More Music

Oman Ken, musician and recording artist, came to Sedona in January 1987. At the time he felt a strong desire to do some soul searching and shifting in his life. He had been in San Diego giving concerts for some years. His idea was to stay in Sedona for six to nine months, living a quiet life and getting a new sense of direction. He ended by loving the community so much he stayed.

Oman's musical career began in 1975. Over the years he played keyboard, guitar, flute and harp. He is also a singer and songwriter. Since 1995 he has been recording World Beat instrumental music and not traveling as much.

At the time we talked in the spring of 1997, his most recent recording was Echoes of Ivory (piano instrumental). Oman says it has a more mainstream kind of energy, gentle, relaxing, lyrical. Asked what he was known for the most, he replied it was the recording with Shanti, his former partner, called Let Me Remember. Oman considers all his music to be New Age. He has about 12 recordings out now.

At the time of the Harmonic Convergence in '87, Oman was planning to go to Machu Pichu with a group. That trip didn't happen. Five or six weeks before the big date in mid-August, he began to take a leadership role. He had organized big events before, had directed a theater company, and led solstice celebrations in other places. His spiritual guidance encouraged him to help provide music as a focus for the Harmonic Convergence celebration. He worked with a group. They organized four celebrations at Posse Grounds over two days. Two at sunrise, two at sunset. Solara was with another group performing on Airport Mesa.

The events were oriented to lots of group singing participation. Oman organized a band of six and a choir of 20-25 to sing simple songs of the heart. In the mornings, a flow of prayers, ceremonies and songs created a time of reverence. In the evenings, there was also group participation but the event was oriented more to celebration, people sharing their creative energies.

Up to 600 people came in the evening, 400-500 people in the mornings. They were very beautiful events of the heart. People  attuned deeply into their intention for Earth to emerge into a place of harmony. There was some advertising, posters in town, fundraisers beforehand, two or three dances given to raise money for facilities. Out of town people came through word of mouth, local connections, some flyers. No national advertising was done.  A basket was passed to pay expenses.
 
 

Most of Oman's active involvement in community events occurred during the first two and a half years he was here. "I thought that I was going to be very quiet. And I was--for the first two or three months..."

One of the first people Oman met was Ani Williams. They played a little together and she introduced him to Guy who played guitar, mexican style. Guy was organizing the weekly concerts at El Rincon. Oman did a Sunday night concert there. Then he was asked to participate in a weekly concert series.  El Rincon was the other favorite hangout beside Food Among the Flowers. Everyone would be there on Fridays. He met a lot of people quickly.

Oman became involved with summer solstice celebrations in '87 and '88 at Red Rock Crossing. About 150 people came for a potluck dinner. Women picked flowers and decorated the meal space and altar. Men collected wood and made a bonfire. No permit was needed from the Forest Service in those days. They didn't interfere. There was nobody around then. The group made a circle and prayed before the meal, then celebrated with music and group singing. There was a lot of circle ceremony and movement including some dancing. This was done for two years on the Upper Red Rock Loop side.

In 1987 Oman was involved in two other things that helped to bring the community together, Dance Jams every Friday night at Sunset Inn (now Super 8), in the meeting room; also, dances at The Ridge in the VOC (Village of Oak Creek) in the aerobics room.  In 1988, Oman obtained synthesizers and began holding monthly dances at the Elks Club with original dance music. He played drums and other instruments with friends for the 100-150 people who would come. It seemed as though there was just one New Age community then, he says. You put the word out and everybody knew about it.

Every four months or so, Oman gave an individual concert, mostly at Sedona Arts Center. He would play guitar and sing original New Age songs. Mia, his wife, would present slide shows with the music using photographs, symbolic images in the background.

That first period in Sedona, Oman sees as a cycle of its own. It was a different kind of community then, smaller. There were a lot of events and gatherings. The same community of people, a family of folks, came together over and over. They were the people who had participated in the solstice ceremonies and dances. Sometimes Oman brought his synthesizer and played at parties.

In mid-1989 Oman had some personal experiences that told him he was overdoing, putting out too much energy.  He had been traveling around the country for 12 years, playing concerts, especially at Unity and Science of Mind Churches. He stopped the circuit and began to travel just when necessary for income.

From 1990 on the energy shifted. More people were coming to town. There were fewer focalized events to attend.  The New Age people divided into varied groups, some active, some quiet and less visible. Nevertheless, Oman found Sedona a nurturing space for himself after his travels.

Occasionally, Oman still participates in a big event like the very successful Autumn Solstice program that Lhesli Dove organized in 1994. He also played a concert at Unity Church in 1995 with her. Now he is more focused on recording and some traveling events.

When Ani Williams left town, it opened up a space for Oman. She had been the only performing harpist in town. Recently, Oman has been doing a lot of weddings playing harp. Lots of people come here to get married, he says.

He has reached a place in his own unfolding where he is not  looking for gatherings now other than tuning into his own community of friends. "We nurture ourselves with friendship and support," he comments. It's a change from the active kind of role he took in the past. Oman Ken plays at Muse Cafe in the evenings, Friday and Saturday.
 
 

Robin Miller is another Sedona musician with a fine reputation. He has contributed a great deal to the community and played keyboard or guitar at numerous fund raisers. When playing keyboard, he seems to be channeling the music straight from his angel guides. The music soars.

Robin's music is greatly appreciated by people all over the area. Among his most popular tapes are: In the Company of Angels, From My Heart and Transcendence. His channeled book is called Talks With Jonathan.

 

I asked Chistine Bryson, local promotional agent for Hozo Productions, to tell me about other Sedona-based performers who have become well known. She reminded me of Alexander McFee's tapes, Tom Barabas, who records for Soundings of the Planet (Sedona Suite and other favorites), Rick Schonberg, who does modern folk songs with New Age lyrics on guitar and vocal, Chris Spheeris, who records for Essence Records and is known for his CD's Culture, Pathways to Surrender, Enchantment, Claudia Tulip, flute player with the New Bedoins, a local group of three people. Claudia also plays with another group, the William Eaton Ensemble. She has made a popular recording called Migrations.