Wakeful dragon will impress listeners

Page 11

Review

This Dragon Won't Sleep

By Don Ross

Sony/Columbia, 1995

The guitar wizardry of Micmac artist Don Ross immediately grabs the listener from the opening note like a jaguar pouncing on its prey and holds on until the closing of the album fades into a deeply satisfied silence. This Dragon Won't Sleep is an amazing compact disc that contains Ross's most impressive work to date.

The disc's 13 tracks provide a solid hour of music that was also arranged and produced by Ross with the assistance of Danny Greenspoon. The project is also his first major record label release that seems to have worked favorably for his creativity as well.

"The label was very supportive of my work and assisted with the recording sessions in a lot of ways, rather than hindering the creative process. That's a new thing for me that I wasn't used to, but had always wanted."

Those long restrained expressions come to the surface in an explosion of sound, song, structure, arrangement and mood.

Ross indulges himself, creatively and to the limit, but the result is not overdone. Accompanied by a full band, backup singers and specialized musicians who possess talent equal to the instruments they play, an incredible sound tapestry is created without parallel. The horn section on a newly resurrected Groovy Sunflowers, which originally appeared on a previous Duke Street Record release, gives the song an R&B groove. He also explores the limitless areas of a jazz-funk-folk technical exuberance with a slight hints of Latin flavor on Obrigado (Portuguese for thank you).

Throughout the disc, Ross employs a wide range of acoustic guitar techniques while maintaining his unique, recognizable style. Ross is a musician's musician. He seems to strive to go beyond his existing creative parameters with a respectable degree of integrity rather than relying on the "Indian thing" to sell a product for someone else's pleasure.

But in the test of time, he will be remembered long after the fashion fades away.

Red Thunder

By Red Thunder

Eagle Thunder Records

Following the album's opening thunder clap and a chant called Spirit Song which precedes the contemporary vocal track, HeartBeat, I thought: "David Cassidy is singing with the Eagles?"

Then, after closely listening to the lyrics that echo the reality of relocation, reverence for the land and culture as well as reference to a 500-year struggle, it became very clear that fortunately, I was mistaken.

Red Thunder is an interpretive collective effort of lead singer and guitarist Robby Romero; traditional drummers Benito Concha and Mazatl Galindo who are musically and creatively assisted by Paul Martinez, Charles Gasper, Susan Shown Harjo and Richard Moves Camp.

Their debut mini-album consists of eight tracks, three of which are contemporary pieces beautifully arranged and expertly performed. Four others are rooted in traditional Aztecan music with the exception of Spirit Song, which is rooted in northern Plains style. Part of Red Thunder's objective seems to be to entice and entertain the youth and inspire them to further embrace the cultural values with respect while educating them on a soulful musical journey. Much of the contemporary music is geared to the adolescent crowd while appealing to a cross-cultural audience.

In the spirit of education and enlightenment, Sacred Ground conveys messages for Holy Places currently under attack, including the Black Hills and Mount Graham.

The project is independently produced and can be ordered directly from Red Thunder Productions: (503) 986-3939.

Urban Native Son

By Culture of Rage

Rage Inc.

San Francisco based rapper Heath St. John (Apache/Sioux), detonates his second volatile package Urban Native Son. Being one of the most outspoken mic-warriors, St. John describes this project as being, "my purpose in life, for the love of my Red brothers and sisters. Not the system, or the radio, or the wannabe gangsters who would rather live 'Hollywood' than the reality of te struggle at hand. I take and expose the reality of the problems facing the Native community, and stress the importance of culture and spirituality as the means of healing and survival. It's not just a 'rap', it's a testimonial of my identity and life."

The songs are not deliverances from a pulpit but gritty, hard-core expressions from an artistic-activist voice. Because of his truthful outspoken perspectives that characterized his first release, Urban Indian, which continue on Urban Native Son, the non-Native backlash with its charges 'reverse-racism' have only served to galvanize his resolve.

Considering that racism in itself is a role character of a dominant culture and a tool to oppress and control the lives of Indigenous people, not only politically but economically with its dictates of who, what, how and where Indigenous people can live, exist and be educated, it would seem that affirmative and outspoken monologues such as C.O.R.'s tear into the heart of society full of guilt and rejection.

It is at best a reaction that grasps at straws in a feeble attempt to discredit and silence a truth while purporting the myth of equality in a settler-society based on color and economics.

The overall production and instrumentation, coupled with the sleight-of-hand turntable magic of Orlando Z. Jr. Are some of the best in the genre of true Native rap. The album contains some pertinent out-takes from the films War Party and Clear Cut. The track of Read Eclipse features two guest musicians and sounds very similar to the gritty hard-core metal-rap of Ice-T-s band, Body Count.

C.O.R. speaks to Native youth with a truth and honesty long deserved. All rage aside, Urban Native Son contains some potent lyrics and thoughts and casts a light on a path to action.

Write to Heath St. John, c/o Culture Of Rage, 15934 Hesperian Blvd. #219, San Lorenzo, California 94580, (510) 317-8309.

(Brian Wright-McLeod is a Dakota/Anishnabe activist and radio programmer at CKLN 88.1 FM in Tornto where he hosts a two-hour Native issues and music program Heart of the Earth. If you wish to send your recordings for airplay and possible review write him c/o CKLN, 380 Victoria St., Toronto, ON M5B 1W7, or call (416) 595-1477.)