NAFPS Forum

A friend just asked me about Native American music CDs.  She'd like to listen to  something "Instrumental.  Anything with a good beat, and that doesn't mean it has to be a fast beat."  She likes drumming and wind instruments.

I'd just like to ensure that anything she listens to is authentic and not a bunch of Nuage foo foo with a flute thrown in.  I don't know much about Native American music at all.  The first person who came to mind is R. Carlos Nakai?

Suggestions, please?

The ones I can think of right now are Coyote Oldman, Robert Mirabel aka Johnny Whitehorse, Mary Youngblood, and Peter Bender, that might fit. Then you have Medicine Dream, Jana, Brule' and Ulali that might not.

You could take a look at this site:

http://www.nativeamericanmusicawards.com/index.cfm

Also, you could check out Brule, they are pretty good.

try http://www.store.canyonrecords.com/

Also, have a listen to Danuwa Analihi Adonvdo ....  a new Native Flute artist who has actually been playing flute for 38 years and only now has decided to record CD's.
His music is awesome.

Quote from: frederica on May 30, 2008, 02:31:07 PM
Then you have Medicine Dream, ............ and Ulali that might not.

Ulali can set your ears on edge.  They're popular because they are a woman's group but they have certain harmonies that are just a bit off and OUCH my ears..  Jes my opinion...

How about Xit!!!  Oh wait, never mind... that's not instrumental.  But it IS darn good music.  (That's what I was listening to when I was growing up, lol)

Joy Harjo, Tommy Wildcat, Annie Humphrey, Walela are some that come to mind.

Thanks, All!

wolfhawaii--I had no idea Joy Harjo recorded music!

Joe Fire Crow is a Northern Cheyenne flutist. He's done the music for a number of documentaries, and I believe is a NAMMY winner. I think he was also nominated for a GRAMMY. You can hear some of his music on his MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/josephfirecrowflute 

Laura, Joy Harjo's "letters from the End of the 20th Century" with Poetic Justice is her best one imo. Put out by Silver Wave Records.

Quote from: frederica on July 23, 2008, 02:08:50 PM
Laura, Joy Harjo's "letters from the End of the 20th Century" with Poetic Justice is her best one imo. Put out by Silver Wave Records.

Wow, talk about coincidental... I just received a letter yesterday from Tatanka, and he mentioned Joy Harjo and the "letters" album in particular.  He also mentioned a CD collection of contemporary NDN women called "Weaving the Strands.  Some of the websites he recommended were SOAR, Drumbeat, Canyon Records, and Fourwinds Trading.  Maybe this will help :)

I thought I'd be a little more thorough and pride the actual links I was able to find:

SOAR Records
http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/label/Soar/a/Soar

Drumbeat
http://www.drumbeatindianarts.com/products.htm

Canyon Records
http://www.store.canyonrecords.com/

Four Winds
http://www.fourwinds-trading.com/

These were just sites that a friend recommend looking into, not necessarily endorsed by him or myself... I haven't had a chance to really check them out yet other than to look up the sites so I could  provide the links.

Yeah, Joy wails on the sax!