Our Pick: Cheryl Bear — A'BA

Artist—Cheryl Bear
Song—My Father
Album—A'BA
Year—2012

Cheryl Bear’s album release is a journey of Carrier/Dakelh Nation culture mixed with Christian and Indigenous spiritual perspectives shared through a hybrid of traditional and contemporary music styles. The rhythm of the majority of songs on this album follow traditional drums both powwow and round dance. The beginning starts with a Drum Prayer voiced with a traditional flute and percussion instruments that create the opening of your listening journey as moving as any orchestral overture. You are well prepared for the beautiful song My Father where Cheryl introduces the listener to the strength of a father, the father and savior to all who embrace him. Each song following the last is a shared experience relating to the saving grace of spiritual strength. Though many of these songs are done in a modern contemporary style, they all conform to the rhythm of the native drum. Cheryl’s voice is soulful and beautiful emitting plenty of emotion that should illicit good response from the listener whether they are of faith or not. Musically all the songs stand on their own as well crafted and instrumentally supported musical selections of which several are folk or country genres. Cheryl tackles a couple serious topics that Aboriginal people have and still must persevere in a balanced music project. Lyrically Cheryl tells us of the journey by asking questions and answering them by showing how one’s spirituality gives you the strength to move on. Whether Cheryl is singing about grief and loss, injustice or typical life tribulations, she does it with love, hope and encouragement drawn from the well- spring of her faith.  On Cheryl’s website, she states “A’ BA means Father in a few Native languages” and Cheryl clearly benefits from a deep relationship with hers.

You may buy Cheryl’s album or download songs from her website: www.cherylbear.com