As the most successful Native American release of all time—it went platinum in 2014—1989’s Canyon Trilogy was actually not very traditional . . . and it was entirely improvised. Nakai’s cedar flute meanders, seemingly unconcerned with structure, calling and responding to itself to create a peaceful, haunting sound that’s felt as much as it’s heard. Behind the scenes, engineers were hard at work, perfecting the reverb and delay effects that give the impression we’re hearing the music in its native habitat: a northern Arizona canyon.