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History of the NCFC
This page hightlights the history of the NCFC
Did you know that the Northern California Flute Circle was the second Native American Flute Circle in the world? The honors for the first organized flute circle go to the Oregon Flute Circle organized by Jim and Sherry Kuhl. NCFC owes our heritage to their vision for providing an idea to help share this wonderful instrument.
In the beginning...
In the summer of 1994, Mary Youngblood and Lew Paxton Price took a road trip to Oregon to visit the FIRST flute circle in the world - The Oregon Flute Circle, holding its second gathering (ever) that summer. There Mary and Lew met and befriended fellow flute folks like Gary and Sherrie Kuhl, Jeff and Joann Calavan, Dennis Sizemore, Scott Loomis and Sky-Walking Stick- man- alone... Lew Price gifted Mary her second and third flutes (Redwood F# & A) in what was to become a collection of well over 250 flutes! Lew Price is known for his books on the Native American flute, and his flute design computer program, in which dozens of flute makers have learned to make and tune this incredible instrument.
Mary and Lew returned to the Sacramento area in Northern California, where they both lived and formed the Northern California Flute Circle (NCFC), holding the first NCFC event a few months later in Mary's home.
Bob Bellus attended one of the NCFC events and offered to help formally organize the NCFC as Mary's recording career was taking off.
Mary Youngblood started her recording career with the release of "The Offering" in July of 1998. Mary recorded this album live at Moaning Cavern in California. Mary attended a large NCFC Flute Circle in Calistoga in the fall of 1998 where she played select songs from “The Offering”. Mike Oitzman attended this event where he met Mary and Bob.
Mike lived in Mountain View, California at the time, a 2.5 hour drive to Calistoga to attend the events organized by Bob. Bob agreed to help Mike organize a flute circle in the San Francisco Bay area. From this, the "clan" concept was born and the NCFC was organized into three clans: The Sacramento Clan, organized by Mary Youngblood, the Valley Clan, organized by Bob Bellus and the Bay Clan, organized by Mike Oitzman.
The Bay Clan is formed.
The first Bay Clan meeting was held on May 16, 1999 at the Mountain View home of Mike Oitzman. Stephanie Baldridge attended this first Bay Clan flute circle and became one of the Bay Clan regulars until she moved out of the bay area to Oregon, where she now organizes the Cascadia Flute Circle.
A Gathering of the Winds
Bob Bellus organized the first "Gathering of the Winds" in Calistoga on October 21-24, 1999. This event featured Dennis Sizemore, Scott Loomis and Bob Bellus as the instructors for a weekend retreat.
Last update: May 30, 2008
Date |
Event |
|---|---|
Summer 1994 |
Mary Youngblood and Lew Paxton Price travel to the second Oregon Flute Circle event. Come home and form the Northern California Flute Circle. |
Fall 1994 |
First NCFC flute circle event. |
July 1998 |
Mary Youngblood releases "The Offering" |
| March 6, 1999 | Bob Bellus organizes a flute circle held at the Sterling Vineyards (where Bob Bellus was the Director of Hospitality). 55 flute players from all over Northern California show up for a day of flute playing which includes a Beginners Workshop, capped by an evening concert by Mary Youngblood. Mary stays late to ensure that everyone who buys a CD gets an autographed copy. Following this event, the NCFC breaks into three clans:
|
| April 17, 1999 | Capitol Clan Flute Circle at the home of flute maker Larry Baldwin. Mary Youngblood plays. |
May 16, 1999 |
First Bay Clan flute circle in Mountain View |
| May 22, 1999 | Mary Youngblood attends Valley Clan flute circle and previews songs from upcoming release: Heart of the World. Jeff and JoAnne Calavan (Oregon Flute Store) and Wayne McCleskey (Washington Flute Circle) are in attendence. |
| July 11, 1999 | All three clans of NCFC attend a large flute circle in Golden Gate Park, in the first "All NCFC Gathering". |
July 25, 1999 |
History of the Native American Flute, Bob Bellus, Calistoga CA |
| July 27, 1999 | Mary Youngblood releases her second album "Heart of the World" |
October 21, 1999 |
Gathering of the Winds is held in Calistoga , CA . |
| Nov 6, 1999 | Mary Youngblood wins first Nammy Award for Flutist of the year |
Nov 28, 1999 |
Mary Youngblood performs a concert at San Jose City College. |
| January 2000 | NCFC Website goes live! Check out the Archive.org website for a look back at the evolution of the NCFC website over time. |
Jan 16, 2000 |
Hawk and Geri Littlejohn visit NCFC at a huge event in Calistoga , CA . This event will be Hawk's last visit to the west coast as he would transition from cancer the following December. The most memorable part of this event is Hawk telling a story of 'going to water' with his grandparents in the Cherokee language while Geri Littlejohn translates to English. Mary Youngblood plays several songs on stage at this event with Dr. Lisa Halpin keeping the beat. |
| Feb 19, 2000 | NCFC hosts Gary Stroutsos and Navajo Flute maker Paul Thompson for a weekend workshop and concert in Calistoga, CA |
| April 1, 2000 | R. Carlos Nakai visits NCFC flute circle in Calistoga CA. |
| April 7-10, 2000 | Mary Youngblood is featured presenter at a weekend retreat called "Women of the Winds". This retreat takes place in Calistoga CA. Weekend features a concert by Mary Youngblood at the caves at Clos Pegase Winery. |
| August 2001 | Dan Ricketts and Bill Netzley start a new NCFC clan in Modesto. They decide to name this new clan the Joaquin Clan. |
| Sept 2001 | The first Annual NCFC Camping Trip in Santa Cruz Mountains |
| Sept 15, 16, 2001 | Writing Your Own Music for NAF and NAF Performance and Sound Systems workshops presented by Bob Bellus. |
| Feb 5, 2002 | Mary Youngblood releases her third album: "Beneath the Raven Moon " |
| May 15, 2002 | The Bay Clan sponsors a evening with Mac Lopez and Friends at the Unity Church in Palo Alto, CA. The evening features Mac Lopez with Lee Johnson and Hawk Littlejohn's son: Red Wolf. |
| Sept 2002 | The 2nd Annual NCFC Camping Trip in Santa Cruz Mountains |
| February 2003 | Mary Youngblood's third album 'Beneath the Raven Moon', won the 2003 Grammy Award for "Best Native American Music Album". |
| May 2003 | Bob Bellus retires and prepares to move to Oregon. Bob transfers leadership of the NCFC to Mike Oitzman at a NCFC dinner prior to an R. Carlos Nakai concert in Santa Rosa. Bob gifts Mike with Bob's first flute, which now resides in Mike's collection, a symbol of the dedication and spirit which Bob Bellus provided to the NCFC during his tenure as leader. Lynn Peck takes over leadership of the Valley Clan from Bob Bellus. |
| Aug 10, 2003 | The Joaquin Clan hosts an amazing evening with Mark Holland and N Scott Robinson in Modesto. Dan Ricketts is the MC for a wonderful evening of music, and a workshop in the afternoon led by Mark Holland. |
| Sept 12-14, 2003 | The 3rd Annual NCFC Camping Trip in Santa Cruz Mountains. The weekend features a flute-making workshop, a Beginners Workshop, and a Performance workshop led by Mike Oitzman. |
| Sept 30, 2003 | Mike starts the NCFC blog with the first posting. This weblog (blog) becomes a regular communication vehicle for events and activities in the NCFC. |
| August 2004 | Frankie Sierra takes over leadership of the Bay Clan. |
| October 2004 | Valley Clan performs for the Suscol Intertribal Council's Art and Wine Auction. |
| December 2004 | Two Feathers takes over leadership of the Capital Clan. |
| January 2004 | The Sierra clan joins the NCFC family. This clan is led by Ms. Shivani Aum Datri and seves the Tuolumne, Calaveras, and Mariposa counties. |
| April 6, 2004 | Mary Youngblood releases her fourth album: "Feed the Fire". |
| Sept 17-19 , 2004 | The 4th Annual NCFC Camping Trip in Santa Cruz Mountains. Scott August joins the event and presents a workshop and an evening concert. |
| October 2005 | Valley Clan performs for the Suscol Intertribal Council's Art and Wine Auction. |
| April 2006 | LOPING WOLF (The Lake of the Pines Wood Flute 'n' Drum Circle ) joins NCFC, with Dan and Sheree DiCicco providing leadership. The Capital Clan is officially merged with the LOPING WOLF clan. |
| May 2006 | Mary Youngblood releases her 5th CD "Dance With The Wind". |
| August 2006 | NCFC Hosts the third INAFA Convention in Belmont, CA Mary Youngblood returns to Moaning Caverns for a performance. She invites various members of the NCFC to join her for backing percussion and flute. |
| October 2006 | The Valley Clan hosts Australian Didjeridoo recording artist Ash Dargan in a workshop and evening concert. Proceeds from the event go to the River School music program. Valley Clan performs for the Suscol Intertribal Council's Art and Wine Auction. |
| Dec 2006 | LOPING WOLF holds the first "Winter Gathering" at Lake of the Pines. |
| February 2007 | Mary Youngblood wins her second Grammy for "Dance With The Wind". |
| April 2007 | The NoNahme Clan holds the first "Spring Gathering" in Georgetown , CA. The event is a one day event, Scott August performs an evening concert to a packed house. |
| October 2007 | Valley Clan performs for the Suscol Intertribal Council's Art and Wine Auction. |
| October 27, 2007 | Mary Youngblood performs at the Moaning Caverns in a "Pilgrimage to Moaning Cavern". She is joined by various NCFC members on backing percussion, including David Blonski on didj. |
| December 2007 | LOPING WOLF is recognized as an official Lake of the Pines club. The 2 nd Annual Winter Gathering is held in the Lake of the Pines Club House. |
| January 2008 | The Sierra Raven Clan replaces the Sierra Clan. This clan is led by Cryss Blackwolf. Brian Revheim joins Lynn Peck as co-leader of the Valley Clan. |
| April 26-27, 2008 | The NoNahme Clan holds their 2nd Annual Spring Gathering in Georgetown CA. The event expands to a two day event together with the Nature Festival. Scott August performs an afternoon concert. |
| May 3, 2008 | Mary Youngblood presents the first Musical Retreat, hosted by the LOPING WOLF Clan. |
| May 10, 2008 | The Valley Clan hosts Scott August in a fund raising concert for the River School in Napa Valley. |
| June 7, 2008 | Mary Youngblood presents the second Musical Retreat, hosted by the LOPING WOLF Clan. |