Asani brings unique sound and story to festival

Alberta has produced quite a few great artists that have blazed trails with their vision and talent. We all know the mega stars – k.d. lang, Nickelback and Michele Wright, and now there is Asani.

Debbie Houle, Sarah Pocklington and Sherryl Sewepagaham are a trio of Aboriginal women dedicated to showcasing the vocal artistry of their heritage. Fluent in Cree, English and French, these three multilingual singers use their dynamic harmonies and powerful rhythms to speak about the strength of Aboriginal women and the roles they play in the family and community.

Blending the First Nations and Métis traditional rattle and drum beat with western influences of jazz, folk, blues and reggae, Asani has developed a quasi legendary status performing before the Queen, Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama. They sang at the Vancouver Olympics and in 2001 performed live at Edmonton's IAFF World Championships, at that time the third-largest sporting even with four billion viewers.

Pocklington was particularly touched performing at Parliament Hill during the Olympic's relay events this past year. “We sang O Canada with a 100-person choir backing us. All 100 learned to sing in Cree. We were so excited by this and the choir loved it,” says Pocklington.

The trio is no less enthusiastic about their upcoming debut at the International Children's Festival in downtown St. Albert from June 1 to 5.

For the festival, they have created a special 50-minute interactive story with 10 songs interspersed throughout. This folk tale centres on Ayikis, a frog from Frog Lake that moves to Edmonton. In his journey he has a series of adventures and encounters moments of self-discovery. “The songs are about things he experiences on his journey. Through it all, it's a way the kids can learn Cree culture and the Cree language.”

Houle, Pocklington and Sewepagaham met in 2001 when Grant MacEwan College attempted to create an Aboriginal women's choir. It splintered into different formations, but the three have remained the closest of friends.

Four years later, they released their debut album Rattle and Drum, catapulting the group onto the national stage. The album was nominated for 11 awards including a 2006 Juno and they won the 2005 Canadian Aboriginal Music Award for Best Female/Traditional Cultural Roots Album.

In December, Asani released its sophomore album, Listen, produced by Ed Mann, Frank Zappa's favoured percussionist. This 12-track CD explores a form of vocal percussion similar to throat singing and adds non-Aboriginal musical undertones.

There's Nitohta (Listen) encouraging respect for the Earth, the bluesy flavoured Boil Water Advisory; and Starlight Tour, a commentary on police dumping Aboriginals outside city limits and leaving them to die.

Through it all their album and live performances are all about making personal connections and getting people to think about the world around us.