Ananeah, a quartet of musical magicians that takes live audiences on an imaginary voyage that is peacefully meditative, irresistibly groovy, joyously celebrative, and emotionally stirring, will perform at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30 at the Sierra Vista Campus of Cochise College, 901 N. Colombo Ave. The free performance is sponsored by Cochise College Cultural Events.

With a chemistry that is downright explosive, the multi-talented group featuring Arvel Bird on violin; William Eaton, strings; Mary Redhouse, vocals; and Will Clipman, drums; will perform a variety of music from their award-winning CD of the same name and create new compositions live on stage.

Ananeah, the Paiute word for “what do you call it,” conjures their global native fusion from sources as diverse as Celtic, African, Native American, Gypsy, Latin, and good old rock ‘n’ roll and jazz, producing a fresh and surprising sound. Each of the artists has achieved international acclaim.

Bird’s violin virtuosity, classically refined yet infused with folksy humor and primal passion, matches string-for-string with Eaton’s hand-crafted, uniquely-designed lyraharp guitar, double-neck guitar, lyre, and spiral clef, creating a sumptuous sonic bed for Redhouse’s dreamy eco-spiritual vocals, Native American flutes, and fluidly funky bass lines. Clipman’s pan-global polyrhythm on Taos drums, djembe, udu, bodhran, and assorted percussion subtly propels this compelling blend of Old and New World melody and harmony.

Ananeah is also the quartet’s eponymously titled CD, a New Age Reporter Music Award Winner for Best instrumental Album and a perpetual playlist favorite of progressive radio show hosts nationwide. The album captures all the improvisational fire and compositional acumen of this truly world-class ensemble. The quartet will sell copies and conduct an informal meet-and-greet with the audience immediately following the performance to autograph CDs and posters.

The Sept. 30 concert is free and open to the public. It will take place outside on the west side of the Andrea Cracchiolo Library on the Sierra Vista Campus. For information, contact A.J. Biami at Cochise College, (520) 515-5440. Anyone needing an accommodation in order to attend should contact the Disability Services Office, (520) 515-5337 or (520) 417-4023, at least 72 hours in advance.

Musicians

Arvel Bird, a multi-award winning, classically-trained, world music violinist, is a Me’tis Indian of Southern Paiute and Scottish ancestry. The music he composes and performs is described as part “Braveheart” and part “Last of the Mohicans.” In addition to his work with Ananeah, he has released 14 other CDs and two DVDs since 2001. After an amazing year in 2007 culminating with wins for Artist of the Year at the Native American Music Awards, followed by Best Instrumental Album at the Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards, Bird has been on the road full time, touring internationally with his new show Many Tribes, One Fire and supporting his recently-released CD Tribal Music Suite: Journey of a Paiute (2009).

William Eaton, a musician, composer, and instrument maker whose imaginative harp guitars and multi-stringed instruments have been recognized world-wide, is the director and co-founder of the Roberto-Venn School of Luthiery, a guitar-making school in Phoenix. Eaton began playing stringed instruments when he was given a ukulele as a boy, and built his first guitar in 1971. He has composed for and performed with the Amadeus Trio, Nouveau West Chamber Orchestra, and the Nebraska Chamber Orchestra, and leads his own group, the William Eaton Ensemble, with whom he has released four albums. Eaton’s music has garnered three Grammy Nominations, a Billboard Critics Choice Award, a Native American Music Award, and a New Age Reporter Music Award.

Mary Redhouse of the Navajo tribe is a versatile jazz vocalist, electric bassist, and Native flute player. Her exploratory vocal style incorporates birdcalls, animal cries, multi-octave scat lines, and native chants. She was introduced to jazz in grade school by Beatrice Parker, a school librarian who played jazz albums while Mary shelved books. She has created music for documentaries and ballet companies. Mary is featured on Canyon Records CDs along with R. Carlos Nakai, the Redhouse Family Jazz Band and William Eaton, and she also performs and records with jazz saxophonist Oliver Lake.

Will Clipman has been a drummer since the age of 3 and has mastered a pan-global palette of instruments in addition to the traditional drum set. He has recorded more than 50 albums. Clipman is a five-time Grammy nominee, a two-time Native American Music Award winner, a New Age Reporter Music Award winner, and a two-time Tucson Area Music Award winner, and has been inducted into the Tucson Musicians Museum for his contributions to the musical community in his hometown. His solo album Pathfinder received a 2009 Grammy nomination for Best New Age Album.