8 Days In May. Eh! Urban Gatherings Complete Lineup

The third annual 8 Days In May. Eh! Urban Gatherings festival features a long list of Aboriginal performers taking to various stages next month in Winnipeg. Check out the lineup and enter their contest to win tickets!

The 8 Days In May. Eh! Urban Gatherings festival is a series of music nights in Winnipeg boasting a long list of Aboriginal performers from all over Turtle Island.  Kicking off on Friday, May 4th, this festival will cover 8 days in the month of May and showcase 34 artists in several venues across the city.

Métis music man Dustin Harder (of The Dusty Roads Band), who created and programs the festival said about the various genres in the festival:

"We’ll be mixing it up every night with everything from blues and roots to rock to instrumental to folk and country to heavy metal and hip-hop. So there will definitely be something for everyone."

This year's edition of 8 Days In May. Eh! will feature artists such as: BODM (Bruthers of Different Muthers), Burnt Project 1, Don Amero, Drezus, Dustin Harder and The Dusty Roads Band, Leanne Goose, Lorenzo, Wab Kinew, Cris Derksen, Gabriel Ayala, Jason Burnstick, and Kristi Lane Sinclair just to name a handful!

If you happen to be in the Winnipeg area for the month of May, it is highly suggested you head out to one or all of the many events and get a dose of Indigenous music in your ears via the 8 Days In May. Eh! Urban Gatherings.

You can also enter to win tickets! Head to 8daysinmayeh.polldaddy.com and to find answers to the contest questions, check out 8daysinmayeh.com.

Official festival line up:

Friday, May 4th - Windsor Hotel - capacity 220 Nothing But The Blues Ross Neilsen Band from New Brunswick Neufeld and Kidder from Manitoba Dusty Harder and the Dusty Roads Band from Manitoba

Saturday, May 5th - Windsor Hotel - capacity 220 Singer/Songwriter Night Katie Murphy Band Sonia Eidse Jessee Havey with Damon Mitchell Segweh Don Amero Marcel Desilets (Tweener)

Friday, May 11th -  The Marlborough Hotel (Regal Beagle) - capacity 280 Roots, Hip-hop, Country and Folk Pop Tweener (Nick Sherman(ON) Lorenzo JJ Lavallee Band Little Hawk John J. Cook(SK) Mariachi Ghost – members from S. America

Saturday, May 12th - Le Garage - capacity 100 Fresh, Light, Americana Mid Century Modernaires JD Edwards Band Dustin Harder and The Dusty Roads Band Nick Sherman (ON)

Friday, May 18th - Windsor Hotel - capacity 300 Country and Alt-Country Tweener David St Germain Holly Vee Leanne Goose – Inuvik Alaska Cameron

Saturday, May 19th - Windsor Hotel - capacity 300 Heavy Rock/Metal All Aboriginal Artsists. Brothers Of Different Mothers – Juno Nominee 2012 King Sleeze Split Crooked Fargo, Arizona

Sunday, May 20th - Windsor Hotel - capacity 300 Experimental classical Gypsy Jazz and Hip Hop Gabriel Ayala – US. Tim Butler(Acoustic) Chet Breau Drezus

Friday, May 25th - Pyramid Cabaret - capacity 300 Final Gathering: A taste of 8 Days in May.Eh! Lorenzo, Little Hawk – 8pm Drezus - 8:30pm Segweh - 8:45 Sonia Eidse - 9:30pm Katie Murphy 9:55pm Big Dave McLean Acoustic Duo - 10:15pm Burnt Project 1 C.D Release - 11pm Dustin Harder and Dusty Roads Band With Sherry St. Germain - 12:30am Mariachi Ghost - 1:15

Saturday, May 26th - Venue to be announced Special 9th Day of May.Eh! Host (Ray St. Germain and Wab Kinew) Performances by: Sierra Noble Jason Burnstick David St Germain Dustin Harder and The Dusty Roads Band Wab Kinew, Little Hawk, Lorenzo (Perform "Good Boy") Ray St Germain Tentative (C.R.Avery with Guests)

For more information check out 8daysinmayeh.com.

For tickets, inquiries & info please email 8daysinmayeh@gmail.com

You can subscribe to the events by iCal here by clicking this link: http://www.manitobamusic.com/8daysinmay.ics

VIDEO: Young Jibwe Speaks

Last year, Ojibwe hip-hop artist Young Jibwe attended the Mayday: No One is Illegal gathering in Toronto - an annual march and protest that takes place around the world in pursuit of equality and justice for immigrants and refugees. There, Young Jibwe was inspired to make an impromptu speech from the stage. A year later, he is sharing more of that story and inspiration.

Young Jibwe didn't plan on speaking at the March, but among the many placards and signs with messages of anti-poverty, environmental justice, and health for all, one sign in particular grabbed his attention: "Gay people are killed in Iran".

It's a true and disturbing fact.

Fueled by that information, Young Jibwe asked if he could speak from the stage and, mic in hand, he delivered spontaneous, impassioned and inspired words.

Later, he wanted to share more of the story behind his speech. "I wanted people to get a good insight of me, so they can see and hear the inspiration for themselves", he told RPM.

The result is this video with live footage of Young Jibwe's speech intercut with a candid and open offstage interview about his life experiences - including forced gender reassignment at birth, enduring harassment and abuse as a youth, discovering his past, and sticking with his music despite the difficult times. Through it all, Young Jibwe continues to transform his experiences into music - surely the best medicine of all.

Watch and listen here and be inspired to share your story too. I think whenever anyone is honest about their experiences, it can be healing for all of us.

For more of Young Jibwe's beats and music, go to reverbnation.com/youngjibwe (you can also hear some of his work in every episode of the RPM Podcast - yup, we're big fans!).

VIDEO: Young Jibwe Talks Success

Win Gary Farmer and the Troublemakers New CD

We love Gary Farmer and the Troublemakers and their new album Under the Water Tower. We also rather like haiku. Thus, we're bringing them together in our Gary Farmer Haiku Contest! Enter now.

A copy of the new Gary Farmer and the Troublemakers' CD Under the Water Tower and RPM swag bag could be yours!

To enter, all you have to do is comment with an original haiku below. The only caveat is that the wee poem be inspired by Gary Farmer.

Perhaps it is his role of Nobody in Dead Man, or Ray Delaronde in Blackstone, or the sweet bluesy sound of one of his harmonica riffs that will inspire you. But wherever you find your inspiration, write your own 5-7-5 Gary Farmer homage in our comments below and you'll be entered to win!

Check out the interview with Gary by RPM's Marika Swan, watch the video below of the band at Portland's Waterfront Blues Festival, and download Make a Change to get the ideas flowing.

Enter by 5pm PST Friday April 20th.

DOWNLOAD: Sayani - "Sayani"

Mother Jorie and daughter Christie West make up the duo Sayani (meaning Zion). Together, their heartfelt and spiritual music shares their family stories of the past and present.

NAMMY winners in 2010 for Best Gospel/Inspirational Album, they are Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw, Irish and English and their work reflects their cultural blend, with a strong traditional Native influence. That blend is featured in this track with both the hand drum and sampled percussion under their rich, building and beautiful vocal harmonies. Close your eyes and listen.

DOWNLOAD: Sayani - "Sayani"

Windspeaker Talks with Brendt Thomas Diabo

Brendt Thomas Diabo is a country/rock/folk artist from the Mohawk Nation in Kahnawake, Quebec. Diabo talked with Windspeaker recently about battling stage fright, recording his new EP, and what next to expect from the talented young artist.

From Windspeaker's article Mohawk musician making it on his own by Lauren McComber:

Right from the start, Brendt Thomas Diabo doubted his pursuit of a solo music career. It was April 2011, and he had just started recording songs for his solo music project called Thomas Doubting.

It wasn’t that he lacked the musical talent – he has plenty – or that he suffers from stage fright. It’s just that, as Diabo puts it, it is simply in his nature to doubt. Hence the name, Thomas Doubting.

“It was sort of an experiment for me. I was mainly just testing the waters to see if I could do this,” confessed Diabo, a 21- year-old musician from the Mohawk Nation of Kahnawake.

With his tentative first steps into the Indie music scene of Montreal, Diabo promised himself that if he didn’t reach a certain goal by the age of 22 (to tour outside of Montreal), he would just “stop the whole pursuit and grow up.”

Personally, I would say that 22 is far too young to give up on a professional and creative pursuit, not to mention to "grow up", but setting goals is surely a great way to move forward and happily it's working well for Diabo:

With his 22nd birthday just two months away, Diabo doesn’t see himself giving up anytime soon. He is recording his second EP - which has already yielded a bluesy number called Ride – and has some potential gigs in the works opening up for a well known Aboriginal musician.

“Where I wanted to be last year is now where I’m at this year,” said Diabo. “It’s taken a lot of time, money, and dedication to get the ball rolling, but with my new EP being recorded I have a lot more confidence in myself and my music. I’d like to see how far I could take this one.”

So would we! Keep it up Thomas Doubting, we look forward to more!

--

Read the whole interview for more with Diabo, about watching Elvis movies, listening to Led Zepplin and following his own advice, here: ammsa.com/publications/windspeaker/mohawk-musician-making-it-his-own.

Watch his cover of Midnight at the Movies below to get you started, then be sure to download his free  EP Haunted for free at mediafire.com/?jhp7sjl83vi2763.

VIDEO: New Savannah Rae Boyko - "Sick Obsession"

Teenaged pop-singer Savannah Rae Boyko from Fisher River Cree Nation has released her first music video!

The high-gloss video, directed and produced by James Rewicki from Absurd Machine, runs with a girls-just-wanna-have-fun playful vibe and shows that Savannah Rae is not only a beautiful, talented singer and performer, but that she also has a sense of humour. We love the mix of confidence with not taking oneself too seriously - enjoy!

Watch Savannah Rae Boyko - "Sick Obsession":

Lisa Jackson & The Making Of "Pow Wow Wow"

The new Cris Derksen music video, Pow Wow Wow, was directed by Lisa Jackson and RPM talked with Lisa about the experience, inspiration and production of the video.

As a part of the Aboriginal People's Television Network's "First Tracks" initiative, Cris Derksen traveled out to Toronto to work with Big Soul Productions and renowned director Lisa Jackson for her newest video project Pow Wow Wow.

I asked Lisa about her experience and inspirations for making this amazing video.

"When Big Soul Productions approached me to work on Cris' music video for APTN's 'First Tracks,' it was an instant yes. I love Cris' music and her style and could see my film sensibilities blending with her genre-blending approach. Plus, I was just finishing a year doing the Directors' Lab at the Canadian Film Centre where I had intensively trained in straight-up narrative filmmaking, and I was ready to bust out and do something totally creative and experimental.

Making Pow Wow Wow, I was inspired by Norman McLaren's beautiful 1968 dance film "Pas de Deux" as well as Dr. Who. Cris' whole cello-keyboard-pedals setup made me think of a plane's cockpit and I realized the video had to be set in outer space. And what a great place for fancy dancing! I wanted to capture a sense of a child's fantasy world, but with a steampunk edge. In my mind, Cris' playing is fuelling the ship and the dance, like some kind of imagination generator.

Cris and Shyama (the dancer) were great to work with - both in planning and especially as our shoot day stretched past the 12-hour mark. Poor Shyama had to go and go and go, and she's a raw foodist, so we kept her supplied with carrot sticks and fruit so she didn't pass out.

I originally wanted to shoot Cris playing inside a shiny white futuristic pod that was to be built from a complex papier mache plan, but when the pod broke in transport to the studio on shoot day, we switched to Plan B and shot Cris against a green screen. A lucky accident as Luis Almazan's space pod graphics turned out amazing (you can see his effects process on the video in action at youtube.com/watch?v=d1fb7zlAjag).

One of my favourite parts was working with a couple of designers to come up with Cris' supercool spacesuit. Cris was a trooper, as it was a super form-fitting, non-stretchy, hot outfit she was strapped into for hours. She kept it so I hope she at least got to wear it on Halloween or something, but maybe she's too traumatized.

So yeah, it was a great collaboration all around, Cris and I jamming on ideas, Shyama bringing it dance-wise with grace and energy, and Big Soul Productions skillfully facilitating all my crazy ideas. I would do more Cris Derksen videos anytime."

Watch Cris Derksen, Pow Wow Wow here:

Pow.Wow.Wow Cris Derksen Video from Lisa Jackson on Vimeo.

The Lived Dreams of World Hood

Estrella Hood and Anand Parmar, partners in life and music, are the love behind World Hood. 

I caught up with Estrella Wood, once her voice had recovered from the mayhem of SXSW where Estrella and her partner performed under World Hood at a community venue. They are also the founding members of the Sol Collective, an arts, culture and activist centre in Sacramento. The centre offers everything from music production classes to graphic design to silk screening. They also provide a space where different groups can come in and host cultural activities. They are right near the state capital and run an activist school making sure people are aware of different issues.

- Marika Swan: The discussion about identity is always interesting and I find that this is sometimes different with the Indigenous folks down south. How do you talk about your roots?

Estrella Hood: Yeah it's definitely interesting and it's always different in different places and it really hit home when I was in Canada just in the different ways that people do identify. You know growing up, we're Mexican, so we're Mestizo or Mestiz. I always knew about our Indigenous roots. My grandpa on my mother's side is Matlazinca, Indigenous people from Mexico and he made it a point to let us know where we came from. My dad's side of the family was always proud that their bloodline was Spanish, mainly because of the racism created due to the hacienda system in Mexico. Growing up, I would hear family members on that side say things like she’s the “daughter of the Indian”. I don’t think they meant it in a good way, but I was always proud of that, and I’m glad that they did not allow me to forget. On my mom’s side of the family, her eldest brother still spoke the Indigenous language. They still had their traditions. As I got older and many of them came to California it became less and less throughout the years, with assimilation. Definitely as I got older I wanted to look into that and really get a good grasp of who we were. I had a lot of conversations later with my grandfather.

In California there’s a lot of politics around being Native. A lot have to do with the politics around casinos, specifically where I live. There is a bit of a divide in the community around folks that are Mestiz and folks that are full-blooded Indian, who can say they are Native and who can’t. I think some of these tensions have risen because some people have right to money from casinos and some people don’t. So even though we’re not Native from California, I still felt that tension around cultural identity.

When I went to Canada to see Indigenous people from all over the place and Mestiz people from all over the place it was very interesting to learn about the politics of cultural identity outside of my own community.

MS: When did music become a big part of the work that you do?

EH: I think I've always had that as an outlet. When I dropped out of high school and I hadn't told my parents yet - I would take off and go to my friends place  and we would record music. Its always been a way of expressing myself and getting my thoughts and my ideas and my energy out. Recently with the World Hood project it's the first time I've really put it out there and allowed other people to hear it.

MS: And this is a music project with your partner? It sounds so romantic.

EH: (laughs) Yeah, he's a producer and an amazing beat-maker so it's convenient because we have a studio set up in the house. We have two children so when they go to sleep we can work on a project together. He's East Indian, his family is from India and he was born in Africa so he brings a whole different cultural element. We go back and forth with the sound, adding different elements of who we are. It's been fun working with him.

MS: How did your show go at SXSW?

EH: It was cool, it was a little difficult 'cause we were organizing the event. As a band, it was difficult because we were doing way too much as usual. We were on the sound and hosting the guests. So that part was hard to put myself in the role of now I am going to perform because I was running around but as far as the show itself it was a wonderful experience. We got to invite all of the different artists who's music we really respect. It was nice to meet face to face with people who have similar music or similar ideas around activism. And represent some kind of cultural element in their music. That we're not trying to assimilate, we're trying to keep our culture intact out here. So everyone had some kind of cultural element to their music which I think is really important.

Especially for us, physically we’re outside of Mexico and going into the next generation. My kids are the second generation. They say that by the third generation children will completely assimilate and there is basically no trace of where we’re from. So the cultural centre is a way for me to combat that. To try and keep our culture intact as much as possible for our generations to come.

MS: Was there any other music that just blew your mind out there?

EH: One show that I just loved was 3BallMTY from Mexico. It's three DJs that are super young, like 17-19 years old and they mixed a lot of different styles of music. From traditional to Indigenous sounds and electronic so its just such a great mix of music. It totally blew me away. It was amazing to to see them. I really feel like they are a good representation of Mexico today, of who we are from our roots until now. Who we are as a people and how we are continuing to move forward and evolve as a people.

MS: What's coming up for you?

EH: We have a new EP with 5 tracks coming out in the next month and dropping a full length album in the summer.

MS: Wow you are a such a busy woman!

EH: Yeah we are always doing too much. Life is short so you have to live out all your dreams and everything that you feel inspired to do. Everything that you visualize, move forward on it.

MS: I think it's so key to mix the activism with the arts and music. It's so important to have that balance.

EH: Music and art are such powerful tools to communicate with people across culture or boundary or gender. Images and sound are able to move people in a way that words aren't. They are such an integral part of our culture anyways.

You can check out World Hood on Bandcamp here.

Here is Indigenous 808 by World Hood:

and hey why not? Here's Inténtalo ft. El Bebeto, América Sierra from 3BallMTY

DOWNLOAD: Mixed Breed - "Automatic Platinum Hit"

Hailing from Tuscon in the land of Arizona, Mixed Breed is a new rap collective fresh out of the halls of high school, making some amazing music.

Consisting of Ali Baby, Chino, Annalex and Lil Shugz, Mixed Breed is a new group to keep your eyes and ears on.

From their debut album Ali Baby presents Mixed Breed: The BEGINNING, this track shares elements of dirty south with some hype 808, and a touch of EDM with the dirty wobble behind their slick lyrics.

Like what you hear? Get the whole album for free at facebook.com/mixedbreedmusic.

DOWNLOAD: Mixed Breed - "Automatic Platinum Hit"

Tom Jackson Travels to Attawapiskat

Legendary Cree singer, musician, actor and activist Tom Jackson visited the northern community of Attawapiskat as the last stop of his 2011 Christmas tour. He brought a camera crew with him, including Algonquin filmmaker Caroline Monnet, and here is the short, moving documentary they created about their visit.

Late last year Canadian media focused on the poor living conditions in Attawapiskat as community leaders and the Federal Government clashed. Tom Jackson decided to bring his music to the embattled community, to meet the people living there and to talk with Chief Theresa Spence. He shares facts on Canada's treatment of Indigenous people and his thoughts on the present circumstances as well as his hopes for the future.

"We as human beings must make change. We all need to bring awareness to the living conditions of the people of Attawapiskat. We can no longer let children grow up in unacceptable conditions or deny them the best opportunities available. Unfortunately the story of Attawapiskat echoes that of many First Nation communities in our home and Native land. It is unacceptable that we have 3rd world conditions in a country as rich and proud as Canada. I pray that there is a will and a determination to change for the better."

Watch Attawapiskat now:

New Indigenous Music Releases - March 2012

There's new music being made every moment, and here are the three newest releases from Indigenous artists for the month of March!

The debut full-length album from A Tribe Called Red has been long awaited and much anticipated to say the least. Released this week as a free download, the purveyors of "pow wow step" flex their creativity through the diverse musical landscapes of hip-hop, dancehall, moombahton and electronic styles. If you don't have it already, get their self-titled album here:

This month saw another debut from newcomer Ali Baby - who RPM profiled last month in DJ DoezIt and Ali Baby: Native Rap in High School Hallways. As Mixed Breed, Ali Baby with Chino, Annalex and Lil Shugz, have released The Beginning a mix of rap, r&b, hip-hop, rock and country. It is also a free download! Go get it here: facebook.com/mixedbreedmusic.

Last but not least, a very exciting release from Delmore Recordings is a recently unearthed recording by Karen Dalton. 1966  features Karen solo on banjo and guitar, plus four duets with Richard Tucker. The recordings are intimate, unfiltered and stirring. You can get 1966 digitally, on CD or vinyl at delmorerecordings.com.

Listen to Reason to Believe, by Karen Dalton from 1966:

Red Man Laughing Featuring Wab Kinew

In the most recent, brand spankin' new episode of Red Man Laughing, Ojibway comedian Ryan McMahon interviewed hip-hop artist and CBC journalist Wab Kinew.

Wab Kinew has been making waves in Indigenous music for a decade and more recently in the journalism scene on air and on camera at the CBC.

Our great friend Ryan McMahon had a chance to sit down with Wab for a candid, in-depth interview getting the story on Wab's beginnings in music, journalism and his involvement in the 8th Fire documentary series on CBC.

Shouts out to Ryan and Wab for their great storytelling and sharing in this podcast!

Listen now:

Red Man Laughing - EP#14 The Wab Kinew Interview

Hear the first 13 awesome episodes and download the NDN Comedy app at redmanlaughing.com.