专辑简介

Each track on FAMILY TRADITIONS reflects the ancient music of the Blackfoot people. Yet, all 12 songs on this release are new compositions by Kenny Scabby Robe and his 17-piece ensemble. This music is sung mostly in the Blackfoot dialect. Like all traditional powwow music, Robe and his group--made up mostly of his wife and children--perform these tunes accompanied only by a large drum.

The tradition dictates that each singer gathers around the drum. This circle symbolizes the sacred hoop of the tribe, and the sound of the drum represents the heartbeat of all Indian people. On each selection, monophonic singing soars high above the pulsating quarter notes of the drum. Like other tribal singing traditions, a call and response is typically used between a soloist and backing singers. The thumping of the drum remains constant throughout. Nonetheless, it often shifts from loud to soft, and fortissimo accents jump out of the fabric of the music. Highlights include the reverent title track, "Family Traditions," the raucous "Good Times," and the comical "Chunkie Boy."