Butterfly Moon by Laughing Fox

Tales of Laughing Fox
was supported by New Music USA’s Creator Development Fund in 2022-23. newmusic.org

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Butterfly Moon

Self taught Native American Flute Player Michael (Laughing Fox) Charette, a member of the
Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe is an acclaimed storyteller, poet, and musician.
In creating Butterfly Moon, Michael teamed up with Los Angeles based composer Severin Behnen.
The Ojibwe Flute, Latin, Korean, and American sounds came together to create a unique and enjoyable musical collection.

Severin Behnen, Music Director for Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua, shared his musical knowledge, and Michael shared knowledge of the Anishinaabe culture.
In the summer of 2021, they created Anishinaabe Dabijimowen: An Ojibwe Story, a multi-cultural performance that brought Indigenous and Non-Indigenous musicians together in the Chequamegon Bay area, Bayfield Wisconsin.

After the show they continued collaborating gradually creating content and involving the talents of recording engineer and producer Julio Montero (Radiant Movement) New York. www.cunaomusic.com

We sought out funding through “newmusicusa.org” (newmusiccreatorsfund.org)
where we would eventually receive a grant to help with the cost of production and additional musicians that included:

Ed Willet, Cello & Guitar
Ik-soo Heo, Komungo
Isaac “El Rabioso” Rodriguez, Percussion

With the help of these musicians we were able to carry on a musical conversation that included diverse backgrounds and countries as far as South Korea and Puerto Rico.
The mastering was done by Red Cliff Tribal Member Jessica Klaar, (MadHatterFilmsCo.)
Talented artist Ryan Jennson also a Red Cliff Tribal member designed the album cover.
Micheal traveled to the Twin Cities to work with Alex Petterson on the design of the album preparing it for production.
Once upon completion the Album would be used in another Big Top production called the 7 grandfather teachings.

Music is medicine,

The flute is an old instrument, some say dating back 60,000 years ago. It speaks to our DNA, Michael will tell you first hand about the medicine of the flute and how it’s voice affects people.

“People would walk by and the flute would slow them down. They would listen. After the song they would say things like,
“I was having a bad day but after hearing that music I feel better.” This inspired me to keep going, to keep learning, to keep playing. If it wasn’t for that positive support I don’t know where I’d be.
I’d play at airports and it didn’t matter where the people were from or what language they spoke, the flute spoke them and they slowed down for a moment just a moment… “ (Michael)

Butterfly Moon is a recording that helps push the boundaries of what we know as a fusion of Indigenous and Western-style musics,
creating a formula for combining Native American music with other types of music, helping to bridge that cultural gap, creating musical opportunities for fellow artists, musicians, and storytellers.
Stories from the people, told by the people, is one way that can connect us all,
encouraging and promoting Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples,
inspiring each other to work together, using our gifts and recognizing the gifts in others. 

We hope you enjoy this Musical Collaboration.

Artist Bios

Julio Montero-Radiant Movement
Julio is a musician and songwriter currently in New Jersey. Born in Ecuador and raised in NYC, he also lived in Los Angeles for over a decade where he led the Latin fold group Cunao. He has written music for dance, short films and theater as well as performing live. Currently, he spends time collaborating as a podcast composer and editor.

Ed Willett-willetthousemusic.com
Creator of the Chance ensemble
Founded by cellist Ed Willett and vocalist Cheryl Leah, they coalesced in Los Angeles California, a coming together of two musicians with wildly diverse backgrounds.  One of the few regularly concertizing voice and cello duos in the world, theirs is a truly rare and exciting musical experiment.  Their work is intricate, strong, and undiluted.  In recent years they've toured much of the U.S. as well as in Scotland with their original program entitled "John Muir - University of the Wilderness", a program which has enjoyed more than 70 performances.

“In my many years of training with the finest cello teachers in Los Angeles and performing in a few of the great orchestras there, I gained a deep respect for the power of classical music.  No matter the occasion, the melodic strains of the greats wafting through your event will add an undeniable charm and grace.”- Ed

Isaac “El Rabioso” Rodríguez is a multi-instrumentalist born and raised in Puerto Rico, who discovered his passion for music at a very early age. The Music has taken him to many stages around Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, México, Colombia, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras, and many States of the American Nation. Isaac has worked on countless projects and recordings, comprising multiple musical genres, but especially: Nova-Trova, World Music, Latin and Folk. Besides many local artists from every place he has lived, he has also worked with renown artists like: Wisin & Yandel, Carlos Baute, Vicente García, Bersuit Vergarabat, Shadmehr Aghili, Sie7e, Yaire, and El Twanguero. https://www.instagram.com/isaxito/

Ik-soo Heo, Komungo
South Korea

Jessica Klaar
A 2023 graduate of Los Angeles Film School. She received her Bachelor of Science in Music Production with concentrations in audio quality, audio engineering, sound design, mixing and mastering. At her Northern-most, off grid, cabin in the woods studio, Mad Hatter Films Co (MHFC), she has submerged herself into creating unique and original sounds and musical scores to further enhance the visual media of today.

Ryan Jensen
Album Cover Artist
Ashland Bay area, born & raised, Ryan has had a lifetime of art! Starting drawing at 3 yrs old sitting around waiting rooms in hospitals. Started to place at 4-H county fairs with 1st place entries by 12 yrs old.
Drawing several tattoo designs, posters, prints. Winning T-shirt contests, 2 album covers, several handbills for local bands over the past 3 decades.

“I have been told I have a talent that allows me to see into the 4th dimension and I am able to make things look like they are alive, capturing the eye & the imagination while the subject jumps off the paper at you..
If I can see it? I can redraw it almost exactly like the way it is, only bigger or smaller in size.
My nickname when I was a teenager in art circles was Young Rembrandt due to my ability to draw almost anything. I was challenged to develop my abilities when at a young & encouraged to grow them over time.
I met many others in the art world due to my 4-H involvement when I was young where I made lifelong friendships. Met many talented people over time & shared my own talents with them.” (Ryan)


Dr. Severin Behnen
Severin Behnen takes an eclectic approach to music making - from composing and performing for theatrical productions to working with jazz, folk, and bluegrass groups, classical and new music ensembles. Between 1990 and 2000 he served as composer, musical director, and performer in numerous theatrical productions at In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre in Minneapolis. Between 2000 and 2003 he traveled with the company to South Korea collaborating with both Korean and Iraqi performers as part of the Guacheon Theater Festival. In 2003 his compositions Make the Center Glow for chamber orchestra and Brilliant Leaves, which employed a computer animated score, were selected for the opening of the RedCat Theater in Disney Hall in Los Angeles. In 2004 he composed and performed in Bari Gongju, a Korean mask and puppet play premiered at the Korean Cultural Center in Los Angeles. He served as composer and performer with Automota Theater in a 2005 screening of Magical Projections: A Screening of Early Trick Films and in the 2006 toy theater production of Frankenstein, Mortal Toys. In 2007 Frankenstein was remounted in Los Angeles at the Panorama Theater and in New York City at the HERE Arts Center. In 2008 he worked with One Grain of Sand Theater on their production of Ironman at Manual Archives in Los Angeles and On the Pulse of Morning at Disney Hall’s Toy Theater Festival in Los Angeles. He continues to work regularly with One Grain of Sand Theater. In October of 2010 Dr. Behnen composed and co-directed music for the opening ceremonies of the Guacheon Theater Festival in South Korea. In 2012-15 he returned to South Korea to collaborate with komungo player, Ik-soo Heo on pieces for komungo with various instruments, including orchestra. Mr. Heo again collaborated with Mr. Behnen again in 2018 with concert at the Korean Cultural Center in Los Angeles. His orchestral composition The Raven Diverts the River was performed by the Los Angeles Valley College Orchestra in the Spring of 2019. His oratorio for chorus and orchestra The Messiah was performed by the Arrowhead Choral in Duluth, Minnesota in the Spring of 2022.
Mr. Behnen received his Ph.D. in Music Composition from UCLA in 2008 developing and testing various types of musical notation in an interactive motion graphics environment. He has performed with and composed for various musical ensembles including Tango Nuevo, Laberinto performing original jazz compositions; the middle-Eastern ensemble, Saffron Parade; and most recently with the progressive Latin folk group, Cuñao. He teaches music theory at Los Angeles Valley College and Pierce College in Los Angeles. In summers he works with Big Top Chautauqua in Bayfield, WI.


Butterfly Moon

Musicians,

Michael Laughing Fox Charette, Bibigwan Ojibwe Flute
Ed Willett, Guitar and Cello
Severin Behnen, Keyboards, Melodica and Accordion
Ik-soo Heo, Komungo
Isaac “El Rabioso” Rodriguez, Percussion

Engineered by Julio Montero at Radiant Movement
Mastered by Jessica Klaar at Mad Hatter Films Co
Cover Art, Ryan Jensen
Photo by Alex Thor Petterson

All songs written and produced by Baapi Waagosh, (Laughing Fox) and Severin Behnen

Songs

Butterfly Moon

Heart Shaped Leaf
Moccasins in the Snow
Butterfly Moon
Shadow of a Butterfly
Ogimaa Bizhiki (Chief Buffalos Journey)
Spirit Traveler
Wind Dancer
Dreamers Wings
Seasons
Eclipse of the Flower Moon
Leaf on the Stream

Michael Charette, Native American Flute Musician, a member of the Red Cliff band of Lake Superior Ojibwe. Also known by the name Baapi Waagosh, meaning "Laughing Fox" in the Anishinaabe language. Growing up on the shores of Gitchi Gami (Lake Superior WI USA), Inspired by her beauty.
Tales of Laughing Fox is a Musical Journey of assortments of flutes and stories.

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