Customer Reviews

Rough Guide: Native American Music

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Variety, taste, talent and education rolled into one very interesting and entertaining CD. I purchased this a while back and am so very glad that I did. There are cuts on this from all the varied directions, but if you are a purist don't let that stop you. The authenticity and variety of musical realms combined by differnt native groups is suprizing. No one here is playing to the "Native" pop fad phemomenom. They play their own music, whatever it may be. Some of which is a far cry from what you expect.From the Zuni Sunrise Song, a chant, by Chester Mahooty or Walela's, haunting women's, Cherokee Morning Song, to Without Reservation's Are You Ready for W.O.R, rap, to a polka and a Mickey Mouse chant, this albumn actually works. It says, here we are in all our colors, on this day, and it is a good day to hear our song. It reminds that the red road, like all other roads flows. Native misic, like native life is dynamic. It is not static no matter how much I want to hold onto all the old ways. We must move forward and that does not mean that I will always appreciate the contributions but I do praise the contributors for their choice of authenticity. I may not appreciate all that's here. But I have to admit, I received the kind of education I needed and gained a much better perspective of our music and our people.

Wow! This CD is a great sampling of Native American music from across North America, both contemporary and traditional. A wide range of artists, Nations and generes are included, and there is plenty here to interest almost anyone whether you already enjoy Native music or have never heard it before and want to learn more. Some things would be expected, such as the Native flute performances of Raymond Caros Nakai (Navajo and Ute) and Bill Miller (Mohican) and a traditional northern powwow song by the Blackstone Singers (Cree). Other things are quite unexpected, such as the Black Lodge Singers (Blackfeet) who do a northern style powwow version of Micke Mouse!

Theres plenty of traditional material on this CD, such as a dance of the San Juan Pueblo performed by the Garcia Brothers, a Zuni prayer chant performed by Chester Mahooty and a historic recording of Ed Lee Natay (Navajo). Natay was the first Native performer recorded on the Canyon Records label, one of the major labels in Indian music, and was familar with the music of neighboring Nations. Hence the song on this CD is Keres Pueblos, not Navajo. The most interesting traditional piece by far though is Judy Trejo (Paiute) performing a song played before the Ghost Dance. Her efforts to preserve the music of the Paiute and Shoshone are very worthwhile, and if you appreciated that track check out her CD as well.

Walela (Cherokee), Joanne Shenandoah (Oneida) and Sharon Burch (Navajo) contrast her with three contemporary vocal pieces that I found particularly beautiful and moving. Another contemporary piece has Robert Tree Cody (Maricopa and Dakota) sings in Dakota to accompany a keyboard, drum and Native flute. A couple other lesser known generes of Native music are given, such as a Church hymn in Kiowa by Cornell Pewewardy (Comanche and Kiowa) and an example of "chicken scratch", a popular polka style music of the Tohono O'odham of Arizona. Verdell Primeaux (Lakota and Ponca) and Johnny Mike (Navajo), two Roadmen of the Native American Church, perform a wonderfully haunting and emotional Peyote healing ceremony. Even more unusual is a hiphop number infused with Native activism from WithOut Rezervation (Paiute, Navajo, Cree and Tohono O'odham) and a melodic, jazz-funk piece by Burning Sky (Ute and Navajo).

This is really a fun and eye-opening CD, and the low price makes it a nice purchase for anyone interested in Native music. There are even brief linear notes, and even a discography so you can track down further CDs if theres one or two tracks you really like. Check this CD out. If you've never heard Native music before, this is really a decent introduction. And if you already enjoy American Indian music, this CD is too good a buy to pass up.

This is a great complitation of my favorite music on one CD. I like the mix, good job!

This is by no means a comprehensive overview of the music of the various Native tribes in North America - but in true Rough Guide fashion, this 18 track album proves to be incredibally varied in style. There are several traditional tracks, the oldest recording being Ed Lee Natay's haunting song, recorded in the 1950s. There are a couple of powwoww songs, a Zuni morning song, and a lot more.

There is also a lot of modern fusion, some of the most successful of which is Burning Sky, who blend native flute with flamenco-sounding guitar and the song "White Buffalo" which showcases the flute, drum and haunting melodies and language of the voice, in a modern arrangement. There are incredibly beautiful songs, like the harmonic "Healing Song," and R. Carlos Nakai's powerful solo flute. There is the anger and urgency of Without Rezervation, a group of rappers who talk about the constant subjugation Native Americans have faced since Columbus arrived.

Other modern songs are not as successful: Walela sounds too New Age for my taste, and a few other songs are too much like country music. But as far as introductions to Native music, this has to be one of the best, with its wide variety. Listen to it a few times to really understand it, and it may help give you the feeling of Native culture.