Rooted in the cultures of the Indigenous Peoples of North America, the Native American Flute has connected with people from all walks of life. With its soothing, meditative sound, the flute has become a trusted musical voice for facilitating calm, cultivating balance and inspiring self-reflection. Jenn Steege was introduced to her first Native American Flute in 2010 by an 85-year-old friend and mentor, Ethel Sickert. As Jenn is fond of saying, “The flute chose me, it was love at first breath.” Since that initial introduction to North America’s only indigenous wind instrument, playing the Native American Flute has become her passion. Drawing upon her own contemplative outlook, Jenn brings the core meditative voice of the Native American Flute into her improvisations and musical renditions. She performs throughout the Phoenix area, offering special music in a number of churches for services and events. Jenn also brings Native American flute to several services throughout the Valley as an ongoing ministry to the ecumenical spiritual community at large, using the flute to deepen the worship experience. She has over 40 flutes in her ‘flute stable’ that she selects from depending on the need of the song and type of accompanying instrumentation. Each flute has a unique voice based on the flute maker’s design, the flute body material, and other factors. Having lived in southern Arizona for over 40 years, Jenn’s playing is directly inspired by the majestic landscapes and her explorations of the Arizona deserts. For three seasons, Jenn demonstrated and played Native American Flute as a volunteer during the popular Flashlight Tours at Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix. As she played, the songs of the flute drifted through the Garden, introducing attendees to the voice of the Native American Flute, while gently reminding them that we live amongst Native American peoples, the original inhabitants of the grounds we walk on. Jenn has performed regularly at Scottsdale ArtWalk and collaborates with numerous instrumental and vocal groups throughout the Phoenix area. She gives presentations in salon settings where she demonstrates through song and conversation, with an emphasis on the responsibility of playing a deeply culturally rooted Indigenous instrument.
