On the way to the funeral luncheon (at the New Elgin Moose Lodge, believe it or not), we passed by ECC and a marquee near the road that leads to the school announced R. Carlos Nakai was performing at ECC’s art center on April 6. I counted in my head and realized it was two days away on Sunday evening. Later I asked my mom and some of her friends if they’d be interested in attending the performance. Jill and Gordan said they would. Mom said yes too.

I bought a CD by R. Carlos Nakai about 15 years ago at a shop in, I think, Virginia. Or maybe it was somewhere in Wisconsin. I listened to it often — usually to read by or to think. Sometimes even in the car. The CD was used so often that it got a scratch on it (my first CD to get scratched). I was unhappy about that, but still listen now and then, skipping over the scratched tracks. So I was delighted to be able to actually see and hear the man live that made this soothing music.

Nakai shared the stage with William Eaton, a musician, composer, musical instrument builder and storyteller. Together they transported the audience away from Elgin, Illinois to a rest stop outside Santa Fe, New Mexico to imagine the antelope dance; red cliffs in the west to watch the cliff sparrows fly and hear them sing; on a trip through the Earth with the sun; and into our own imaginations.

This blog entry describes the concert much better than I could describe it.

After the concert Jill, Gordan, Mom & I ate at a Thai restaurant in St. Charles.