Gathering: the Sacred Breath

In the 21st century, modern Native American music is moving in many different directions. Some artists are fusing Navajo, Cherokee, Sioux, or Lakota elements with folk-rock; others are being influenced by African, Middle Eastern, or Asian music — and there are even some Native American rappers who are listening to DMX or Jay-Z on reservations. But the traditionalists remain; those are the Native American artists who remain untouched by rock, R&B, funk, new age, country, or hip-hop. So where does Brooke Medicine Eagle fit in? Actually, Gathering: The Sacred Breath acknowledges both the traditional and contemporary approaches even though it does tend to favor the latter over the former. The veteran singer/songwriter, who is part Sioux, embraces a few traditional songs that are in the public domain, including "Ya Ta Way" and "Kisaka" (a Pawnee women's song). But much of the time, a folk-rock approach prevails — that is, folk-rock with distinctly Native American themes and rhythms. Eagle originals such as "Stones and Bones," "Walk in Beauty," and "Grandfather Fire" have a singer/songwriter aesthetic and use the English language to get their points across, but their lyrics are inspired by Native American culture — and they are every bit as spiritual as the traditional songs that Eagle embraces. One of the things that works to Eagle's creative advantage on this CD is her spoken introductions to the material; she has no problem articulating what the tunes are about and why they are relevant to Native American culture. Some purists probably wish that Eagle would stick to traditional repertoire, but she would be selling herself short if she did that — and her willingness to perform both traditional offerings and original material is a definite plus on this memorable, pleasing CD.