Joanne Shenandoah is a beautiful woman with a beautiful soul. Fittingly, she also has a beautiful voice with which she expresses her spirit and heart. Orenda, an Iroquois word meaning "the soul of all things," features her sweet vocals in harmony with Lawrence Laughing. She sings these ceremonial songs in their native languages. The instrumental accompaniment, by Tom Wasinger and Mark McCoin, is subtle and low-key. This is Shenandoah's CD. Her gentle style is both dynamic and serene. It fills the heart and soul of the listener. Laughing's harmonies are smooth and graceful.

"Multitalented, award-winning composer and musician Joanne Shenandoah gets better with every album. On Orenda, the singer and instrumentalist, herself of Iroquois descent, is joined by Mohawk Lawrence Laughing; and their duets, including "Deer Dance" and "Unity," are among the album's strongest tracks. Shenandoah's voice is a rare gift; on Orenda, it's rich and clear, and never falters. The mix of backing instruments works well, including several percussion and wind instruments as well as guitars, while the spare arrangements allow Shenandoah's and Laughing's voices to stand out. The blend of the traditional and the contemporary in her music works very well indeed, bringing out the best of both."

Genevieve Williams

01. Passage (Prelude) [(Across the Sky Prelude)]
02. Across the Sky
03. I Am Your Friend [Mohawk Standing Quiver Song]
04. Creator's Song
05. The Great Feathered Horse
06. In Love [Mowawk Rabbit Song]
07. All My Relations [Four Cousin Songs]
08. The Four Legged Ones [Garter Dance Intro]
09. Garter Dance
10. Deer Dance [Garter Dance 2]
11. Life Giver [Mohawk Women's Dance]
12. You Are My Friend [Mohawk Friendship Song-omega]
13. Hunting [Mohawk Stomp Dance]
14. Unity [Haudenosaunee Round Dance]
15. Prophecy Song

Joanne Shenandoah (vocals, stomp dance)
Lawrence Laughing (vocals, percussion, stomp dance)
Tom Wasinger (wall harp, mouth bow, dulcimer, guitar, vocals, Native American flute, ocarina, percussion, autoharp, gopichand, bass, cittern, hammered tremoloa)
Mark McCoin (percussion, wooden & resonating stone slit drums, udu, wooden flute)

Link

pass: bluesmen-worldmusic.blogspot.com

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