Page 39 - the NOISE March 2014

the others. Divergent instruments evoke con- trasting moods and feelings, which makes the aura of the EP difficult to keep up with. That’s its power source, and why listeners will come back to it. When in a thought provoking mood, turn to “All the Years.” When acceptant and con- tent with mortality, “Kiss and Tell Your Ghosts.”
The album ends with the title track, which is classically charming. The final moments of overlapping guitar and banjo are compli- mented by tuneful whistling easy to get lost in. Once silence surrounds, and the album has been properly reflected, there’s only a smile. It’s a graceful collection for many a som- ber occasion. The lyrics may lack the genuine thoughtfulness of the instrumentation, but it’s an EP worth listening to when serene winds rattle the landscape. Teixeira’s voice is a force of its own, and when coupled with her multi- instrumental talent, it can be mesmerizing.
The singer/songwriter will be playing at the Raven Café in Prescott March 28 and Firec- reek Coffee Co. in Flagstaff March 29.
— Tom Blanton
PREVIEW’D
CENTER FOR INDIGENOUS MUSIC & CULTURE
The aroma of wet paint wafted throughout the room. It appeared fresh and young, as though few had stepped foot on the spotless wooden floor. An elevated platform was situ- ated against the far wall, but didn’t yet look like the stage upon which a variety of foreign cul- tures would be shared. Betsy Hamill was there with her son, working hard to get the studio in perfect order. Her husband, Chad Hamill, was home sick. There were just over two weeks left to finish the renovations turning what used to be a tea shop into Flagstaff’s Center for Indig- enous Music & Culture (CFIMC). Though there was still much to be done, the remaining work was no match for the passion of those invested in the volunteer-based organization.
Located between Flagstaff Climbing Center and AZ Bikes on South San Francisco Street, the building sits in a prime location, especially for a non-profit. For nearly 15 years, the Hamills had dreamed of obtaining a space to share the exotic traditions they had become enamored with during their time at CalArts.
Their undergraduate studies had initially centered on Western classical music, but the school’s premier World Music Performance program swayed their interests in new direc- tions. Believing it a shame they hadn’t been ex- posed to indigenous musical landscapes until that point, they didn’t want others to remain
Awana Teixeira; CFMIC PHOTO BY AMANDA RAY
equally uninformed. They began to concep- tualize opening a cultural arts center, “where the community benefits from the music and movements so altering the path of their lives.”
Accordingly, the organization’s mission statement suggests the CFIMC will be “a platform for indigenous artists to share their culture with the community of Flagstaff ... through workshops, performances, and ongo- ing classes [to] contribute to the sustainability of indigenous traditions while strengthening the cross-cultural fabric within the community.”
However, not wanting to waste time and miss opportunities, the Hamills and the rest of the staff didn’t wait for their envisioned center to come to fruition before presenting indig- enous artists to the mountain town. The orga- nization utilized Northern Arizona University’s Ashurst Hall and Native American Cultural Cen- ter to showcase an eclectic mix of musicians and cultural traditions. Even with the CFIMC, the organization plans to continue its relation- ship with Ashurst on occasions when the new facility won’t be able to accommodate the de- mand to see an artist.
The all-ages opening of the CFIMC will take place during the First Friday ArtWalk on March 7, beginning at 5:30PM with a procession from Heritage Square led by local favorites Sam- batuque. The event will continue at the new facility with musical performances by “ambas- sador of Native music” Keith Secola, master Malian African drummer Male’ Fainke, and Flagstaff’s own Capoeira Amizade. Further entertainment will be provided by the Flag- staff Latin Dance Collective and Serendip- ity’s Kiss Tribal Bellydance troupe.
The brother and sister percussion/bass duo Sihasin will also be gracing the event with a stop on their SXSW tour. For over 23 years, Jen- eda (bass) and Clayson Benally (percussion) have toured the world both with the critically- acclaimed political punk-rock band Blackfire and as Sihasin.
They formed the band “after their lawsuit against the United States Forest Service’s plan to utilize and expose children to endocrine- laden reclaimed wastewater for artificial snow- making on the holy San Francisco Peaks in Northern Arizona was lost.” Staying optimistic amid the defeat, Ms. Benally expressed, “out of despair comes hope.” Sihasin translates to
“hope” in the Navajo language. The duo’s web- site states that “their music reflects hope for equality, healthy and respectful communities and social and environmental justice.”
— Tom Blanton | Have music? music@thenoise.us
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