Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Native North America (NACC Season Launch)






















NATIVE NORTH AMERICA
  
Opening the season with aboriginal folk, rock, and country


Native North America (Vol. 1): Aboriginal Folk, Rock, and Country 1966-1985 (NNA V1) is an archival music collection featuring 23 trailblazing First Nations, Métis and Inuit artists and groups. Released to international acclaim in November, 2014, NNA V1 has been profiled by CBC, NPR, The Guardian and Rolling Stone who ranked the album #12 in its list of the 40 Best Country Albums of 2014. Musically, the compilation showcases a selection of dynamic Indigenous talent that combines personal, community, spiritual, political and environmental thoughts, feelings and concerns with the global pop explosion of the time. The stories behind the songs are equally moving. In celebration of this decisive, yet still pertinent era, NACC is thrilled to present NNA V1’s Willie Thrasher, with partner Linda Saddleback, and John Angaiak for an evening of music, stories and images. NNA V1 producer Kevin Howes will also present a slide show of images documenting some of the lost treasures from this remarkable compilation.


Born in Aklavik, NWT, Willie Thrasher has been performing since the 1960s, initially as a drummer for early northern rock group the Cordells and then on his own across Canada and the USA. Based in Nanaimo, BC, Thrasher now performs alongside his partner, Linda Saddleback.


John Angaiak is a Yup’ik singer-songwriter born in Nightmute, Alaska. He began playing guitar at a young age before enlisting in the U.S. Armed Forces. Upon return from service in Vietnam, John attended the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, where he became active in Native language preservation as part of the Eskimo Language Workshop. In 1971 he released the full-length album I’m Lost in the City, which helped transform the once oral traditions of the Yup’ik language into writing.

Kevin “Sipreano” Howes is a Canadian music historian, producer, artist, DJ and record collector based out of Vancouver, BC. For the last 12 years he has worked in collaboration with Seattle/Los Angeles-based Light in the Attic Records.


Show is approximately 90-mins in length, with a 15-min intermission.

Re-post from http://www.naccnt.ca/events/nacc-season-shows/native-north-america-season-launch

another day

the dreams came early last night...
while i was still on the couch.
there was a clash and then i woke,
only to return to bed.
the sheets are still bright.
it's 7:31 and i feel alright.
here's to the start of another day!

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

NNA TNT in WPG + WD RIP




















I've just learned that it's been 2 years to the day that singer songwriter Willie Dunn passed away. It was a massive privilege to have met him and to help share his music through the Native North America (Vol. 1) compilation on Light In The Attic Records. Tonight, we'll be honouring Willie's legacy w/ a screening of his National Film Board of Canada produced The Other Side of the Ledger: An Indian View of the Hudson's Bay Company (1972, co-directed by Martin Defalco). Joining us for the evening will be Shingoose (Curtis Jonnie) and David McLeod from NCI FM - The Spirit of Manitoba for a special Q&A. We will also be screening Duke Redbird's The Paradox of Norval Morrisseau (co-directed by Henning Jacobsen and featuring Shingoose). Please join us at Winnipeg's Plug In Institute of Contemporary Art for an celebration of music, art, film, discussion, and culture... PEACE

Monday, August 3, 2015

Album aims to give Indigenous trailblazers overdue recognition (Globe and Mail re-post)


























Laura Beeston
The success of Native North America (Vol. 1), a seminal compilation of nearly lost aboriginal folk, rock and country music from 1966-85, is being celebrated Aug. 5 at Winnipeg’s Plug In Institute of Contemporary Art. Album curator Kevin Howes, a Vancouver-based record archeologist, curator and DJ renowned for uncovering undocumented Canadian music history, is taking part in a discussion alongside indigenous singer-songwriter Shingoose. The event will also feature screenings of the documentaries The Paradox of Norval Morrisseau and The Other Side of the Ledger, the latter a critical examination of Hudson’s Bay Co.’s treatment of aboriginal peoples. “I think it will symbolically be an interesting and dynamic evening,” Howes says, noting that it’s taking place on the roof of the gallery, which has a direct view of HBC’s flagship store on Portage Avenue. “The relevancy of the messages in these songs, with their substance, depth, culture and soul [are] still very timely today,” he continues. “It’s resonating with people because so little has changed … and because there is a desire to appreciate, preserve and share this culture.” The compilation, issued by Seattle’s Light in the Attic Records, was long-listed for the 2015 Polaris Prize and aims to give Canada’s indigenous trailblazers some long-overdue recognition. It has proved popular – the album is going through its second print run.

*Re-post from http://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/music/album-aims-to-give-indigenous-trailblazers-overdue-recognition/article25803130/