by Mya Duran
Autumn has always been a creative season for musician Mark Holland. Having named his musical project, Autumn’s Child partly based on this fact.
There was also the influence of color and texture that is found in nature contributing to the naming of his group as well.
Not just coincidence there is also musical color and texture found in music and it is showcased in the music Holland writes and plays with Autumn’s Child.
So it is fitting that Autumn’s Child should appear in a special concert at the Sheldon Concert Hall on November 19.
Also with November being Native American Heritage month it makes this concert even more special with the Native American Flute being featured.
Mark Holland is an award winning musician who performs with a variety of Native American Flutes.
He began his ensemble in 1995 and has recorded over 15 cds to date.
Holland performs throughout the country from intimate house concert settings to larger flute festivals and everything in between.
His newest cd, “Circle of Sound” will be debuted in performance November 19 at The Sheldon Concert Hall at 7:30pm with an admission at the door of only $10.00.
The overall sound of Autumn’s Child has been described as a musical smoothie. Containing elements of world music, jazz, folk and classical all blended together. They will bring their unique sound to the acoustically perfect Sheldon for a CD Release Concert which will feature music from the new recording. What is special about this album is that it is a “covers project”.
The music on this cd is all other artist’s compositions that have received the Autumn’s Child take on some timeless classics.
Most of the songs are from the late sixties and seventies by artists such as the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Van Morrision, the Eagles, Bob Dylan, the Moody Blues and more.
One selection which was sort of a catalyst for this recording is a song by American Indian jazz saxophonist, Jim Pepper and his piece, “Witchi-Tai-To”. A composition that has been covered many times before by other artists. In the midwest the most well known version is by the acoustic folk rock duo, Brewer and Shipley. It is a song that always brings up the question at the end of an Autumn’s Child performance, “what cd is that on”?
So for the first time the Autumn’s Child rendition of this moving song is captured in the studio by Holland and company.
Also worthy of note is the inclusion of the classic by the Moody Blues, “Nights In White Satin” which is always a crowd pleaser and highly requested at their concerts.
Other songs that will be performed from the new cd are “Kashmir”, “Hotel California”, a Rolling Stones medley that consists of “As Tears Go By” / “Under My Thumb” / “Paint It Black”, “All Along The Watchtower” and “Moondance” among others.
According to Mark Holland “the music of the late sixties and seventies were very influential to me musically. This era was a true renaissance of music.” So the selections on this recording are from that time frame with one exception being, “Fragile” by Sting. It was released in the eighties but appears on this outing because Autumn’s Child have performed it so many times it seemed right to include it in on this work.
So how does the Native American Flute find itself interpreting such rock classics and how does one go about making it work? Holland says, “while the Native American Flute historically was used as a solo instrument mainly for courting purposes played only by males, it has taken on some changes.
This includes women playing the flute and the flute being used with other instrumentation that can include various genres of musical styles. In my approach with the flute, I have always borrowed from a traditional playing style but immediately took the flute to contemporary places demonstrating how it can be a most versatile instrument. I incorporate many combinations of ornamentation or embellishments that give this flute it’s one of a kind sound. I also heavily use the extended scale which allows for more melodic possibilities. It is my contribution to the advancement and preservation of the Native American Flute”. By using this increased vocabulary of notes and techniques Holland is able to make what some see as a limited instrument to a flute which extends boundaries.
Holland continues, “the flute is an instrument of peace and one that can bring all people together. It has a haunting beauty that speaks to the inner soul and captivates the listener and can take them on countless journeys.” The music of Autumn’s Child is highly accessible and appeals to all ages and all walks of life. Don’t miss this experience to journey to another place.
Joining Mark Holland in concert will be a line up of some amazing musicians, including: R. Scott Bryan – percussion and vocals; Aaron Burlbaw – guitar; Cory Edwards – piano; Jake Brookman – cello; Marc Torlina – bass.
The new cd, “Circle of Sound” will be available at the concert with a meet and greet following. The Sheldon is located at 3648 Washington Blvd. St Louis, MO 63108 (314) 533-9900. www.sheldonconcerthall.com. 11/19/2013 Start time is 7:30pm. Doors will open at 6:45pm. For additional information on Autumn’s Child you can visit: www.autumnschild.com.