MF: I started playing flute in 2014 at the Song School at Planet Bluegrass after taking a class called “Native American Flute: You Can Do It” from the amazing Annie Wentz.
KM: What sparked your interest in the Native American flute, and what are you hoping your music brings to the lives of listeners? The cover of the album “Touched,” by Mark “Mad Dog” Friedman, features an abstract digital painting he created. The daily images of devastation and stories of tragedy, kindness, bravery and caring provided a backdrop for the creation of this music. We were on evacuation stand-by, and then the winds calmed. My home studio - where this music spontaneously forms itself - is a little over a mile from where many of our neighbors’ homes were destroyed. Mark Friedman: My flutes are instruments of healing, deeply connected to nature and the vibrations of their surroundings. What inspired you to craft this latest release for those impacted by the tragic blaze? I understand “Touched” is a tribute to those who lost so much in the Marshall Fire. Kalene McCort: Really like the new album. We caught up with the creative to find out more about his recent release, what inspired him to pick up the Native American flute and why continuing to create art in 2020 was so important. Built around the concept of “Better living through better breathing,” the interactive sessions - that run on Tuesdays, from 2-3 p.m., through June 2 - help seniors strengthen their lungs and get more oxygen to their cells. (Charla Harvey/Courtesy photo)įriedman kicked off his popular Harmonics for Health workshop this week at Wheat Ridge Active Adult Center. Mark “Mad Dog” Friedman performs with his band The Mad Dog Blues Experience at Moe’s Original BBQ in Englewood in March 2022. While Friedman spent 20 years teaching science at Loveland High School, he still likes to step into the role of instructor. On May 22, The Peddlers of Joy will perform at The Tank Center for Sonic Arts - a seven-story historic Corten steel water tank in Rangely (Northwest Colorado) that’s known for its amazing acoustics and reverberation.
#WHAT HAPPENED TO THE HOST OF FORGED IN FIRE FREE#
During the group’s meditative free jazz, Friedman can be found playing the Native American flute and theremin - an electronic instrument created in the late-1920s. Saturday.įriedman is also a part of the trio The Peddlers of Joy (formerly The Astral Project), along with guitarist Sean Bennight and vocalist Freyja Wild. The five-piece acoustic, harmonica-driven string band will perform at Front Range Brewing Company in Lafayette at 6:15 p.m. He has produced and released eight full-length albums, one double album and two EPs since March 2020.Ī force in the local music scene, Friedman hits the stage frequently with his band Mad Dog Blues Experience. Inspired by the resilience and strength of those who lost so much in the Marshall Fire, it’s Friedman’s hope that the fresh improvisational songs will add to the healing process.įriedman has become even more inspired to create music since the start of the pandemic. “Touched” is his solo Native American flute 16-track album sure to quiet the mind and offer up a soundtrack for deep relaxation. In the weeks following the destructive blaze, Friedman retreated to his basement to do what he does best - craft songs. Under pre-evacuation notice, musician Mark “Mad Dog” Friedman kept a close eye on the Marshall Fire burning just a mile from his home in Lafayette. Music - the universal language - also acts as a balm in trying times. Mark “Mad Dog” Friedman, holds his Native American flute, during a performance with his band The Mad Dog Blues Experience at Moe’s Original BBQ in Englewood in March 2022. From moving paint across canvas to molding clay, the very act of creating can be cathartic. After tragedy strikes, creatives often head to their studios with the hope of processing their feelings through artistic outlets.