Customer Reviews

Navajo Songs

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This is another cd I got for Christmas of 2000 that I'm just now getting around to reviewing. I don't really have a lot to say about this cd other than it really relaxes me. That may sound bad but I don't mean it to. I do not mean it's relaxing in the same sort of way that a Kenny G. fan says his fluff-music is relaxing simply because it's so bland that it's impossible to stay awake during. What I mean is, each song (or group of songs on one track) on this cd has it's own constancy of rhythm. Each song is a repeating, slow to mid-tempo rhythmic pattern that has an affect on me that I can only compare to resting your head on someones chest and being lulled into serenity by the rhythm of their heartbeat.

Aside from some accompaniment by a drum or rattless, this is entirely vocal music. The melodies and rhythms are created by the human voice (usually a chorus of 2 or more males). This is a cd of field recordings made in the 1930s and '40s so no, you should not expect the digital clarity of something recorded last year. For me though, when it comes to certain Indigenous musics, that is a plus. These are old songs, old rhythms, being made by voices (and cultures) that have largely been silenced by the ravages of "modern times" and Western culture. The crackles and pops only help to make the mind wander back in time to when this music was made. You can almost envision the few remaining elders sitting nearby as these songs were recorded, listening to these songs and remembering their youth. Remembering their parents who told them stories of what life was like before the white men made their way across the land and changed everything forever.

What a great blessing it is to have these recordings, made by music hunter Laura Bolton (1899-1980), who spent her life collecting and capturing on 78 RPM equipment this Navajo music, with its repetitive melodic lines and powerful, meditative chants up until her 80th year.
These recordings were all done in the months of August and September, the first 13 tracks in 1940 in Arizona or New Mexico, and the final six, which also include spoken parts, are from 1933 and are of Pablo and Frank Huerito at the Chicago Century of Progress Exposition. All the music is primarily vocal, with some percussive instruments included.

The transfer and remastering from 78s to disc is remarkable, and though the sound varies from track to track a little, it is much better than one could ever imagine considering the origin of these "in the field" recordings and their age.
The booklet insert contains history of the music and an explanation of each individual piece, recording info, and brief bios of the people involved who have made it possible for this music to be accessible to all through this CD.
I have enjoyed listening to this haunting music, which has a special beauty recognized by the spirit, more than I thought possible.
Total playing time is 47'47.

For those of you who don't know, out of due respect most of these songs on this album are only listened to in the winter months. Thank you.

"For those of you who don't know, out of due respect most of these songs on this album are only listened to in the winter months. Thank you."

No, thank *you* for pointing this out for those who do not know tradition. It is important that such knowledge be shared and there should never be any apologetic tone when delivering such knowledge.

This album has a few songs from Ed Lee Natay (see my review of his album) that are not available anywhere else that I have seen. It has a good mix of artists with different styles. Not quite the caliber of Ed Lee Natay alone, but still worth your money.