Longtime collaborators Kevin Pike and John Kotchian are joined by multi-instrumentalist David Seay on this abstract exploration of the Great Plains, past and present. The album features unique orchestration for a jazz trio, including hurdy gurdy, yak horn and musical saw combined with sax and drums. Each track title refers to a different event or aspect of life in the Great Plains: 1. The Great Gathering at the Platte About the annual Sandhill Crane migration in Nebraska where 500,000 cranes gather along the Platte river each spring Orchestration: hurdy gurdy, saxophone, bass and drums 2. Prehistoric Fish In the Great Plains, states like Nebraska and Kansas were part of the ocean in prehistoric times. Orchestration: musical saw, alto saxophone, drums 3. I-80 Interstate 80 runs across Nebraska and other states in the Great Plains Orchestration: alto sax, harmonica, bass and drums 4. The Ballad of Chief Standing Bear Native American Chief Standing Bear of the Ponca tribe played a prominent role in the history of civil rights for Native Americans. The landmark case Bear v. Crook in 1869 established that Habeus Corpus applies to all people in America regardless of race. Orchestration: didgeridoo, yak horn, bugle, saxophone, drums 5. Dust Bowl Severe drought and poor farming methods caused the Dust Bowl in the 1930's, a devastating time in depression-era Great Plains. Orchestration: alto sax, harmonica, bass, drums 6. Green Sky Powerful storms and tornadoes in the Great Plains are always preceded by a green-colored sky. Orcestration: bass, wind chimes, baritone saxophone, whirly tube, rainstick, thunder sheet, alto saxophone, drums 7. Where the Buffalo Roamed American Bison once roamed the Great Plains in huge numbers, only to reach virtual extinction in the 1890's from white settlers and hunters during the buffalo "gold rush." Orchestration: gourd ocarina, ocarina, shekere, tiple, saxophone, banjo, drums 8. Out of the Plains Orchestration: hurdy gurdy, baritone saxophone, alto saxophone, drums 9. Home Away from Home Orchestration: alto saxophone, bass, drums, chimes David Seay: hurdy gurdy, saw, harmonica, yak horn, didgeridoo, bugle, tiple, banjo, ocarina, thunder sheet, whirly tube Kevin Pike: alto sax, baritone sax, gourd ocarina, rainstick, whirly tube, wind chimes, orchestral chimes John Kotchian: drums, bass, shekere, rainstick, thunder sheet