CD
The 53-minute CD and digital download card features nine songs recorded inside the Desert View Watchtower on October 17, 2017. All songs were recorded on the first take, and no studio enhancements have been added. Every sound captured on the recording represents the raw, organic sounds of Clark Tenakhongva’s Hopi vocals, Gary Stroutsos’ evocative flute, and Matthew Nelson’s clay pot percussion. The natural acoustic qualities of the Watchtower’s Kiva Room and second floor are what give the recording its power and authenticity.
Special thanks to Dean Neasham, Engineer/Owner of TDT Productions, for expertly capturing the sounds inside the Watchtower.
DVD
The 48-minute DVD features dramatic footage from Grand Canyon, powerful messages from Clark Tenakhongva about Hopi cultural connections to Grand Canyon, and complete songs recorded inside Desert View Watchtower.
Three songs from the Ongtupqa DVD can be enjoyed here:
Special thanks to Levi Davis/AZ Camera for his outstanding work in the video production of Ongtupqa.
Banner photo by Thomas Wiewandt. Mural by Fred Kabotie.
“On this recording where a flute might sound like the call of a bird or a gust of wind, where a voice might summon up memories of the rush of a storm or an ancestor’s call from the distant past and the gentle thudding percussion of a clay pot might suggest the distant rumble of thunder or the rustle of a footstep on the path, Ongtupqa firmly and squarely roots listeners to the earth and sky in this elegant call into the wild in the hopes it will stay that way.”