STREAM: Fawn Wood's Stunning New Album Honouring the Female Spirit, Kikawiynaw

Plains Cree/Salish singer Fawn Wood's new album is almost too good for words. 

But, beautiful, powerful, moving, and raw but pulsing with strength are a few we can start with.

Titled Kikāwiynaw meaning "our mother," Wood's latest collection honours the female spirit. Her clear, warm, and expressive voice is an open door—guiding you into her round dance, hand game, and traditional songs. Once inside, you're greeted with layered, ethereal harmonies and occasional gentle instrumentation that gently wrap you in their warmth.

Wood's music invites you to connect with your spirit as she travels through themes of longing, loss, remembrance, family, celebration, and gratitude.

It's an invitation your ears and heart can't refuse.

STREAM: Fawn Wood's new album, Kikāwiynaw, below:

Here is the Full List of Nominees for the 2015 Indigenous Music Awards

Nominees for the 2015 Indigenous Music Awards were announced today. Here is the full list of this year's IMA nominees.

Formerly known as the Aboriginal People's Choice Music Awards, the newly re-dubbed Indigenous Music Awards announced their 2015 nominees today at a livestreamed press conference in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Celebrating 10 years of Indigenous music and culture, the IMAs support the wide range of music being made throughout Indian Country. Produced in partnership with the Manito Ahbee Festival, this year's awards week will be held September 9-13, 2015.

Hip-hop continues to be huge at the IMAs, with acclaimed artists Drezus and City Natives leading the nominations with four each—including Best Duo or Group, Best Hip-Hop CD, Best Music Video, and Single of the Year—while Los Angeles duo Lightning Cloud holds it down with three nods, including facing off against Drezus amid a strong list of contenders for Indigenous Entertainer of the Year.

Also look out for some fierce competition on the pow wow recording trail, where heavy hitters Black Bear, Cree Confederation, Northern Cree, Northern Voice and Stoney Creek are vying for Best Contemporary Pow Wow CD honours.

Voting in every category is now open to the public, so support the Indigenous music culture that we all love by visiting indigenousmusicawards.ca to cast your vote for your favourite artists and recordings.

Here is the full list of 2015 Indigenous Music Awards Nominees:

BEST ALBUM COVER DESIGN

BEATRICE DEER - Fox BLACKSTONE - Kaskite Asiniy ENTER-TRIBAL - Hitting The Trail FLORENT VOLLANT - Puamuna HELLNBACK - #FOE=Family Over Everything

BEST ACOUSTIC FOLK CD

CARY MORIN - Tiny Town CHELSEY JUNE - Finding Me JASON BURNSTICK & NADINE L’HIRONDELLE - Wrapped in Daisies JOSEPH STRIDER - Carbon 14 KELLY JACKSON - Renditions Of The Soul

BEST COUNTRY CD

ARMOND DUCK CHIEF - The One BOB E. LEE WEST - The Tree JODY THOMAS GASKIN - Born on the Rezz KIMBERLEY DAWN - Til The Cowboys Come Home THELMA CHEECHOO - Stay

BEST GOSPEL CD

CARL CRANE - Northern Man “A Little Bit of Me” DAWN KARIMA - The Stars Of Heaven DIANNE FOSTER - Holy Mighty Fire KELLY MONTIJO FINK - Don’t Let Me Forget YVONNE ST. GERMAINE - If You See My Savior

BEST DUO OR GROUP

CITY NATIVES DEE ERIN BAND GHOST TOWN ORCHESTRA INDIAN CITY JULIAN TAYLOR BAND

BEST HAND DRUM CD

ANTONE & CHIEFS - Antone & Chiefs BEARHEAD SISTERS - Our Angels MANITOU MKWA SINGERS - Manitou Mkwa Singers WAYNE SILAS, JR. - Infinite Passion YOUNG SPIRIT - Nitehe Ohci - From the Heart

BEST FLUTE CD

DAVID ROSE - Wind Dance Under the Moon JAN LOOKING WOLF - Wind Dreamer RYAN LITTLE EAGLE - My Songs My Stories STEVEN RUSHINGWIND - Red Beaten Path TONY DUNCAN & DARRIN YAZZIE - Singing Lights WILLIAM GREENLAND - The Journey Beyond

BEST INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE OR FRANCOPHONE CD

FLORENT VOLLANT- Puamuna JAAJI - Nunaga (My Home, My Land) JONATHAN MARACLE - Karonyakdadeh Hymns of Mohawk Elders SEWEPAGAHAM - Sewepagaham

BEST INDIGENOUS MUSIC STATION / RADIO PROGRAM

A CONVERSATION WITH DAWN KARIMA NATIONAL ABORIGINAL MUSIC COUNTDOWN (NCI FM) NATIVE TRAILBLAZERS RADIO NATIVE WAVES RADIO

BEST INDIGENOUS SONGWRITER

ARMOND DUCK CHIEF - The One JASON BURNSTICK & NADINE L’HIRONDELLE - My Headstart Preschool JOSEPH STRIDER - Seven Arrows LIGHTNING CLOUD - Meet Me At The Pow Wow TOMSON HIGHWAY - Taansi, Nimiss WILL BELCOURT AND THE HOLLYWOOD INDIANS - Burn It Down

BEST INSTRUMENTAL CD

GERONIMO PAULETTE - Hard Road Out Of Hell MWALIM DA PHUNKEE PROFESSOR - Awakened By A Noon Day Sun SEAN BEAVER - Torn

BEST INTERNATIONAL INDIGENOUS RELEASE

AYRAD - Ayrad EMMANUEL JAL - The Key QUIQUE ESCAMILLA - 500 Years of Night TASHA T - Real Talk THE BASS INVADERS - Dance of the Fox

BEST MUSIC VIDEO

CITY NATIVES - Straight Chief’n DREZUS - Warpath INDIAN CITY - One Day KELLY DERRICKSON - Idle No More LIGHTNING CLOUD - Walk Alone

BEST NEW ARTIST

DEE ERIN BAND GABRIELLE KNIFE KELLY DERRICKSON KICKIN KROTCH NITANIS ‘KIT’ LARGO

BEST PEYOTE CD

DONJAY NELSON - Good Morning Dawn JAKE TYNER, EDMOND POOCHAY AND LANCE CROWE - Good Memories JOE TAHONNIE JR. - Ceremony LOUIE GONNIE - Spiraling, Ascending With Prayer SILAS & PIERCE BIGLEFTHAND - Northern Cheyenne Peyote Healing Songs

BEST POP CD

CLASSIC ROOTS - Hack The Planet JAMIE COON - Day After Day NIIKO SOUL  - Neon Warrior TOMSON HIGHWAY - Patricia Cano sings songs from The (Post) Mistress VICTOR PATRICK - Bound by Roots

BEST POW WOW CD - CONTEMPORARY

BLACK BEAR - Come & Get Your Love: The Tribe Session CREE CONFEDERATION - Kihtawasoh Wapakwani NORTHERN CREE - Northern Cree Breaking Boundaries NORTHERN VOICE - In Land We Trust STONEY CREEK - Dedicated

BEST POW WOW CD - TRADITIONAL

CHIPPEWA TRAVELLERS - Honouring Our Biish (Water) NORTHERN WIND - Northern Wind Bimaadiziwin TRAIL MIX - Str8 Forward

BEST PRODUCER / ENGINEER

ARMOND DUCK CHIEF - The One BEARHEAD SISTERS - Our Angels DREZUS - Indian Summer GHOST TOWN ORCHESTRA - Ghost Town Orchestra NIIKO SOUL - Neon Warrior

BEST RAP / HIP-HOP CD

CHIEF ROCK - A Warriors Journey CITY NATIVES - Red City CODY COYOTE - Lose Control DREZUS - Indian Summer HELLNBACK - #FOE=Family Over Everything

BEST ROCK CD

DEE ERIN BAND - Broken Road MIDNIGHT SHINE - Northern Man SCATTER THEIR OWN - Taste The Time THE DEEDS - Mother Nature WILL BELCOURT AND THE HOLLYWOOD INDIANS - Annie Baby

BEST TELEVISION PROGRAM / PROMOTION OF INDIGENOUS MUSIC

ABORIGINAL UNITY EXPERIENCE GUILT FREE ZONE THE CANDY SHOW

INDIGENOUS ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR

ARMOND DUCK CHIEF CARY MORIN DREZUS LIGHTNING CLOUD RELLIK STEVEN RUSHINGWIND

SINGLE OF THE YEAR

BLACK BEAR - Come & Get Your Love II CITY NATIVES - Straight Chief’n CODY COYOTE - Warrior INDIAN CITY - Duet KELLY JACKSON - After All This Time RELLIK - My Voice

Native American Music Awards 2014: Full List of Nominees

The 15th annual Native American Music Awards are set for November 14, 2014 at the Seneca Allegany Events Center. Check out the full list of nominees and vote for your favourite Indigenous artists.

The Native American Music Awards are a staple of the Indigenous music awards circuit and every year they hand out nods to an astonishing diversity of Indigenous artists in over 30 categories of music, spoken word and historical recordings. This year is no exception. From country and hip-hop, to pow wow and gospel, and even, um, "new age", the NAMAs span the widest possible spectrum of Native American music. A Tribe Called Red, Samantha Crain, and Bear Fox are all up for multiple awards this year—but there are many, many more nominees to listen to and choose from.

Voting is currently underway in all categories and winners will be announced on Friday, November 14th at the NAMA gala at Seneca Allegany Events Center. The awards show will be streamed live on FNX.org and broadcast on FNX Television.

Cast your ballot and listen to a 116-track playlist of this year's NAMA nominees right here.

Native American Music Awards 2014 Full List of Nominees

ARTIST OF THE YEAR

• Jan Looking Wolf Reibach (Conf. Tribes of Grande Ronde – Kalapuya) - Tamanawas
• Joanne Shenandoah (Oneida) – Nature Dance
• Mato Nanji (Lakota/Dakota) – Vanishing Americans
• R. Carlos Nakai & Will Clipman (Navajo/Ute) – Awakening The Fire
• Ryan Little Eagle Molina (Lakota/Apache) – The Long Journey Home
• Wade Fernandez (Menominee) – Breathe & Flow

BEST BLUES RECORDING

• A Tribute To Little Johnny Taylor – Jimmy Wolf (Mohawk)
• Back To Clearlake Oaks – Twice As Good
• Blues Joose Vol 2 - Joel Johnson (Tuscarora)
• Lakota John and Kin - Lakota John and Kin (Lumbee/Oglala)
• Red Kroz Bluez Band - Red Kroz Bluez Band (Munsee)
• Vanishing Americans – Indigenous

BEST COMPILATION RECORDING

• CTR Country Mix – Various Artists
• Dawn's Early Light - Various Artists
• Don't Let Me Forget - Kelly Montijo Fink
• Earth Bound Angel – Various Artists
• Putumayo Presents Native America – Various Artists
• The Hopson Live Session - Various Artists

BEST COUNTRY RECORDING

• 3 of a Kind - John McLeod (Cree)
• Bring It On – Donny Parenteau (Metis)
• Senorita Dreams – Wayne Garner (Cherokee/Apache)
• Tribute - Victoria Blackie (Navajo)
• Tyra Preston – Tyra Preston (Navajo)
• Woman Of Red – Tracy Bone (Ojibway)

DEBUT ARTIST OF THE YEAR

• David Rose – Wind Dance Under The Moon
• Gabrielle Knife (Lakota Sioux) – Ohiya Ku WInyan
• Gareth – The Journey
• Leah Shenandoah (Oneida) - Spektra
• Nitanis “Kit” Largo (Various) – Serenity
• Robert Mullinax (Cherokee) – Dream of a Sacred Song

DEBUT GROUP OF YEAR

• A Tribe Called Red (Cayuga/Ojibway) – A Tribe Called Red
• Fabulous Ripcords (Oneida) - Voo Doo Girl
• Iskwew Singers (Metis/Cree/Saulteaux) – Kamawinan: Songs of Our People
• Lightning Creek (Nez Perce) – Long Time Coming
• Sihasin (Navajo) – Never Surrender
• Women of Heart (Various) - Winds of Change

BEST FEMALE ARTIST

• Donna Kay (Metis) – Uncover Me
• Jamie Coon (Creek/Seminole) – Day After Day
• Rhonda Head (Cree) - Nikumoon
• Rita Coolidge (Cherokee) – A Rita Coolidge Christmas
• Tracy Bone (Ojibway) - Woman Of Red
• Victoria Blackie (Navajo) - Tribute

BEST FOLK RECORDING

• Adageyudi – Clear Water Drum (Cherokee/Yaqui/Metis)
• Songs to Keep the Earth Alive - Good Shield Aguilar
• Heart of the Buffalo– Richard Stepp and Rick McKee (Keetoowah)
• Home Grown - Storm Seymour (Meskwaki)
• Keeper of the Dreams - Red Feather Woman (Assiniboine/Sioux)
• Kid Face - Samantha Crain (Choctaw)

FLUTIST OF THE YEAR

• Cal Silverfox Lopez (Apache) – To Touch The Sky
• Douglas Blue Feather – Dawn of a New Light
• Jan Looking Wolf Reibach (Conf. Tribes of Grande Ronde – Kalapuya) - Tamanawas
• Jonathon Maracle Ohwihsha (Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte) – The Clearing
• Rona Yellow Robe (Chippewa Cree) - The Gathering
• Tony Duncan (Apache/Ankara/Hidatsu/Mandan) – Native Son

BEST GOSPEL/INSPIRATIONAL RECORDING

• Don’t Let Me Forget – Kelly Montijo Fink
• Grace & Grit: Chapter I – Dark Water Rising (Lumbee)
• Love & Kindness - Golana (Cherokee) & Peter Kater
• Nikumoon - Rhonda Head (Cree)
• Season of Joy – Yolanda Martinez (Apache)
• Speak To The Sky – Storm Seymour (Meskwaki)
• 12. GROUP OF THE YEAR

GROUP OF THE YEAR

• Dark Water Rising (Lumbee) - Grace & Grit: Chapter I
• Indigie Femme (Navajo) – Te Hau Waiati
• Injunuity (Various) – Fight For Survival
• Plenty Wolf Singers(Oglala Lakota) – Medicine Wolf
• Rushingwind & Mucklow (Cahuilla) – Strong Horse
• Sweethearts of Navajoland (Navajo) – From The Heart of Dine Nation

HISTORICAL/LINGUISTIC RECORDING

• Chillin’ Rez-Style - Will and Jesse Lee (Lakota)
• Heart of the Buffalo – Richard Stepp and Rick McKee (Keetoowah)
• Intikana (Arawak/Taino) – Native Eyez
• 2 Worlds - Nataanii Means (Oglala Lakota, Omaha, Dine')
• Mescalero Apache Creation – Fred Kaydahzinne (Apache)
• Te Hau Waiati - Indigie Femme (Navajo)

BEST INSTRUMENTAL RECORDING

• Awakened By The Noon Day Sun - Mwalin (Mashpee Wampanoag)
• Fight For Survival - Injunuity (Choctaw)
• Journey To the Sun - Sun Shadows (Choctaw/Navajo)
• Strong Horse - Rushingwind & Mucklow
• The Long Journey Home - Ryan Little Eagle Molina (Lakota/Apache)
• The Clearing - Ohwihsha (Mohawk)

BEST MALE ARTIST

• Jimmy Wolf (Mohawk) - A Tribute To Little Johnny Taylor
• Lawrence Harris (Choctaw) – Romanze – Songs of Tosti
• Randy McGinnis (Cherokee) – Smoky Mountain Dreams
• TerryLee Whetstone (Cherokee) - One People
• Tony Duncan (Apache/Ankara/Hidatsu/Mandan) – Native Son
• Wayne Silas, Jr (Menominee) – Infinite Passion

BEST NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH RECORDING

• A Good Day, A Better Tomorrow - Cheevers Toppah (Kiowa)
• Apache Peyote Songs - Joe Tohonnie Jr (Apache/Navajo)
• As It Was In The Beginning - Primeaux & Mike (Sioux/Navajo)
• Charity - Kevin Yazzie (Navajo)
• NAC Songs - Aaron Adson (Pawnee/Comanche)

BEST NEW AGE RECORDING

• Awakening The Fire - R. Carlos Nakai & Will Clipman (Navajo/Ute)
• Bridge - Rushingwind & Mucklow
• Dawn of a New Light - Douglas Blue Feather (Cherokee)
• Kamama - SilverWolf/Adelaunegv Waya
• Love & Kindness - Golana (Cherokee)
• Smoky Mountain Dreams - Randy McGinnis (Cherokee)

BEST POP RECORDING

• Colors - Indian City (Ojibway)
• Day After Day - Jamie Coon (Creek/Seminole)
• Feathers Rosary - Joey Stylez (Cree)
• Grace & Grit: Chapter I – Dark Water Rising (Lumbee)
• Spektra - Leah Shenandoah (Oneida)
• Touch - Raphael (Mescalero Apache)

BEST POW WOW RECORDING

• Elder’s Vision: Pow Wow Songs Recorded Live @ Ky1 Yo - Blackfoot Confederacy (Various)
• In Harmony Again - Big River Cree
• Loyalty to the Drum - Northern Cree (Cree/Various)
• Right Now - Bear Creek (Various)
• Save Me A Lead - Young Spirit (Various)
• Stoic - Tha Tribe (Various)

BEST PRODUCER

• Donald Blackfox – Earth Bound Angel
• Eddie Webber – Apache Blessing & Crown Dance Songs
• Kevin Chief (Algonquin/Oneida) – Honoring The Mazinikijik Singers
• Lynn Coulter, John Mc Duffie, Randy Landas, John Thomas - A Rita Coolidge Christmas
• Peter Blackwell – Mescalero Apache Creation
• Robert Doyle – Awakening The Fire

BEST RAP/HIP HOP RECORDING

• Crunk Nativez - Lil Mike & Funny Bone (Chocktaw, Pawnee)
• Native Eyez - Intikana (Arawak/Taino)
• One Tribe One Nation – The Council (Sounthern Ute, Jemez Pueblo, Taos Pueblo)
• Quese Imc & Cempoalli 20 (Pawnee/Seminole) – Osahwuh
• Rainy Days – Tha Native featuring Stuxx
• Warriors Arise - Makardi (Navajo)

RECORD OF THE YEAR (Traditional & Contemporary)

• A Rita Coolidge Christmas - Rita Coolidge (Cherokee)
• A Tribe Called Red – A Tribe Called Red (Cayuga/Ojibway)
• Breathe & Flow - Wade Fernandez (Menominee)
• Native Son - Tony Duncan (Apache/Ankara/Hidatsu/Mandan)
• Romanze – Songs of Tosti - Lawrence Harris (Choctaw)
• The Gathering – Rona Yellowrobe (Chippewa Cree)

BEST ROCK RECORDING

• Fire and Brimstone: A Tribute To Link Wray - Band of Tribes (Shawnee)
• Never Going Home – The Gun Runners (Onondaga)
• Never Surrender - Sihasin (Navajo)
• Surrender - George Leach (Sta’ atl’ imx)
• The Journey – Gareth Laffely (Mi'kmaq/Cree)
• Two Sons - The Ollivanders (Mohawk, Oneida)

SONG/SINGLE OF THE YEAR (Contemporary / Traditional)

• “Diamond" - Bear Fox (Mohawk)
• “Love Of My Life” – Spencer Battiest (Seminole)
• “Runnin’ On Empty” –Shadowyze & Shyanne (Creek, Cherokee, Han Gwich in Athabascan)
• “Song of the Wolf” – Graywolf Blues Band (Yaqui)
• "Sublime Gracia" - Yolanda Martinez (Apache)
• “Witchi Tai-To – Water Spirits” – Shadowyze, Caren Knight Pepper and Jim Pepper

SONGWRITER OF THE YEAR

• Brianna Lea Pruett (Cherokee/Choctaw) – Gypsy Bells
• Glen Bonham (Choctaw) - Glen Bonham
• Randy Granger (Choltan/Mayan) – Strong Medicine
• Robert Hollis aka Bobby Bullet (Lac du Flambeau) – Crooked Tear
• Samantha Crain (Choctaw)– Kid Face
• Theresa “Bear” Fox (St. Regis Mohawk) – Diamond

BEST SPOKEN WORD RECORDING

• Blessings - Fawn Wood & Dallas Waskahat
• Grandfather Speaks – Ken Quiet Hawk (Abenaki)
• Lost Angel – Cyrus Emerson (Cherokee)
• Man From The Sky - Soyota (Apache)
• Mescalero Apache Creation – Fred Kaydahzinne (Apache)
• The Little Rocks – Windfeather Navarez Bull (Navajo)

BEST TRADITIONAL RECORDING

• Apache Blessing & Crown Dance Songs - Joe Tohonnie Jr (Apache)
• Blessings - Fawn Wood & Dallas Waskahat
• From The Heart of Dine’ Nation - Sweethearts of Navajoland (Navajo)
• Honoring The Mazinikijik Singers - Mazinikijik Singers (Algonquin/Oneida)
• Moonlit Nights - Todi Neesh Zhee Singers (Navajo) - First Night
• Spirit of Thunderheart - Rising (Mohawk, Blackfoot, Cree, Cherokee)

BEST MUSIC VIDEO

• Love of My Life – Spencer Battiest (Seminole)
• Native Eyez - Intikana (Arawak/Taino)
• Prayer Loop Song – Supaman (Apsaalooke)
• Song of Survival – Red Eagle
• Women Across The River - Graywolf Blues Band (Yaqui)
• Sisters ft Northern Voice - A Tribe Called Red (Cayuga, Ojibway)

BEST WAILA RECORDING

• 2 Rivers Band– 2 Rivers Band (Tohono O’odham)
• Back To Basics - Cruz (Tohono O’odham)
• Embrace The Kaos – Dfaktion Nyne (Tohono O’odham)
• In Loving Memory of Our Beloved Father & Uncle - Family Pride (Tohono O’odham)
• Pisinemo & Company – Pisinemo & Company (Tohono O’odham)
• Tohono O’odham Waila Music, Volume 2 - Valenzuela & Company (Tohono O’odham)

BEST WORLD MUSIC RECORDING

• Dance of the Soul - Jessica Martinez Maxey
• Kurt Wyaco – Kurt Wyaco (Zuni Pueblo)
• Nagwetch - Wabanag
• Nature Dance - Joanne Shenandoah (Oneida)
• North Wind - Flying Down Thunder & Rise Ashen (Algonquin)
• To Touch The Sky - Cal Silverfox Lopez (Apache)

NATIVE HEART

• Big City Indians – May You Walk
• Cornell Kinderknecht and Martin McCall - Dreamtime
• Lex Nichols – The Long Road
• Peter Phippen – Sacred Spaces
• Emiliano Campobello & Kevin Donoho - Rockapelli
• Terry Frazier - By The Still Waters

VIDEO: Indigenous Music & Hip-hop Jam

Check out this wicked collab of freestylin' from Rwandan hip-hop artist Pacachi with traditional Batwa musicians.

From ABC Radio's Into the Music:

On the hills outside Rwanda's capital city, Kigali, traditional Batwa musicians found a new voice in the urban community through an unlikely collaboration with local hip-hop artist, Pacachi.

Pacachi, and two other hip hop guys, Obie and Freddy, spent a day jamming with the Batwa singers, improvising lyrics.

There's an interesting synergy between this indigenous Batwa music and the street hip-hop that is rising as the most popular music genre throughout Rwanda. Both groups use music to express their frustrations, their own hardship and the hardship of others.

After jamming, they decided to do a collaborative compilation, combining traditional Batwa music with street hip-hop. Pacachi took members of the Batwa community to a studio in the slums in Kigali and they recorded songs together.

You can hear the whole story at abc.net.au but first enjoy this jam!

VIDEO: Indigenous Music & Hip-hop Jam in Rwanda

New Indigenous Music Releases - May 2012

Another month of Indigenous music! Here are four new releases from The Medics, Holly McNarland, Burnt Project 1 and Arvel Bird.

The Medics have released their much anticipated debut LP Foundations. In the two years since the release of their first EP they have gained a reputation for passionate and energetic live performances and it seems they've managed to bottle that vibe nicely here. With a "frenetic mix of distorted guitar and wall of dominant percussion" (indieshuffle.com) it's a brilliant album from one of Australia's brightest new bands. Order the CD or Get it on iTunes.

Listen to the opening track Beggars:

Also greeting eager ears is the new album The Black List from Burnt Project 1. It's been six years since their sophomore release and founder David Boulanger told CBC Music we can expect to hear "love, pain, truth, fear, happiness, honesty, time, hope, knowledge, courage, humility, respect, forgiveness, healing, understanding" in the new tracks. I like it already. Burnt Project 1 released the album at The Pyramid in Winnipeg this week, stay tuned for links to get it online!

Singer-songwriter Holly McNarland has, after years of working with major labels, launched her first independent release this month, Run Body Run. Culled from five years of songs, McNarland picked her favourites to record and spent a year in and out of the studio to get it made. The time and labour paid off. Get Run Body Run on iTunes and listen to Alone's Just Fine now:

And from renowned violinist and flutist Arvel Bird, Titanic Centennial: Commemorative Special Edition. The hour-long musical voyage of new and original music is dedicated to "the passengers, musicians and crew of the RMS Titatic". Get it at arvelbird.com.

New Indigenous Music Releases - Jan/Feb 2012

So far in 2012 the new releases in Indian Country span the genres of folk, americana, flamenco, traditional and pop/rock... something for everyone! Here are the new Indigenous music releases of January and February, 2012.

Right out of the gate, Samantha Crain released her new 7" single A Simple Jungle on January 10. Produced by John Vanderslice the two new tracks on the single are exactly what you love about Samantha already - her from-another-time vocals and indie-spun american vibe. Get A Simple Jungle here: samanthacrain.com/store.

On January 20, Gabriel Ayala of the Yaqui tribe released his ninth album, Shades of Blue. Ayala's virtuosic guitar playing is at its flamenco-flavoured best on this album and you can find it on CDBaby here: cdbaby.com/cd/gabrielayala3.

On the same day, newcomer Nick Sherman, from Sioux Lookout, Ontario, released his debut album Drag Your Words Through. Rooted in folk/rock, the songs are earnest yet thoughtful and Sherman's rich, textured vocals will rip your heart out. In a good way. Listen to his track Winterdark here and get the whole album on iTunes at itunes.apple.com.

Comprised of composer and multi-instrumentalist Colin Farish and Native American flutist John-Carlos Perea, Coyote Jump "sculpts a musical tribute to Native America with the sound of the cedar flute at its core." We've known for awhile that this debut album, Waking From the Rocks, was on the horizon and are glad to announce it's now available from Canyon Records. Find it at store.canyonrecords.com.

Last but not least, this month Vince Fontaine's supergroup Indian City released their first album, Supernation - contemporary pop and rock with a hint of traditional layers. Envisioned by Fontaine, the collaborative Indian City includes Don Amero, Pamela Davis, William Prince,  Ray "Coco" Stevenson and others. Killer! Get Supernation on CDBaby here: cdbaby.com/cd/vincefontainesindiancity.

Listen to the first single from Indian City, Stand:

Sandy Scofield Raises Awareness Through Music

Sandy Scofield is a Cree singer, guitarist, pianist and leader of the band Iskwew. She recently spoke with Matador Network about music as entertainment, education and political act.

The interesting and in-depth interview  covers how Sandy got into traditional music with Iskwew, her Cree culture, current issues that pertain to Indigenous peoples of Canada, and performing on the international circuit.

In Music as a political act: Cree musician Sandy Scofield Sandy is quoted:

"...when we get to go play international festivals it’s really important because, you know, one of the girls that sings with me, she went to Italy and some guy said to her, ‘Where are you from?’ and she said, ‘Well, I’m Cree Indian from Canada,’ and he was just aghast, he was saying, ‘No. They were all extinct. They don’t exist,’ and she’s going ‘You’re crazy!’ You know?

But there’s crazy ideas out there, so especially if we’re on the international stage, we’re trying to show the very best of who we are. And in Canada, half of our work is in what we call Indian Country, which is all of the country except dominant society doesn’t see us. So we perform for other native people or we perform for dominant society, and so when we perform for dominant society, it’s the same thing again. We’re trying to show the really fantastic things about our cultures, our collective culture which really concerns community, egalitarianism to a certain extent, just pride, culture, the interconnectedness of all life and that we’re interconnected with one another — things like that.”

Read the whole article at matadornetwork.com and enjoy this track Waniska by Iskwew.

STREAM: Iskwew - "Waniska"

"Waniska" by Iskwew by matadornetwork

DOWNLOAD: Thunder Hawk Singers - "Northern Cheyenne Round Dance"

The Native drumming duo of Donald Blackfox and Laura Vannah, aka Thunder Hawk Singers, came across the RPM desk via Spirit Wind Records -  a label dedicated to releasing and promoting Indigenous music and musicians.

Thunder Hawk Singers' album Native Pride features music from the Mi'kmaq and Northern Cheyenne Nations. The album won a 2009 NAMMY for Best Historical Recording - the group's second NAMMY nod after winning Best New Group in 2001. Round dances are social, one of the few in which women get to dance with men and long held as a courting activity. So let this track take you to the powwow.

DOWNLOAD: Thunder Hawk Singers - "Northern Cree Cheyenne Round Dance"

Terri-Lynn Williams-Davidson Connects Through Haida Language

Haida musician, and Aboriginal-environmental lawyer, Terri-Lynn Williams-Davidson talks with APTN about choosing to record songs in the Haida language.

Terri-Lynn's new album New Journeys features traditional Haida music with arrangements by classical composer Bruce Ruddell.

"I felt it was important to sing in the Haida language. There are insights you can gain only through the Haida language so there are concepts I wanted to share with a broader audience that come out through these songs... that probably couldn't reach people if they were in the English language" Terri-Lynn shared with APTN.

New Journeys is up for "Best Folk Acoustic" album at this year's APCMAs - stream Today We Go On Our Own Strength here, and watch the full story APTN interview at Music Making Haida Language Universal.