Crossroads

North meets south in this strong mix of indigenous music of the Great Plains and Mexico. This is Tree Cody's sixth recording for Canyon, and his first with Huichol musician Yxayotl. In painterly strokes, they combine an array of flutes, whistles, rattles, and drums from both traditions. The interplay of percussion is more complex than the usual "heartbeat" drumming heard on most First Nations releases. Yxayotl has a colorful palette of Mayan and Aztecan instruments at his disposal, including water drums (bubalek), turtle shell rattles (ayotl), musical bows, rainsticks, and rasps. Tree Cody's spacious voice floats over it all. Other vocalizations such as hisses, grunts, and shouts accent the thoughtfully conceived arrangements. While the compositions draw heavily from the deep traditions of both cultures, the overall sound has a contemporary spirit of experimentation. A standout track is "Dance of the Bow Hunters," an almost visual piece in which the sounds of grasses and hunting bows are evoked, punctuated by the sharp scratch of the rasp. The throaty moan of the Tree Cody's Dakota flute intertwines with Yxayotl's high, piercing pre-Columbian flute. The final track on the disc "Festival of the Deer" builds to a joyous finish, with robust singing and grunting over a thundering drumbeat. The spirit of adventure and innovation is alive and well on this fine release.