Tonight’s simply titled program at the First Nations Pavilion, Drums and Voices, says it all. It’s all about percussion and singing, with styles that span the globe. Featured are Valerie Naranjo, Steven Alvarez, Pura Fe’ and Cary Morin.
Pura Fe’ (video above) is a founding member of the Native women’s a capella group Ulali, and is of Tuscarora and Puerto Rican ancestry. Here’s her Web site.
When people refer to Ute percussionist Valerie Dee Naranjo as world-renowned, they mean it literally. She’s won an African xylophone percussionist in Africa, and also has played with the Saturday Night Live band, according to this piece. Watch her in the the video below.
Steven Alavarez is Mescalero Apache. Here‘s a link to his solo timpani performance at the National Museum of the American Indian.
And Cary Morin, from Fort Collins, Colo., performs on his own, as well as with Pura Fe’. Catch him on his MySpace page, here.
Gwen Florio
Tags: 2010 Winter Games, buffalo post, Cary Morin, First Nations, Gwen Florio, Mescalero Apache, National Museum of the American Indian, Native American news, Pura Fe', Saturday Night Live, Steven Alvarez, Ute, Valerie Dee Naranjo, Vancouver Olympics