Native Rhythms, Native Jazz: R. Carlos Nakai, AmoChip Dabney, & Will Clipman – at Montrose Pavilion

Native Rhythms, Native Jazz: The Genre-Bending Journey of R. Carlos Nakai, AmoChip Dabney, and Will Clipman
Doors: 6:00 PM || Show: 6:30 PM – This show is at the Montrose Pavilion, brought to you in partnership by The Sherbino and Weehawken Creative Arts
Where Tradition Meets Innovation, and Boundaries Dissolve in Sound
Amidst the vast tapestry of American music, few collaborations illustrate the spirit of genre-bending innovation as vividly as that of R. Carlos Nakai, AmoChip Dabney, and Will Clipman. At the crossroads of Native American flute, jazz, world percussion, and contemporary soundscapes, these three musicians have crafted a sonic journey that blurs the lines between tradition and modernity, weaving stories that speak to the heart and stir the soul.
Considered the world’s premier performer of the Native American flute, R. Carlos Nakai holds the distinction of being the only American Native performer performing in the Indigenous genre to have a Platinum Record-Canyon Trilogy- with over one million sold. He serves as an effective ambassador in reaching new concert audiences consistently drawing capacity or near capacity houses. Nakai has a successful career in many genres of music. He is an eleven-time Grammy® nominee who has many fans who follow him into the concert hall.
As one of the most renowned and influential American Indian musicians of the modern era, Nakai has spent decades weaving the ancient sounds of his heritage with contemporary musical forms, creating a body of work that transcends genre and brings Indigenous traditions to audiences worldwide.
Nakai’s upbringing was steeped in the stories, songs, and communal values of his ancestors. Growing up in the Southwest United States, he experienced both the challenges and the beauty of life as an Indigenous person in a changing world. His family’s encouragement and his exposure to traditional ceremonies laid the foundation for his later artistic journey. He also gained an early appreciation for the importance of cultural preservation—a theme that would become central to his life’s work.
Nakai’s approach to the Native American flute is both innovative and respectful. Rather than simply replicating traditional songs, he has expanded the instrument’s expressive possibilities. Through new fingering techniques, extended melodies, and harmonics, he blends the flute’s haunting tones with elements of jazz, classical, and world music. He also composes original works for flute integrating influences from his heritage with contemporary sensibilities. His music carries a universal message of peace, healing, and connection to the land.