Prodigy shows what could be

Suzie Harrison

He loves to skateboard, surf, hang out with his friends and listen to

Sublime and Limp Bizkit. He may sound like an average 10-year-old

boy, but what he’s accomplished in the world of music sets him apart.

Last month Evren Ozan, a Native American flute prodigy, came out

with his second album, “As Things Could Be.” This weekend it will be

played locally on KSBR-FM radio, as the featured album on its morning

program with national distribution in the works.

Evren first picked up the Native American flute on a trip

cross-country during a stop at the Grand Canyon; he spent his

allowance on one.

“I didn’t know I knew how to play,” Evren said. “I just started

playing it.”

His first album “Images of Winter” was recorded when he was 7, and

released when he was 8. He started recording his current album at 9.

“The first one is more mellow, consistently mellow and this one is

more moody with upbeat songs and slow songs,” Evren said. “It has a

broader range there’s more instruments.”

His mother, Faith Ozan, agreed with Evren and said that what is

unique is that a lot of the instruments, such as the Native American

flute and didgeridoo, aren’t used in a traditional way.

Included on “As Things Could Be” is the band 35th Parallel and

Graham Wiggins, who is known as Dr. Didg. Evren came in contact with

Dr. Didg through LA Outback who has been supportive of Evren’s work.

Mac Ritchey, who is Evren’s producer and part of 35th Parallel.

“When I go into the studio it really depends -- I don’t write

before the arrangement, I have an idea going in, and I see what that

sounds like,” Evren said. “I might say let’s do this or add this

until it becomes a song.”

Evren has performed around the country with more than 50

performances last year from classrooms, to benefits to concerts.

He has been awarded the 2001 “Rising Star” from the Native

American Music Awards, the 2002 Spirit Wind Records “Excellence in

Music” award and the 2003 “Silver Arrow Award” by Spirit Wind

Records. Of those awards, winning at the Native American Music Awards

stands out the most.

“It was the hardest performance because it was so important to

perform well at the Native American Music Awards,” Evren said.

Other highlights this year include recording a winter solstice

album with Peter Kater, which will be released before Christmas and

he has been invited twice to play at the Native American Music

Festival, playing for his second time this summer.

Evren also composed part of the soundtrack for the independent

film “Respect,” a winner at the Western Film Festival.

This summer he has a busy performance schedule. In Laguna, he’ll

be playing at the Cancer Survivor Walk at Laguna Beach High School on

June 28, the Didgeridoo Festival in Joshua Tree, the San Juan

Capistrano Multicultural Series and the Irvine Multicultural

Festival.

“It’s fun, it’s fun to play and cool afterward, when people are

really happy,” Evren said. “That’s what I’m trying to do.”