REVIEW: WORLD MUSIC DAY

Posted by arts_reviews

Posted: October 19, 2008 - 11:51 am

Comments (0) |

By Dawnell Smith

Next time you hear about a free concert at the Alaska Native Heritage Center, go.

Don't make the mistake of associating "free" with amateur, dull, over the hill or untested. On Saturday, the annual World Music Festival went beyond a good deal—it engendered good spirit, good manners and good nature. The Gathering Place feels more like a cultural living room than a stage, after all, and people tend to look after each other.

The storytelling and dancing started midmorning and the full day of music opened with the Irish jam band, Last Night's Fun. The group's fiery playing left little ones scampering crazy jigs while their parents tried to keep up.

Medicine Dream followed with a set of pop/rock songs infused with traditional drumming and chanting. Composer and vocalist Paul Pike tends toward a gentle take on life and sings with a melodious tenor that befits his songs.

The band played everything from folk-inspired tunes like "The Whisper" from its 2007 release, "Learning to Fly," to a hand drum song and a blues tune with flutes instead of harmonicas.

Sure, any decent band with two guitars, a bass, keyboards, drum kit and percussions sounds dynamic, but Medicine Dream proved its sonic scope went beyond the ordinary. The thump of a giant skin drum coupled with vocal chants permeated virtually every song. Saturday's crowd clearly adored them.

But it took the island reggae of H-3 to get people on their feet. The popular bar band started with the iconic "Get Up, Stand up" and seamlessly layered on lines and riffs and other musical styles. The vocals sounded great and the ukulele rocked.

By the time they finished, the schedule was already off kilter, so I had to leave before seeing Latin jazz singer Estrella Acosta or the Maori dancers from New Zealand (who will do a public performance on Friday).

The crowd started big and stayed big, with some people hanging out all day and others taking advantage of free admission to catch a set or two between errands or jobs.

Some probably stopped at the new box store across the way. Honestly, I can care less about Target—I mean, I've dreaded/hated shopping since elementary school—but on Saturday, Target did me and hundreds of other music fans a favor by covering the cost of admission so we could see and hear world music from near and far.

I may employ the Cliff Notes approach to buying stuff (identify what you need and then get the heck out of there) but when it comes to music, listening and lingering counts.

Find out about the next best way to linger at www.alaskanative.net. The Heritage Center will host an Intertribal Gathering from with hoop dancing, Irish dance, music by Pamuya and more 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, November 15. Admission is free.

login or register to post comments