Native Intensity: From Native American Flute to Pow-Wow Songs

Saturday, September 02 2006 @ 09:24 PM EDT

Reviews By Patty-Lynne Herlevi

Peter Phippen
Shadows of Dawn (Canyon Records, 2006)

Gerald Primeaux Sr.
Voice of Dakota, Harmonized Healing Songs (Canyon Records, 2006)

Pima Express
Time Waits for No One (Canyon Records, 2006)

Northern Cree
Stay Red, Pow-Wow Songs Recorded Live At Pullman (Canyon Records, 2006)

What is authentic Native American music or do we need to even concern ourselves with such a question? Yet a package of "Native American music" arrived at my mailbox that begs to ask that question. The package contained a CD by veteran Canyon Recording artist, Peter Phippen who is not of Native American origin, but plays Native American flutes which include the wood recorder that most of us see around these days and an Anasazi flute, (Anasazi of course is the name that archeologists have called the ancient ancestors of the Pueblo Indians of the American Southwest). Peter also plays traditional flutes from other cultures. And he does know his way around these instruments almost as if he has been playing them all his lives.

Phippen's CD, Shadows of Dawn with its soothing tones can calm any foul mood. The CD falls under the new age category and possess little if any tension, meaning it scores low on the intensity scale, making this a perfect recording for spas, massage therapist and other healers. It's perfect for those that suffer from nervous tension or over-sensitivity to the world around them. With song titles such as Safe Passage and a Silent Place, I think you know where this one is heading. It might even be a wonderful balm for when you are stuck in rush-hour traffic.

As we move up the intensity scale we land on authentic harmonized healing songs which could also be called relaxing. Yankton Dakota musician, Gerald Primeaux Sr. sings both harmonized healing songs (a cappella vocals) and Peyote songs (vocals supported by gourd and water drum) on Voice of Dakota. But even this recording bears some marks of assimilation since some of the healing songs are sung in English. The remainder are sung in Dakota. However, if anyone has any doubts about Native American traditions being preserved for the next generation, they can take a listen to the last track which features 4 Peyote songs sung with gourd and water drum accompaniment. And of course, the cover of the CD is 100 % naturally Native.

As we increase the level of intensity from relaxing flute and harmonized healing songs, we work our way to Pima Express' blend of country-western, chicken scratch, cumbia and early rock n ' roll, (think early Beatles, which the group cites as an influence). The recording, Time Waits for No One tends to look back in time to a musical sound of the past, but the past of popular culture, whether that includes the Latin cumbia or the twang of early country-western music and certainly there is a bit of Roy Orbison thrown in for good measure.

You won't find any flutes or Native drums here, but you will find electric guitar and accordion, kit drum, and electric bass. The musicians led by Lloyd Brown (who handles lead vocals, lead guitar and accordion), aim to get their friends, families and colleagues to dance the night away. In other words, this is party music. The band's philosophy cite that "people with dreams need to focus on the present rather than always looking to the future." And if you need a song to help you do that, the chicken scratch tune, Dance Around Tonight should help you along your way.

If you seek Native American drums & polyphonic vocals, then slip Northern Cree's latest live recording, Stay Red into the CD player. No doubt the power drumming and soaring vocals which climb right through the roof of my intensity scale, will beg you to dance around your home. The songs are authentic Native American obviously being performed by authentic Native Americans, or First Nation people, since these musicians hail from the Canadian Cree nation.

The vocalists and drummers in this large and hearty group seem to enjoy sharing their pow-wow songs with us. Similar to Pima Express' repertoire, Northern Cree promises to shake its listeners out of complacency. Also there is nothing like a live recording to rally musicians to give their all-time best, pounding out thundering heartbeats and singing at full-lung capacity. Yeah!

And of course, you can always lower the intensity by choosing the recording to suit your mood. Will it be relaxing ethnic flute music or the pounding surf of pow-wow songs? The point I am trying to make is to not take Native American music for granted because this music resides in a vast terrain of genres and styles, ranging from 100% traditional to Native American pop, but even the assimilated music bears a Native American signature. It's the work of musicians that walk between two worlds. (And then there are non-Natives such as Peter Phippen who also walks between these worlds).

World Music Central
http://worldmusiccentral.org/article.php/20060902192415972