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The album “Heartbroken Bones” is Ailani’s gift to the world and it’s full of youthful energy. It pulls in listeners with a clean sound and a voice that soulfully speaks with honesty. This young Santa Clara Pueblo musician uses their music to dialogue about love, identity and human nature through playful indie pop compositions. We’ll hear what led this melodic creative down a musical and artful path and what it means to share stories through sound.

Break 1 music: ‘Cause I Like A Girl (song) Ailani (artist) Heartbroken Bones (album)

Break 2 music: Alone (song) Ailani (artist) Heartbroken Bones (album)

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Diné musician Klee Benally calls his latest set of creations “performance art intervention.” It’s called “Appropriation” consisting of 13 tracks and is a stance against cultural genocide. It’s set to some very energetic sounds and brought further to life with strong vocals. The former Blackfire guitarist and vocalist writes: “The music and accompanying propaganda was created for collective disruption of the dehumanizing forces attacking Indigenous existence.” We visit with Klee to find out why he’s calling out settler colonial order.

Break 1 music:  Our Autonomy (song) Klee Benally (artist) Appropriation (album)

Break 2 music:  Until We Break (song) Klee Benally (artist) Appropriation (album)

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Qacung aka Stephen Blanchet is out with his first solo album, “Miu.” In it, we hear about his love for First Alaskans. It’s celebration of jazz, R&B and the traditional sounds and Indigenous language fill each track with soulful fun, something that stems from Qacung’s many years with his group Pamyua. Now, he is telling his own story of love, loss and place. It’s also dedicated to the ancestors and, as he says, the future of Alaska Natives to come.

 

Break 1 music: The Gathering (Song) Qacung (Artist)  Miu (Album)

Break 2 music: Losing Control (Song) Qacung (Artist)  Miu (Album)

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Mattmac is a Garden Hill First Nation musician who’s known for his hard-hitting beats. This self-taught artist and music producer was born blind.  Among other things, he uses music fight back against depression and celebrate love and an indigenous life. His sound has garnered a lot of attention, including thousands of views and streams of his debut album “20/20.” From harmonious trap sounds sprinkled with poppy vocals Mattmac is leading a positive musical revolution for Native people living with disabilities.

 

Break 1 music: Focus (song) Mattmac (artist) 20/20 (album)

Break 2 music: Memego (song) Digging Roots (artist) Seeds (album)

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The husband-wife duo Twin Flames recently took home the Pop/Alternative/Rock Album of the Year award at the inaugural Summer Solstice Indigenous Music Awards for their album “Omen.” We connect with band members Jaaji, (Inuk and Mohawk) and Chelsey June (Métis/Algonquin Cree) to hear about their blend of rock, pop and folk and who they are honoring with their songs. We’ll also hear about the work the duo does with schools to help youth realize their potential through music and Indigenous culture.

 

Break 1 music: Follow Me (song) Twin Flames (artist) Omen (album)

Break 2 music: Way of Life (song) Lakota Thunder (artist) Way of Life (album)

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Native Hip-Hop artists are getting broader acclaim with each new release. And now they have a forum for recognizing their achievements. The first-ever International Indigenous Hip-Hop Awards honored more than a dozen artists for their musical and lyrical talents. Some of the standouts include Mi’kmaq producer and engineer, David Strickland, who cleaned up with single, collaboration and producer of the year awards, the Snotty Nose Rez Kids with the album of the year, and The Ra11n for best female artist. We’ll talk with some of the winners and hear about the rise of Indigenous Hip-Hop.

Check out the Native America Calling International Indigenous Hip-Hop Awards Spotify playlist.

Guests:

Christie Lee (Musqueam First Nation) – co-founder of the International Indigenous Hip Hop Awards, a hip-hop lover and full-time mother

David Strickland (Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation) – producer and engineer

The Ra11n (Plains Cree from Moosomin First Nation) – Best Female Hip Hop Artist

Young D (Haisla Nation) – rapper from Snotty Nose Rez Kids

 

Break 1 music: Something Else (song) Snotty Nose Rez Kids (artist) Something Else (single/album)

Break 2 music: Way of Life (song) Lakota Thunder (artist) Way of Life (album)

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We turn our musical gaze to the work of Lil’wat artist Russell Wallace. His new album, “Unceded Tongues” is a mix of pop, jazz and blues that’s sure to wake up the senses. It includes tracks that explore the beauty of the St’át’imc language. Much of the album is a tribute to the gifts his ancestors passed on to him, including the words of his mother. We’ll hear how he is blending contemporary sounds with the resilience of his culture.

Break 1 music: I Rise (feat. Murray Porter & Sandy Scofield) Russell Wallace (artist) Unceded Tongues (album)

Break 2 music: Bring the Water (song) Digging Roots (artist) We Are (album)

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With a mix of spoken word and jazzy soul sounds, Muscogee Creek Nation musician Joy Harjo might make listeners want to dance to her new album “I Pray for My Enemies”. But her creations are also meant to make people think and feel. Harjo, the nation’s first Native American Poet Laureate, features words in her Muscogee language layered with graceful jazz. And listeners are treated to her inviting saxophone sounds. Our April Music Maker is a celebration of the music and poetry of Joy Harjo.

 

 

Break 1 music: Running (song) Joy Harjo (artist) I Pray for My Enemies (album)

Break 2 music: Blokétu Čháŋ Ȟtayétu (song) Alex Firethunder (artist) Love for the Land (album)

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On their newest album, Sunburnt Stone invites listeners into soulful stories that travel from the dustiest rez roads to the hardest pavement. The band from the Navajo Nation says the title cut, “El Navaho,” oozes with spaghetti western undertones. From there they demonstrate their guitar mastery on songs like “Every Single Second”. We’ll hear from the band about the road they took to bring their music to life.

 

Break Music:

El Navaho (song) Sunburnt Stone (artist) El Navaho (album)

Stomp (song) The GrayHawk Band (artist) Worth The Wait (album)

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There are many vibrant examples of culture blending by Native artists. Traditional powwow singer and song maker Bryden Gwiss (Ojibway, Odawa, Potawatomi, Delare, Mik Maq and Oneida) uses what he’s learned—and taught—on the Powwow Trail to create a new sound. It both highlights the energy of the traditional dance circle and takes it to a new circle rich in hip-hop, electronic and dubstep sounds. The 2017 Juno Award nominee is our January Music Maker and he’ll be sharing compositions from his second album, “The Forgotten T.R.U.T.H ( The.Real.Un.Told.History).”

 

Break 1 music: ShtaataaHop! (Crow Hop) (song) Bryden Gwiss (artist) The Forgotten T.R.U.T.H. (The.Real.Un.Told.History) (album)

Break 2 music: Igluvut (song) Quantum Tangle (artist) Shelter as We Go . . .(album)