In a Distant Place

R. Carlos Nakai has made a career of weaving his soulful flute playing into the music of many talented collaborators. On this release, he teams up with Tibetan avant-garde flutist Nawang Khechog. The two traditions, Tibetan and Native American, mesh together well. Both styles have a breathy, ethereal quality that lends itself to soaring improvisation. It is that very quality that is the blessing and curse of this disc. While both men are accomplished musicians, what they have created here lacks direction. It often drifts off into a new age spaciness, awash in harmonic and thematic cliché. They are ably, if somewhat predictably accompanied by guitarist William Eaton and percussionist Will Clipman, both longtime Nakai colleagues. What sets this work apart from other Nakai outings are four tracks on which Khechog chants Tibetan prayers under the diaphanous washes of sound. It's all very meditative and probably perfect background music for a yoga class. Unfortunately, the opportunity to do something really original and groundbreaking was missed here.