AIROS Native Network's blog

Twice as Good is an award-winning blues band comprised of a father and son duo, Rich and Paul Steward. They are both from the California Elem Indian Colony of Pomo Indians. Twice as Good’s high-energy performances demonstrate their great showmanship. Rich’s musical skills were learned from his mother, as well as her cousin, Hank Gonzalez. Then, Rich taught Paul how to play guitar leading to Paul’s desire to continue studying music.

The duo first started performing for friends’ parties and they created a following that led them to the club scene and later winning music awards. They obtained their name when they were told, “if you’re going to make it, you have to be twice as good.” Since then, the duo has performed at some of the major blues festivals and they were awarded “Best New Blues Band of 2011” by the Bay Area Blues Society. They are the first Native Americans to win this prestigious award.

Production Assistant Tobias Grant (Omaha/Sisseton/Dineh/Cherokee) recently spoke with Twice as Good after their performance on Stage 49 during Gathering of Nations Powwow in Albuquerque, N.M. Together, they talk about their music, their experience at the Nammy Awards ceremony and their performance on Stage 49.

Listen to the interview | 2XG web site | 2XG Facebook | 2XG MySpace | Twitter Page | YouTube | Subscribe to Native Sounds Podcast

John Williams is Sisseton-Dakota and Chippewa. He started playing instruments in middle school and has since grown his musical talents to span over a wide-range of instruments. John is a founding member of the Native Reggae band Native Roots. Today, John is active in the band as their keyboard player. Native Roots promotes unity among all people. The band has won numerous awards and their dedication to their causes, as well as the Native content and themes, have helped them stand out amongst other Reggae bands.

NAPT Production Assistant Tobias Grant (Omaha/Dakota/Cherokee/Dineh) is the nephew of John Williams and in this interview, they talk about John’s knowledge of music, the members of Native Roots and their performance at the 2011 Miss Indian World banquet in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Interview with John | Native Roots Website | Native Roots Facebook Page | MySpace Page | Twitter Page | Subscribe to the Native Sounds Podcast Page

Lakota Jonez is Cherokee, Mohawk and Lakota. She was born in Florida and grew up all over the East Coast and Canada. She began performing at an early age--first in ballet, then writing, poetry, lyrics and finally music. Lakota wrote lyrics and poetry in high school and later found herself immersed in  Hip-Hop music. "Writing Hip-Hop lyrics was like telling a story," she said.

Lakota then started turning lyrics into songs and thus began her career in music. Lakota Jonez won the 2009 Canadian Aboriginal Music Award for Best Rap or Hip Hop Album and has co-written songs with various artists including Rock & Roll artist Derek Miller (Six Nations of the Grand River First Nation) and Rock & Roll band Jesus Murphy. Lakota Jonez recently worked on a project for Gathering of Nations called The Golden Opportunity. The experiment provides students with a small amount of money and a camera so that they may select and research small-scale actions to learn about how those actions ripple out across their community and the world.

Production Assistant Tobias Grant (Omaha, Dakota, Cherokee & Dineh) spoke with Lakota Jonez during the 2011 Gathering of Nations. Tobias and Lakota talk about her music, performing at Stage 49 and her plans for this year.

Interview with Lakota | Lakota Jonez Website | Lakota Jonez Facebook | Lakota Jonez MySpace | The Golden Opportunity

Quese Imc is an award-winning Hip Hop emcee, independent music producer and cultural activist. Quese is a member of the Pawnee and Seminole Nations. Quese and his brother are founding members of Native Hip Hop group “Culture Shock Camp.” In the beginning of his musical career, Quese struggled with his audience connecting to his music. Since then, his audience has changed with the times and Quese just released his album titled “Hand Drums for Whiskey Bottles.”  Quese mixes his love for Hip Hop with his love for his people-creating a sound called “Native Hip Hop.” His artistic style mixes the modern substance of freestyling, Hip Hop and Funk with strictly traditional values.

Production Assistant Tobias Grant (Omaha, Dakota, Cherokee & Dineh) spoke with Quese Imc after his performance at Stage 49. Tobias and Quese talk about his music, his experience as a performer and his album “Hand Drums for Whiskey Bottles.”

For more information about Quese Imc visit his web site at www.QueseImcMusic.com.

AIROS Top 5 Picks from Quese Imc:

"Hey Young World" (The Betty Lena Project)
"Good Ol' America" (Bluelight)
"Medzeez" (Bluelight) Explicit
"Make It Big" (Hand Drums For Whiskey Bottles)
"Bird Song" (Hand Drums For Whiskey Bottles)

Interview with Quese | Quese Web Site | Quese Facebook

Derek Miller is a blues singer/songwriter from the Six Nations of the Grand River First Nation. He recorded his 2010 album with Stevie Ray Vaughn's band, Double Trouble. The album Derek Miller with Double Trouble also features a song he wrote and played in collaboration with American icon, Willie Nelson (Cherokee).  

Derek has been interested in music his entire life. He started performing when he was in high school. Derek's first performances helped him get over his fear of playing in front of large audiences. He said this opened up the floodgates for all the great performances that were to come, such as his performance at the 2010 Winter Olympics Closing Ceremony in Vancouver, to millions watching on television.  

Link Wray has been  source of inspiration for Derek. "Here's a man, who in 1958 developed and invented the power chord, and distorted rock guitar," Derek said. Link Wray's power chords and distortion showed Derek how Native Americans have contributed to rock music.  

Derek said the recognition of Native America's contributions could help give young people more self-esteem so they feel proud to be who they are.

Listen to the Interview  |  Subscribe to the Native Sounds Podcast
Derek's Website  |  Follow Derek on Twitter  |  Like Derek on Facebook

Devin Whirlwindsoldier is Lakota and Diné. He was raised on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota. He grew up singing with various drum groups on the pow wow trail. Devin was able to stay positive and out of trouble through singing. He united with Stephen Yellowhawk and the duo formed “Buddaz and Stephen” and recorded their first album titled “Northern Lights.” Devin and Stephen also have recorded another project with RSBK (Ricky, Stephen, Buddaz & Kilo) titled RSBK. Devin is in the process of recording his next project.

For the last five years, Devin has worked as a mentor in his community. He maintains a drug and alcohol free lifestyle. He encourages youth to be active in starting a drum group or pow wow-style dancing because it helped him to stay out of trouble. For more information about Buddaz and Stephen, check out their MySpace page link below.

Top 5 Songs

1. Angel Eyez remix
2. Did You See That Girl
3. Need You
4. Doing It Right
5. Messed Up

Interview with Buddaz | Buddaz n Stephen MySpace | RSBK MySpace

Steve Wood (Saddle Lake Cree Nation) and two of his brothers founded Northern Cree in 1982. Northern Cree has released 37 albums under Canyon Records. 
 
Wood says he has been around music throughout his life and started performing music with his family in his childhood. In his childhood, his father was a singer, and the rest of his family brought out drums to entertain guests. Wood says Bill Baker's group, the Mandaree Singers, was one of the most inspiring drum groups to him. Bill Baker has passed on, but his group's music is still alive. 
 
Wood says the performing of traditional, aboriginal music has been around since the beginning of recorded history, but the way his group performs -- in front of an audience on stage -- is a new direction for the music.  Northern Cree has performed in front of 18,000 fans in a way similar to that of a rock or country concert. This is one way Northern Cree has helped change traditional, aboriginal music performance.  

Wood's passion for music, which started in his childhood, has led him to a successful career. Northern Cree's pow wow music has received six Grammy nominations. Wood hopes he will be able to leave a legacy like Bill Baker.

Recently, NAPT's Interactive Media Specialist Eric Martin spoke with Steve Wood about his music. 

Listen to the Interview  |  Subscribe to the Native Sounds Podcast  |  Northern Cree's Website

Top 5 Northern Cree Songs

1.  "Red and White" (Sweethearts' Shuffle)
2.  "Red Skin Gal" (Calling All Dancers)
3.  "Smilin'" (Calling All Dancers)
4.  "Stars in the Sky" (Temptations)
5.  "A Million Miles for You" (Temptations)

Celebrating their 28th year, the Gathering of Nations is one of largest Powwows in North America. Held annually on the fourth weekend in April in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Hosting over 500 different tribes from Canada and the United States.

Just a few days before the Grammy awards NAPT production assistant Aden Marshall spoke with Melonie and Derek Mathews. The two along with Dr. Lita Mathews were nominated for Best Native American Album for their production work on the CD -- 2010 Gathering of Nations Powwow: A Spirit's Dance. Aden talked with the Mathews by phone from their offices in Albuquerque.

On Grammy night, February 13, 2011, Dr. Lita, Melonie & Derek Mathews won the Grammy. “We are thrilled to have won one of the music industry’s most prestigious awards. We’re still re-living the moment they announced the winner and we heard our names. The fact that we won still doesn’t seem real,” said Derek Mathews, founder of the Gathering of Nations and producer of the album. Listen to hear what they had to say just days before the win about being nominees, producing the album independently and their plans for this year's Gathering of Nations. For more information on this year's Gathering of Nations, check out their website.

Lincoln, NE--On this episode of Native Sounds-Native Voices, Aden and Alex feature a playlist of Native American music artists who have been nominated for music awards. Every year the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network sponsors the Aboriginal Peoples Choice music awards show. This event is televised nationally in Canada. Web users can vote for their favorite Native American artist who has released a new album within the past year. Aden and Alex put together this playlist of nominees from the Aboriginal Peoples Choice awards, as well as nominees from the NAMMYS (Native American Music Awards). Voting usually begins in the summer and ends in early fall. For more information about these events check out their web sites: www.aboriginalpeopleschoice.com and www.nativeamericanmusicawards.com. Listen to the live broadcast of NS-NV every Thursday morning from 8-10 am CT on www.KZUM.org.

blog by Tobias Grant

“Make Your Mind Up” (Full Circle) Pappy Johns Band with Murray Porter
“Berlin” (Swagger) Lucie Idlout
“Old School” (Live at Haskell Indian Nations University) The Boyz
“Hush My Darling” (Round Dance in Beauty) Jay Begaye
“Dreams” (Rhythm of Love) Tiinesha Begaye
“Wind in My Mind” (Fire Crow) Joseph Fire Crow
"Sacred Ground” (Believe) Michael Bucher
“Last Song” (Life is) Eagle and Hawk
“Over Again” (From All Directions) Bluedog
“No No Keshagesh” (Running For The Drum) Buffy Sainte-Marie
“Spring to Come” (We Are) Digging Roots
“Kool Running” (Black Star) Joey Stylez

Lincoln, NE—on this edition of Native Sounds-Native Voices (NS-NV) Aden and Alex feature a playlist that will kick-start your appetite for fry bread and other delicious treats. They have songs by Arigon Starr, Native Roots and Keith Secola singing about some warm, soft fry bread. If you can’t have some fry bread, well this playlist will definitely get you dreaming about that awesome pow-wow treat. Don’t forget to tune-in to the live broadcast of NS-NV every Thursday morning from 8-10 a.m. CT on www.KZUM.org.

Blog by Tobias Grant

“Original or Extra Crispy” Northern Cree (Here to Stay)
“Potato Pie” Tha Tribe (T2K)
“Corn Grinding Song” Radmilla Cody (Seed of Life)
“Corn Song” Sharon Burch (Touch The Sweet Earth)
“Mama’s Green Corn” Spirit Keepers (Sacred Ground) 
“When Napi Roasted Gophers” Jack Gladstone (Tappin’ The Earth’s Backbone)
“Growing Nowhere” FireCat of Discord
“Junior Frybread” Arigon Starr (Wind-Up)
“Fry Bread Song” Radmilla Cody (Precious Friends)
“Frybread” Keith Secola (Wild Band of Indians)
“Fry Bread Line”Jim Boyd (Going to The Stick Games)
“Frybread” Blackhawk Blues Band (Rainy)
“Frybread” Native Roots (Rain Us Love)
“Lucrecia’s Kitchen” Gary Small Band (Wild Indians)