Saturday, July 27, 2013

Artist Spotlight: Ulali (with MUSIC VIDEO)

Bringing together three diverse artists, Ulali has claimed a unique space in contemporary American music. Often described as a Native American musical group, Ulali's work also bears strong elements of bluegrass, jazz, soul, and folk. Demonstrating its versatility, the group has worked with Robbie Robertson, the Indigo Girls, and Rita Coolidge, in addition to providing vocals for the soundtrack to the television documentary, The Native Americans, and tracks to the movie, Smoke Signals. Its live shows include appearances at the revived Woodstock Music Festival in 1994, the Atlanta Summer Olympic Games in 1996, and the Salt Lake City Winter Olympic Games in 2002. In between, Ulali has made numerous international appearances and has crossed North America doing shows at Native American cultural centers, commercial theaters, and college campuses. Through it all, pride in Native American traditions and their impact on American culture has been a recurring theme. As founder Pura Fé explained on Heartbeat: Voices of First Nations Women when introducing her song, Going Home: "Back a long time ago, back in those days when the settlers came in, they lived among the [Native American] peoples. They brought other peoples back. We worked together in the fields. Some of us left. Some of us ran and hid in swamplands and the hills. Many peoples were amongst us. We weren't only one kind. We sang when we worked together. And that's the birth of the blues."

Music was a dominant influence on Pura Fé's family, which had ties to legendary jazz musician Thelonius Monk. "Singing's our family tradition," she told the Toronto Sun. "We have several generations of singers on my mom's side. Each generation sang different styles of music. My grandma sang a lot of gospel and blues, but she also sang a lot of rattle songs. And my mom and her sisters sang opera." Despite the family tradition, Pura Fé did not initially pursue a career in music; instead, she studied dance and choreography at the American Ballet Theater and with the Martha Graham Dance Troupe. She later won numerous prizes in Native American dance competitions held by the Mohawk, Tuscarora, and Mashantucket Pequot tribes.

After appearing as a singer with the Mercer Ellington Orchestra, Pura Fé brought together a group of Native American women to perform traditional and original compositions of Native music with contemporary influences. One member of the new group, Soni Moreno, would follow Pura Fé into Ulali in 1987. Moreno—with roots in the Aztec, Maya, and Yaqui nations—came from a theater background. After training at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco in the 1970s, Moreno appeared in the musical Hair, and also made stage appearances on Broadway and throughout Europe while taking up a side career as a singer of commercials and with various country-and-western groups.

When Pura Fé and Moreno decided to form Ulali,  they recruited Pura Fé's cousin, Jennifer Elizabeth Kreisberg, as its third member. Like Pura Fé, Kreisberg traced her ancestry to the Tuscarora nation. At the time she joined Ulali,  she was studying music at a Connecticut women's college and performing with the Full Circle Drum Society of Quinnentucket. The group chose the name Ulali from the Tutelo word that referred to the wood thrush, a song bird; the name was also bestowed on a woman with a beautiful voice in the Tuscarora culture. The group presents itself as a "First Nations" rather than Native American group. As members explain on their website: "We do not call ourselves 'Native American' because our blood and people were here long before this land was called the Americas. We are older than America can ever be and do not know the borders. Our Brothers and Sisters run North to South and into and under the waters for miles and years back."

The formation of Ulali marked an upswing in interest in indigenous folk music in the Americas. The group appeared on the soundtrack for the Turner Network Television's The Native Americans, in 1994, joining Robbie Robertson, a former member of the Band and a Mohawk descendant himself. The popular series and Robertson's soundtrack marked a turning point for the genre. As Native American Music Association president, Eileen Bello, told the Orange County Register, "No one knew about [Robertson's] Indian heritage until that recording. He was pivotal in launching the movement. While a lot of artists were doing the same kind of work at the same time, Robertson had more mainstream success." Indeed, between 1994 and 2000, the number of Native American releases grew by almost three times its previous level, and in 2001 a new category made its Grammy Awards debut: Best Native American Music Album.


 
In 1995 and 1996 Ulali contributed tracks to two collections of Native American music; in 1997 it released its own full-length album, Mahk Jchi, on Thrush Records. The album is a hard-to-categorize mix of traditional Indian styles and contemporary influences from the fields of jazz, blues, bluegrass, soul, and country and western. The group heightened its popular-culture profile when it appeared on the soundtrack for the critically acclaimed 1998 comedy film Smoke Signals. Capping off a productive period, Ulali's vocals featured prominently on the Indigo Girls' 1997 album Shaming the Sun, and provided background vocals for 1997's Lessons from the Animal People, an album recorded by Lakota and Kiowa Apache story teller Dovie Thomason.

Ulali's genre-mixing goes beyond blending contemporary and traditional musical styles. Building on its members' diverse ancestral ties, the group invokes Native American forms from tribes throughout the Americas. Some songs feature dance rhythms from the Cherokee and Tuscarora of the southeastern United States, while others draw on vocal patterns of the Plains tribes from the north-central part of the country. Still others invoke African and Spanish influences. Pura Fé believes it especially important to stress the musical continuities in different musical forms. "If you listen to extremely early blues and gospel recordings, you'll hear Indian music," she told the Toronto Sun. "We've contributed a lot to those genres." She added, "If you look at the background of people who call themselves African Americans, you'll find they have Indian roots. They carry a lot of Native history with them."

In addition to their performing duties, the three members of Ulali have remained active as educators. Kreisberg helped to found a Native American Scholarship Fund at Virginia's Lynchburg College. Moreno has been a longtime board member of New York City's American Indian Community House and assisted with the planning for the Smithsonian Institute's National Museum of the American Indian. Pura Fé has continued to work as an instructor at Toronto's Native Theatre School while doing workshops all around North America as a solo artist and with Ulali.  The group was honored with the Eagle Spirit Award at the 25th Annual American Indian Film Festival in 2000, and its video, Follow Your Heart's Desire, won an award for Best Video at the event.

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Artist Spotlight: Dark Water Rising (with MUSIC VIDEO)

Being a semi-finalist on Idol is a huge accomplishment, but where does an artist go from there? For many, post-Idol fame hasn't been much of a reality. So how does an artist bounce back after all the fame and attention? For some, like the gifted Charly Lowry, you must continue to have faith in your abilities, be willing to start from scratch, and grind your way back to the top. Being a successful artist/band in this business is no easy task—not only do you need to be talented musically, but you also need the motivation and mindset.

Today, Charly Lowry is the lead singer in the band, Dark Water Rising—a band she helped form back in 2008. The band has certainly come a long way from their humble beginnings. "Humble" in this sense isn't an understatement. The other members in the band basically picked up and learned how to play their chosen instruments as soon as the idea of forming a band became a reality. And just a few short years later, they all now play multiple instruments and have become even more confident in their abilities as musicians. There is always more room to improve as a band. It's what motivates you to become better as an artist.

The band's name, Dark Water Rising  originates from the home of its members, tapping into their Lumbee identity. The dark waters of the swamps are teeming with sounds of nature and original, beautiful music—music deftly captured in the sounds of this award-winning, Native American group hailing from Robeson County, in Southeastern North Carolina. The group—comprised of Charly Lowry (lead singer/rhythm guitar), Aaron Locklear (keys/guitar/bass), Corey Locklear (lead guitar), Shay Jones (drums), and Tony Murnahan (bass)—continues to grow and amaze audiences each time they perform. They are constantly developing their sound, song writing, and instrumentation. This is a band that possesses the talent, motivation, and mindsets to be major players in an industry over-saturated with wanna-be performers.

Lyrically, Dark Water Rising explores all themes of life, whether it is love, heartbreak, sacrifice, celebration, despair, or pain; all the while expressing their sentiment on issues affecting Native American communities. Dark Water Rising coined the genre of their music as "Rocky Soul,” which is about as original as the songs that they masterfully create.

DWR's most recent album, Grace & Grit: Chapter I, is just as engaging and intimate as watching one of their live performances. Dark Water Rising has garnered considerable radio airplay on college radio and stations throughout Indian country, appeared on both NPR's "The Story with Dick Gordon" and "The State of Things," and has earned a Native American Music Award for "Debut Duo or Group of the Year" in 2010. In 2011 they gained two nominations in the Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Award,  Single of the Year for their song, Hooked, and Best Folk/Acoustic CD for their eponymously-titled debut album, Dark Water Rising.

They are currently nominated for an Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Award, once again.  Grace & Grit: Chapter I is one of five up for the Award for Best Rock CD.  Don't forget to vote for them before July 26th—it takes less than a minute, and you can do so by visiting http://aboriginalpeopleschoice.com/sign-up/.

In the meantime, enjoy an awesome video of My Fun, one of the tracks featured on Grace & Grit: Chapter I.

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

VOTE NOW—Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards


For us at Native Pulse, it's Music and Entertainment—and what better way to showcase Native Talent than an Award Show.  The Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards, which will air on Sunday, August 18th on Aboriginal Peoples Television Network, showcases top Aboriginal Artists from both Canada and the United States.

Similar to the Grammys, Artists are nominated for awards in several categories ranging from contemporary to traditional, rock to gospel, and everything in between.  Voting is currently still open, and they've just extended the poll-closing date to July 26th!

To make your voting easier, below you'll find a list of the Artists, separated into the categories for which they are nominated...

Shawty Do the Rain Dance! Mike Bone Wows America's Got Talent Judges.



Shawty Do the Rain Dance! Mike Bone Wows America's Got Talent Judges
ICTMN Staff
July 15, 2013


Howard Stern was skeptical of Mike Bone when the diminutive hip hop duo took the stage onAmerica's Got Talent. "I was not expecting to sit here and enjoy this," he admitted to them after hearing their original composition, "Rain Dance." But he admits he was converted, telling them "You guys did a really credible job."

Rapping brothers Lil Mike and Funny Bone, Pawnee/Choctaw, charmed the other three judges -- Mel B of Spice Girls fame, Heidi Klum, and Howie Mandel -- and in so doing booked a pair of tickets to Las Vegas for the next phase of the show, which begins tomorrow night on NBC. We don't know whether they're flying first class or coach, but legroom will not be an issue: Each of them stands 4'4" tall.

Check out their performance of "Do the Rain Dance" -- which some YouTube listeners are calling "the next 'Gangnam Style'."

Read more at http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2013/07/15/shawty-do-rain-dance-mike-bone-wows-americas-got-talent-judges-150423


Saturday, July 13, 2013

Artist Spotlight: A Tribe Called Red (with Music Video)


Bursting forth from Canada’s capital, native Producer and DJ crew A Tribe Called Red is making an impact on the global electronic scene with a truly unique sound.

Bursting forth from Canada’s capital, native Producer/DJ crew A Tribe Called Red is producing a truly unique sound that’s impacting the global electronic scene and urban club culture. Since 2010 the group – made up of two-time Canadian DMC Champion DJ Shub, DJ NDN and DJ Bear Witness – has been mixing traditional pow wow vocals and drumming with cutting-edge electronic music. Their self-titled album, released in March 2012, was long-listed for Canada’s prestigious Polaris Music Prize and included in the Washington Post’s top 10 albums of the year. In a sense, ATCR's music is the soundtrack to a contemporary evolutionof the pow wow: their Electric Pow Wow events in Ottawa showcase native talent and aboriginal culture, alongside an open, wild party. Within a couple of years they’ve become the face of an urban Native youth renaissance, championing their heritage and speaking out on aboriginal issues, while being on top of popular music, fashion and art. DJ Bear Witness doubles as the crew’s visual artist and creates stunning, political and sometimes humorous videos that incorporate film and pop culture references to native people and reclaim the aboriginal image. On May 7, A Tribe Called Red will release their second full-length album, Nation II Nation.


Friday, July 12, 2013

Jedis and Indians—'Navajo' Star Wars Premieres in Window Rock, Arizona

"The movie Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope may be more than 35 years old, but it got a new life July 3 when a version dubbed into the Navajo (or Diné) language premiered in Window Rock, Arizona. "Navajo Star Wars," as it's been called, was a partnership between Lucasfilm and the Navajo people, and is part of the effort to get current and future generations interested in the Navajo language."
                                           -ICTMN


Thursday, July 11, 2013

Owner of Wounded Knee Eager to Sell to Johnny Depp


Johnny Depp, the actor who portrayed Tonto in Disney’s Lone Ranger re-boot, expresses a desire to buy the site of Wounded Knee and return it to the Oglala Sioux Tribe. While landowner, James Czywczynski, and tribal president, Bryan Brewer, say the purchase would be a noble gesture, neither have heard from Depp. Read more at https://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2013/07/10/owner-wounded-knee-eager-sell-johnny-depp-150365

2008 NCI JAM - Angus Jourdain - Warriors (Music Video)



Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Artist Spotlight: Jana Mashonee (Lumbee/Tuscarora)


Jana Mashonee is a singer, songwriter, actress, author and philanthropist. She is Lumbee and Tuscarora, originally from Robeson County, North Carolina, currently residing in New York City. She is currently releasing her music through Miss Molly Records available on iTunes and Amazon.

First signed to Curb Records, her single, Ooh, Baby, Baby was picked as Billboard’s single of the week and went on to become a radio and sales success. More than Life followed, selling over a million copies on its own and as part of numerous compilation albums. A controversial version of Led Zeppelin’s epic Stairway to Heaven, came next, earning her the honor of being the first Native American to top the Billboard dance charts.

Exploring her cultural roots, Jana then released American Indian Story, a concept album that garnered her a second Grammy nomination. The video for the single, The Enlightened Time, won awards at film festivals around the world as well as a Nammy for Best Short Form Music Video. Music from the album is featured on the Discovery Channel’s series, Flying Wild Alaska.

Her first book, American Indian Story–The Adventures of Sha’kona, based on the Grammy nominated album of the same was also recently completed. The fantasy filled mystery-adventure young adult novel is the uplifting story of the young heroine, Sha’kona, and her journey of self-discovery and courage.

Jana continued to pay tribute to her heritage with American Indian Christmas, featuring ten classic Christmas songs sung in ten different Native American languages accompanied by a full orchestra and traditional Native American instruments. A critical and commercial success, the album won her another Nammy award. On December 16, 2011 she featured some of these songs in an emotional and intimate performance at Carnegie Hall in New York.

New Moon Born took Jana in a new direction, steeped in R&B and gospel roots, which brought her back to mainstream attention. She debuted the featured track, an emotional cover of Sam Cooke’s classic, A Change Is Gonna Come, at the American Indian Inaugural Ball for President Obama. This was her second performance for a First Family. A year earlier she sang at the First Lady’s Luncheon for Laura Bush. The song went on to win her an eighth Nammy for Song of the Year and the video took the Best Music Video prizes at the Indie Film Festival and at the American Indian Film Festival.

Jana's tour schedule has brought her to forty nine of the fifty states as well as overseas. Her Jana’s Kids Foundation has been helping Native youth through its programs and scholarship offerings for almost as long as she has been an artist. In recognition of her efforts, Jana was named 2011 Woman of the Year by "yearofthewoman2011.com" for her philanthropic work. Her philanthropic work extends also to supporting charities such as The Golden Hat Foundation for autism, founded by Kate Winslet. Jana performed with Sarah McLachlan, Lorenna McKennitt among other stars to support this charity cause at Carnegie Hall in December 2012.

Jana is also an actress. In March 2013, Jana stars in Raptor Ranch, which will debut at the Israel Film Festival.


You can discover more about Jana Mashonee by visiting her website www.JanaMashonee.com

Welcome to Native Pulse... "The Heartbeat of Native American Entertainment"

As a child, I was lucky enough to grow up in a household and family full of musicians and music lovers alike. It was wonderful. Music and the Arts were second nature to me, and it wasn't until I got older that I realized not all families were like mine. As I progressed in my music education, I was fortunate enough to attend the Interlochen Arts Academy, where everyone around me loved and understood the Arts as much as I did and nurtured my talents to the next level.

As a Native American (Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina) I love listening and watching all forms of art and artists that represent my culture. Rather it be traditional dances and songs or a Native American comedy show, I love it all and am very proud to be Native American.

Unfortunately, I've noticed there are not many outlets for all of these incredibly talented Natives to be showcased, especially in the media. Every time there is an opportunity to showcase our talents, the appropriations of our culture and people (usually by non-natives playing natives) are bountiful, and it makes my heart drop. Stereotypes and misrepresentations run rampant—and at the cost of all the amazingly talented Native Americans that go unnoticed.


It is my intention, with this website, to help break those barriers and stereotypes and showcase how truly talented us Native Americans really are! Our People are strong. Our Culture is strong. Our Native American Pulse beats strong, and we are still here!


Hope you enjoy!

~Jeremiah