RPM Highlights from the 2011 APCMAs and Aboriginal Music Week

Aboriginal Music Week (AMW) and the APCMAs (Aboriginal People's Choice Music Awards) are two of the biggest Indigenous music events on Turtle Island - musicians, fans and industry alike travel to Winnipeg every November for the shows, the awards and the schmooze. This year I was finally able to attend for the first time.

And it was exactly the party and community vibe that I had heard about for years! From the time I landed in the Winnipeg airport to my departure two days later, there were friendly and familiar faces from the world of Indigenous music in nearly every place I stepped.

I arrived Thursday - Aboriginal Music Week had already been in full swing for two days and the first half of the APCMAs were already taking place - and headed to The Windsor Hotel, site of Tracy Bone and JC Campbell's All My Relations stage. They've been hosting this multi-night stage for a few years now and I was thrilled to be invited to perform as part of it. Tracy and JC bookend the night with sets of their country-music duo and in between other artists take the stage. After my set, Gabriel Ayala performed and while I've listened to his classical guitar music and been amazed, I was even moreso impressed and inspired by his live performance. His original compositions in particular were especially beautiful - the man has chops! In coversation, he is delightfully funny, charming and lighthearted to chat with and it was lovely to meet him.

Meanwhile, two other venues in town were presenting Aboriginal Music Week programming. It was a fantastic challenge, having to decide which artists to catch at which venue, but I stayed put at the Windsor for the night, and enjoyed making new friends. They don't call it friendly Manitoba for nothing.

On Friday I stopped by the Manitoba Music offices to pick up my festival pass and scope the place out. Manitoba has great arts funding and it shows in the space and resources Manitoba Music provides. I chatted with Alan Greyeyes and hopped in a cab to NCI FM - the famed Aboriginal-owned/operated radio station that broadcasts 24/7 and hosts the National Aboriginal Countdown. Of all the radio stations I've visited and had interviews on-air with, NCI was one of the best. Their entire crew was friendly and enthusiastic, the coffee was good and they even gave me a lift back to my hotel. Thank you NCI!

Next I dolled up for the big event - the Aboriginal People's Choice Music Awards gala. Held at the MTS Centre and broadcast live on APTN, this event is undeniably huge.

The backstage pre-show reception was buzzing with good conversations and connections and Cris Derksen, Kristi Lane Sinclair, Iskwé and I strutted on the red carpet together. As Cris Derksen's date, she and I were in the 6th row for the awards, next to the lovely Leela Gilday - a great vantage point for the night.

Derek Miller opened the show with a killer number which set the tone for a high energy evening. All of the live performances were fantastic that night, especially Maori duo Pacific Curls and Ghostkeeper. 

Leela Gilday's heartfelt and articulate acceptance speech for Female Entertainer of the Year was a highlight as well, as was Black Bear's for Best Powwow - Contemporary seen here:

Manitoba-based artists were definitely the big winners of the night and I wonder about the local voting influence on the national awards always being presented and hosted by Manitoba. Here's Winnipeg's Most who won all 6 awards they were nominated for (they were looking good in those suits!):

Afterwards the backstage party spread to The Windsor, The Reagal Beagle and The Pyramid Cabaret for more fantastic live music and the celebration lasted all night long. I was sad to have to leave on Saturday, missing the powwow and the final night of Aboriginal Music Week's concerts.

I will definitely go back next year - I left inspired by the music, filled with great conversation, excited about all the new connections made and above all in love with our Indigenous music community. Huge thanks and appreciation go out to Manito Ahbee and Manitoba Music for successfully pulling off all of these events. Alan Greyeyes was thanked multiple times on stage during the APCMAs and I'll add my voice to that gratitude wholeheartedly.

For a great visual summary of Aboriginal Music Week, check out official AMW photographer Red Works Studio's album on Facebook.

For more on the APCMAs, see Complete List of 2011 APCMA Winners: Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards.

2011 APCMA Winners: Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards

The 2011 APCMAS—the 6th Annual Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards—were held in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on November 3rd and 4th, 2011. Awards were handed out across a wide range of musical categories and here is the complete list of the award winners.

The biggest winner, by far, was the Indigenous hip-hop group Winnipeg's Most, who took home 6 awards.

The local hip-hop group won six APCMAs over the course of two nights, walking away with awards for best duo or group, best producer/engineer, best music video for All That I Know, best album cover design for GoodFellaz, best rap/hip-hop CD for the same album and single of the year for Don’t Stop.

The haul adds to the three APCMAs it won last year on the strength of their self-titled album.

More than 57,000 people from around the world voted online to nominate and choose winners in 21 different categories as diverse as best pow wow CD, best hand drum CD, best flute CD and best peyote (traditional) CD.

Read more from the Winnipeg Free Press: Hip-hop group Winnipeg's Most sweeps Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards

Also taking home multiple awards were Mohawk blues musician Derek Miller who won two awards for Aboriginal Songwriter of the Year and Aboriginal Male Entertainer of the Year and newcomer Ali Fontaine who also won two awards for Best New Artist and Best Country CD for her 2011 self-titled release.

Dene singer-songwriter Leela Gilday also won for Aboriginal Female Entertainer of the Year. In advance of her win, she spoke to CBC about her pride in being supported by her nation and her people:

Before the awards were handed out, Gilday said she was eager for a win.

“I’m really hoping that the whole Dene Nation got online and voted for me,” Gilday said with a laugh. “But essentially, it just means that I have the support of my people so that’s a really awesome thing.”

Complete List of 2011 APCMA Award Winners

Best Duo or Group: Winnipeg’s Most (Winnipeg)

Best Producer/Engineer: Winnipeg’s Most (Winnipeg)

Best Music Video: Winnipeg’s Most, All That I Know (Winnipeg)

Best Aboriginal Music Radio Station/Program: Think NDN (Vancouver)

Best Album Cover Design: Winnipeg’s Most, GoodFellaz (Winnipeg)

Best Folk /Acoustic CD: Little Hawk, Vigilance (Winnipeg)

Best Flute CD: Jacob Pratt, Eagle Call (Regina)

Best Fiddle CD: Mark Morrisseau, Favourites (St. Francois Xavier)

Best Peyote CD: Kelly Daniels, Blessing from a Hummingbird (Saskatoon)

Best Instrumental CD: Vince Fontaine, Songs for Turtle Island (Winnipeg)

Best Hand Drum CD: Big River Cree, Stand by Me (Saskatoon)

Best Rock CD: Bruthers of Different Muthers, Speakers of Tomorrow (Winnipeg)

Best Country CD: Ali Fontaine, Ali Fontaine (Sagkeeng)

Best Rap /Hip Hop CD: Winnipeg’s Most, GoodFellaz (Winnipeg)

Best Pow Wow CD, Contemporary: Black Bear, Out of Hibernation (Manawan, Que.)

Best Pow Wow CD, Traditional: Blackstone, Live in Alexis (Duffield, Alta.)

Best New Artist: Ali Fontaine (Sagkeeng)

Single of the Year: Winnipeg’s Most, Don’t Stop (Winnipeg)

Aboriginal Songwriter of the Year: Derek Miller, Stoned For Days (Six Nations, Ont.)

Aboriginal Male Entertainer of the Year: Derek Miller (Six Nations, Ont.)

Aboriginal Female Entertainer of the Year: Leela Gilday (Yellowknife, N.W.T.)

Lifetime Achievement Award: Errol Ranville (Winnipeg)

See more of RPM's coverage of the Manito Ahbee Festival and the 2011 APCMAs—and stay tuned for more updates on the 2011 APCMA winners.

Songs of Resistance at 2011 Indigenous Assembly Against Mining and Pipelines

From November 4-7, 2011, representatives from many Indigenous communities, including the Secwepemc, Wet'suwet'en, St'at'mic, Tsimshian, Dakelh and Carrier from the Yinka Dene Alliance, Tla-o-qui-aht, Ahousaht, Cheam and Fort Chipeywan--will meet to discuss resistance strategies at the Indigenous Assembly Against Mining and Pipelines in Vancouver, Coast Salish Territories.

In response to the "Meeting Minds, Making Mines" conference being held by the Canadian Aboriginal Minerals Association at the Pan Pacific Hotel from November 6-8th, a strategy session will be hosted in East Vancouver with various affected communities in attendance.

British Columbia Premier Christy Clark recently pledged to speed up approvals and snip the red tape for the creation of 8 new mines and the expansion of 9 existing mining projects in BC. The plan also includes "10 new non-treaty agreements with First Nations by 2015 to improve economic certainty." It's clear that the current provincial agenda is to override Aboriginal Rights and Title to guarantee economic security to the mining companies.

In a public letter sent out on September 23rd, Secwepemc activist Arthur Manuel called on Aboriginal leaders to resist the further exploitation of Indigenous homelands:

We need to not let this opportunity pass us by, we need to believe in our Aboriginal Title and Rights.  The onus or burden to make the economy in our territory serve our children and grandchildren is our job.  Follow this story and get involved in meetings about mining and other economic issues.  You own the land... Be careful out there in your traditional territory, some little people in the future are depending on you.

On Sunday November 6th there will be a public demonstration starting at 3pm at the Vancouver Art Gallery. A public panel will also be held on November 7th at 6:30pm at 1803 East 1st Ave (just east of Commercial Drive) in which impacted Indigenous communities will be speaking out against mining.

Songs of Resistance

During a rally held in May 2011 against a proposed open-pit copper mine on Chitapii (Catface Mountain) in Ahousaht Territory, Kalilah Rampanen - the 11-year-old daughter of Nitanis Desjarlais and John Rampanen - shared her song More Than Copper to Me.

Rampanen, who is Nuu-chah-nulth from Ahousaht, wrote and performed the song at the Imperial Metals AGM to protest a proposed mine where they have been exploring for copper.

The Ahousaht band council is one of the only First Nations working with Imperial Metals; and they have approved exploratory drilling in their territory.

Check out her performance below:

VIDEO: Kalilah Rampanen - "More Than Copper to Me"

VIDEO: Drezus Featuring Young Kidd - "Push It"

New video from Drezus and Young Kidd for their song Push It.

Another new video across the RPM desk today is by Drezus and Young Kidd out of Winnipeg for their collaboration called Push It which was produced by Boogey The Beat.

VIDEO: Drezus feat. Young Kidd - "Push It"

Directed by Reign Wapioke of CN5 Films.

#FrybreadFriday: The Frybread Queen

Is there an art form untouched by frybread? No! This week we bring you The Frybread Queen, a new work by playwright Carolyn Dunn, of Muskogee Creek, Cherokee and Seminole descent.

The play debuted earlier this year at The Autry's Native Voices series and was written as an extension of Dunn's most recent novel.

Dunn told LA Stage Times in Native Voices Open's Carolyn Dunn's The Frybread Queen:

“The novel ends with the death of one of these family members. I wondered what would happen after her death, so I thought the funeral would be the next logical place to go because there would still be a lot of tension in the family. So, I decided to write a play for four very strong Native actresses.”

A former actress, Dunn laments the dearth of quality female roles for Native American women and seeks to change that through The Frybread Queen. She began developing the play four years ago. “It came pretty quickly because I knew the characters so well and it’s a very character-driven story.”

The Autry blog, in “The Frybread Queen”: More Than a Handful of Recipes, describes how frybread is used as a tool for characterization:

The plot is complicated and the relationships deeply intertwined. But each woman has a moment within the play to “shine,” as it were, when she recites her personal recipe for Indian frybread, a monologue meant to also encapsulate her essence.

It's true - one's frybread recipe can be deeply tied to one's personal experience and identity.

Watch the trailer of The Frybread Queen:

DOWNLOAD: Original Xit - "Ballad of Chili Yazzie"

Original Xit, also known as The OX Boyz, consists of A.Michael Martinez, Mac Suazo, Lee Herrera, R.C. Garriss and Tom Bee. Recipients of a Lifetime Achievement award from the Native American Music Awards (NAMMYS), these guys have been making and playing music across Turtle Island for years.

They've shared the stage with such heavy hitters as The Beach Boys, ZZ Top, Three Dog Night, Floyd Crow Westerman and Joe Cocker to name a few and are currently based in New Mexico. Needless to say, we were pretty excited that the Boyz sent us this track to share with you! Enjoy.

 DOWNLOAD: The OX Boyz - "Ballad of Chili Yazzie"

"Diverse As This Land Volume II" Compilation CD

Aboriginal Arts at the Banff Centre launches their Diverse As This Land Volume II compilation CD featuring Pura Fe, George Leach, M'Girl and Altai Khangai.

Since 1993, the Aboriginal Arts program at the Banff Centre has been helping Indigenous artists grow their talent with artistic merit and cultural integrity. Many Indigenous artists, musicians, dancers and new media artists have participated in the many programs and residencies at the Banff Centre and have gone on to share their talent around the world. When it comes to the growth of Indigenous artistry, the Aboriginal Arts program at the Banff Centre is one of our greatest resources.

The Aboriginal Arts program has just released a compilation CD that includes some of the greatest Indigenous musicians Turtle Island has to offer. Diverse As This Land Volume II includes music by George Leach, M'Girl, Mongolian music Altai Khangai and legendary blues artist and traditional artist Pura Fe.

The proceeds of the CD go to a scholarship fund for indigenous artists to attend the Aboriginal Arts program at the Banff Centre.

For more information on the CD and how to order a copy for yourself, check out the website: banffcentre.ca/aboriginal_arts/Diverse-as-this-land/

Lo Cash Ninjas Kick Ass on Home Turf

RPM Interviews young Navajo hardcore punks, Lo Cash Ninjas: Jordan Steele "Rude Boy Lice" (Navajo) vocals/guitar, Martin Johnson "Panda" (bass), Keanu Lee "Popeye" (vocals/guitar) and Andre Alva "Dre" (drums).

RPM: How/When did you guys start Lo Cash Ninjas? Jordan: It all started in the heat of 08' "most" of us were still in high school. Shiprock was a metal dominant music scene back then. We were the the outcast band that nobody liked, but we were different that is what drew attention. Dre: Well they (Lo Cash Ninjas) were already a band and their original drummer decided to bail so I picked up the slack and joined the band. Martin: I was just a guy with an amp that Jordan constantly borrowed, so I let him and when he needed someone to play bass I volunteered to help, didn't think i was gonna be part of the band. Made my senior year of high school a blast with all of us hanging out. Keanu: We started out with 2 acoustic guitars jamming in Jordan's storage room, this was about four years ago. I was self taught and whatever I learned I taught Jordan.

RPM: What drew you to punk and hardcore? Dre: When I was small I started listening to NOFX, Sublime, Crass, the Suicide Machines, Mustard Plug and all kinds of shit. One day I decided to pick up the drums, and from there I started to play guitar and really got into drumming. I always wanted to have a band and play drums and now I do. Martin: Curiosity to hear something different, there are many different genres I never hear of.. Keanu: Well, I liked the fact that the punk music has a raw sound to it. Also, the songs were quite easy to play.. but once we got into ska, it was a whole different sound. Jordan: We all came from different music backgrounds, that's what made the "ninja sound" your hearing today.

RPM: How was the show you played in Shiprock, NM at the Indie/Electronic show at Navajo Nation Fair? Keanu: We played two nights in Shiprock, both nights were good. It's been awhile since we played our hometown. Jordan: Overall I had fun, we rarely get to play Shiprock because half the band lives in the Phoenix area now... Martin: The one at the Indian Market tent was very good, sounded just like our old shows.

RPM: What was the best thing about playing the fair at home? Keanu: Got to go home to a home cooked meal right after we played. Haha. Martin: Its the fair. its where we grew up and its home to us. Jordan: Got to see a lot of familiar faces. Dre: (Andre's from Arizona) The shows were awesome I'm glad I made it out to play with my homies. It's always sounds good when we're all back together.

RPM: Why is it cool to play an all Native showcase? Martin: All Native? Wouldn't matter to me if aliens were playing too. Just jamming out and having fun with your friends is cool enough. Keanu: Because we get to hear various types of music native bands have to offer. Dre: It was cool to play a Native showcase because we like other people to hear our music and what we're about and not only that but keeping it Native. Jordan: Native or not, we still try to make the best of every show.

RPM: Anything else you want to tell me about you guys? L$N: Shout out to all my ninjas for all the support over the years!!!!

Check out the youtube link below for the song We All Die.

VIDEO: Ali Fontaine - "Say It To Me"

New video from rising star Ali Fontaine for her song Say It To Me.

From the Sagkeeng First Nations out of Manitoba, Ali Fontaine has been hitting the scene in a big way in the last year. While still a teenager, she has earned herself a nomination in the Aboriginal People's Choice Music Awards and also a number one spot on the Aboriginal Music Countdown. She enters the world of video with her song Say It To Me.

Written, directed and edited by Jesse Green with cinematography by Sean Parenteau, this video has that great Strongfront look and feel with a young and vibrant artist in the bright lights of the Big Apple.

Watch Say It To Me by Ali Fontaine:

RPM Podcast #010: "Electric Pow Wow"

Indigenous Peoples across Turtle Island have been dancing and drumming for generations but, in the 21st century, that rhythmic spirit is finding new forms of creative expression. In our tenth episode, the powwow gets plugged in, mashed up and remixed.

Our host Ostwelve asks three emerging Indigenous artists about their use and creation of electronic music.

A Tribe Called Red - the Ottawa-based DJ collective of NDN (Nipissing First Nation), Bear Witness (Cayuga) and Shub (Cayuga) - describe what they're doing in the clubs as a cultural continuence from the powwow, and that the two are not that far apart after all.

Using small digital electronics, Cree electro-cellist Cris Derksen can make her cello sound like a bass, a drum, or even seagulls. Hear how she's creating a new palette for the usually classical instrument and how being a musician is like being a jeweler.

Nicholas Galanin, aka Indian Nick, a Tlingit/Aleut visual artist and musician from Stika Alaska, likens contemporary Indigenous electronic music to our history as strong adaptive communities and cultures, and finds the mixing of electronic with other forms of music comes naturally.

Yes ladies and gentlemen, this revolution has been electrified.

DOWNLOAD: RPM Podcast #010: "Electric Pow Wow"

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The RPM podcast is produced & engineered by the amazing Paolo Pietropaolo.

Photo illustration created by the talented Joi Arcand.

SPOTLIGHT: Link Wray - "The Rumble Man"

Link Wray, a half Shawnee guitarist out of North Carolina, pioneered the influential, distorted electric guitar "power chord".

Rock music has been around for more than five decades and many artists can boast being from Indigenous backgrounds from Chuck Berry to Elvis Presley all the way to Stevie Salas and Derek Miller. Through all of these incredible musicians the sound of rock music has been infiltrated by the Indigenous experience. One of the most influential icons in rock music was a man named Link Wray, who, with his song Rumble, pioneered the sound of the distorted power chord on the electric guitar, changing the sound of rock music forever.

Fred Lincoln Wray Jr. was born in Dunn, North Carolina, in 1929 to Fred Lincoln Wray and Lillian M. Coats. He first learned the slide guitar from a traveling Barnum & Bailey circus worker named "Hambone" at the age of 8 years old. Later in life he contracted tuberculosis while serving time in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, and eventually lost one of his lungs. His doctor informed him he would never be able to sing again, so he focused in on strengthening his guitar playing instead.

After being discharged from military service, Link and his brothers Douglas and Vernon formed a band - Lucky Wray and the Lazy Pine Wranglers, which later on became Lucky Wray and the Palomino Ranch Hands - and traveled the country circuit playing shows. They became the house band for Milt Grant's House Party, a live music television show based in Washington D.C. and Lucky Wray and the Palomino Ranch Hands recorded their first music with Starday Records in 1956.

While on the TV show, Lucky Wray and the Palomino Ranch Hands were urged by the crowds to come up with a song that sounded like The Stroll by The Diamonds and they responded with a tune they first called Oddball. It was an instant hit with the audience who immediately demanded to hear it repeated several times that night.

Word of this music craze caught the ear of Cadence Record's Archie Bleyer, who had detested the song - especially how Link Wray had pierced holes in the speakers of his amplifier to achieve that gritty, live sound that the audience loved. Because of its menacing sound, Oddball was later renamed Rumble, and despite being an instrumental track - no lyrics to potentially offend - the song was banned from several radio stations. That year Rumble would sell 4 million copies, still a huge feat by today's standards.

Rumble became a hit not only in North America, but also in Great Britain where it would inspire artists like The Kinks, The Who, Jimmy Page, and the legendary rock band Led Zeppelin. Other artists who would cite Link Wray as an influence to their artistry would include Jeff Beck, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Neil Young and Bob Dylan - to name just a few. You can recognize Rumble's sound in the movies such as Pulp Fiction, Independence Day and Desperado.

The distorted sounds that Link Wray introduced to 1950s rock music scene blazed a trail for other genres like punk, hard rock and heavy metal. As Link Wray is being rediscovered by a new generation of rock fans, his legacy lives on as the creator of the distorted power chord and he retains his well deserved title as "The Rumble Man".

Watch Link Wray perform Rumble in 1978:

Also watch Link Wray - The Rumble Man - a documentary about Link Wray which includes footage and interviews with Link Wray.

Indigenous Live Music Picks: Nov. 3-6, 2011

This week, Winnipeg is the bustling centre of live Indigenous music with the Aboriginal People's Choice Music Awards, Aboriginal Music Week and Manito Ahbee festival happening simultaneously.

Derek Miller, Winnipeg's Most, Leela Gilday, Local Onlyz, Gabriel Ayala, Samian, Ali Fontaine - the list goes on of the fantastic artists you can catch during Aboriginal Music Week. The festivities are already underway, with plenty left to take it. For a complete list of this weekend AMW 2011 shows, see Manito Ahbee Festival 2011: Aboriginal Music Week Schedule and Lineup.

The votes have been tallied and finally the results will be announced! The Aboriginal People's Choice Music Awards take place Thursday and Friday night:

Thursday November 3 - RBC Ohshkii Awards Night at Fort Garry Place, 222 Broadway Ave, Winnipeg, MB, 6pm.

Friday November 4 - Red Carpet starts at 6pm, the Aboriginal People's Choice Music Awards starts at 7pm at the MTS Centre, 300 Portage Ave, Winnipeg, MB.

Part presenters of the APCMAs, the Manito Ahbee festival also presents Education Days, Indigenous Marketplace and Trade Show, as well as an International Competition Powwow - grand entry at noon at the MTS Centre, Winnipeg, MB. For more information visit manitoahbee.com.