute performer in the Indianapolis/Ohio area. Gary Cope, a multi-instrumentalist and composer who is a saxophone performance major from the University of Evansville. Carol Kauffman who is a vocal performance major from the University of Indianapolis, a composer and an excellent Native American flute player. Earl Tharp, a veteran Native American flute performer from Arcadia Indiana. The Shilombish flute collection spans a wide range of keys from sub-bass Em pentatonic to high Fm pentatonic flutes. The instruments are constructed of various exotic woods and have been crafted by well-known contemporary and legendary Native American flute makers from all over the world. The average number of flutes among the four artists at any given performace could number as many as 50 instruments.