Spotted Peccary artists Deborah Martin and Erik Wøllo reunite with their daring and vibrant release, Kinishba, the follow-up to their dynamic 2009 album Between Worlds, which initiated listeners to another time and place, honoring the Apache people and the sacred nature of Native American culture.
Press release by The B Company
Like its predecessor, Kinishba was birthed from many years of study, on-site research, recordings, and collaborations with a variety of Apache tribal members, most notably Edgar Perry — who was a significant contributor to the preservation of Apache traditions and language. This new release entwines the electronic ambient sound that Martin and Wøllo are known for with traditional tribal instrumentation throughout, highlighting these collaborations.
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Music veteran Lloyd Barde considers Kinishba, “Absolutely one of the finest CDs of this year or any year. A very topical message from the world-view and how to navigate these new times by honoring the earth, the sacred ways and the times they are a-changin’…a truly modern/ancient masterpiece of peace.”
Burial Ground opens with Martin’s ethereal refrain: “Here I am, Here I stay,” an honoring song for those who have gone before us. From its austere beginnings, the track swells into the hypnotic as Leno Edwards, Alfredo Way and Edgar Perry add drums and vocals of an Apache Crown dance. Martin’s voice soars with theirs over a lush bed of Wøllo’s synthesizer for the composition’s riveting finale. On Fort Apache Meadowlarks, Wøllo’s euphoric guitar glides over a tapestry of Martin’s pueblo shakers, Taos drum loops and vocalizations. The entire work features these powerful sonic realizations engaging the listener in a transformative experience.
For Martin and Wøllo, Kinishba is “the house of the ancestors,” the inspiration for this latest work about honoring those who came before, and the healing power of ceremony. Kinishba, named for an abandoned pueblo on the White Mountain Apache Reservation, is a reflection on this theme, a vivid collection of 10 pieces that open a respectful, authentic window into remembrance ceremonies of the Apache people. These compositions are an homage to the traditions of the American Indian, ensuring they can never be lost to time like Kinishba itself. In Apache, there is no word for “goodbye.”
Kinishba is Deborah Martin & Erik Wøllo’s second collaborative release on Spotted Peccary Music. Their previous release from 2009 is Between Worlds (SPM 9062). “The excitement and wonder of working together on Between Worlds is as strong today as it was a few years ago,” reflects Martin. “Kinishba became for us a pathway of continuing to honor the Apache and American Indian culture. These profound insights and deep experiences will always be a part of us, melding into these enduring legacies.” Wøllo continues, adding his part of the recollection, “I think we both felt that these ideas needed to be continued, there was more to explore. Kinishba emerged into something very unique and authentic.”
Mastered by Howard Givens at Spotted Peccary PNW Studios, Kinishba is available as a CD with a four panel folding sleeve and 16 page multicolor booklet, as well as for streaming and downloading, including high resolution studio master formats. Cover art by Elisabeth Østensvik, the booklet and album’s bold and engaging graphic design is by Daniel Pipitone, Spotted Peccary Studios NE.
For more information and music samples, see spottedpeccary.com.