Search - Joanne Shenandoah :: Once in a Red Moon

The best Native American artist at present

Wes Stapleton | New Zealand | 12/02/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have been a recent fan of Joanne Shenandoah. Her work is targeted towards a wide audience while remaining true to her culture. Once in a red moon is my current favorite with Ms. Shenandoah's magnificent voice together with the talents of Peter Cator has yielded an uncomperable historical musical event. If you enjoy Native music I strongly recommend this work. You owe it to yourself to treat yourself to Joanne and Peter."

Excellent representation of contemporary native american mus

B. Burton | pennsylvania USA | 07/08/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Shenandoah's Once in Red Moon is a showcase of her writing and performing styles drawing upon the history of native peoples to paint a vivid portrait of contemporary Native culture and provide a Native view of American history. The selections range from a poignant lullaby-like "This Baby of Mine" in which she subtlely criticizes wars by telling us that her child will not go to war--a reflection of the traditional power of women among her tribe to influence tribal decisions to a harsher history lesson about the practice by early White settlers and military of sending fever infected blankets to Native villages to decimate their populations and clear the way for White expansion into new lands. The death of her uncle, Lee Shenanadoah, at the hands of Philadlephia police when he was accidentally killed by police gunfire as officers engaged in a shoot out wiht feeling robbers. Rather that admit their error, the police claimed the Native workers killed by stray bullets were somehow connected to the gang.



Although the lyrics contain serious commentary, the singing remains melodious and attractive pulling the listener into the song, thus educating them about an alternative view of events in our history."