Robert Mirabal
Ancient cedar flute melodies meet modern rock energy and Pueblo storytelling. A deep, rhythmic connection to the land and the spirits of the Southwest.
Ancient cedar flute melodies meet modern rock energy and Pueblo storytelling. A deep, rhythmic connection to the land and the spirits of the Southwest.
Robert Mirabal creates music that feels less like a performance and more like a landscape. At its heart is the Native American flute, an instrument he crafts by hand, producing a breathy, resonant tone that seems to carry the dust and wind of the Taos Pueblo. His sound is deeply organic, rooted in the Tiwa language and traditional rhythms, yet it possesses a surprising muscularity when he incorporates electric guitars and heavy percussion.
What distinguishes Mirabal is his refusal to be confined to the 'new age' flute category. He is a 'tribal rock' innovator who blends the ceremonial with the contemporary. His songs often function as narrative vessels, carrying stories of Corn Maidens and Raven Mockers into the modern era. The production often utilizes natural reverb and spacious arrangements that mimic the acoustics of a canyon or a kiva, creating a sense of immense physical scale.
Start with 'Music From a Painted Cave' to experience his most cinematic and high-energy work, or 'Land' for a more intimate, avant-garde exploration of the relationship between sound and soil. It is music for anyone who seeks a sense of place and a reminder of the myths that still live in the earth.
Robert Mirabal is a Pueblo musician and Native American flute player and maker from Taos Pueblo, New Mexico, United States. His flutes are world-renowned and have been displayed at the Smithsonian Institution's Museum of the American Indian. An award-winning musician and leading proponent of world music, Mirabal performs worldwide, sharing flute songs, tribal rock, dance, and storytelling. Mirabal was twice named the Native American Music Awards' Artist of the Year, and received the Songwriter of the Year award three times. He was featured in Grammy Award winning album, Sacred Ground: A Tribute to Mother Earth in 2006 for Best Native American Music Album Mirabal also published a book of storytelling poetry and prose in 1994 entitled Skeletons of a Bridge and is currently writing a second book, Running Alone in Photographs. Aside from his artistic talents, Mirabal is a father and a farmer, living in Taos Pueblo and participating in the traditional ways and rituals of his people.
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