A Native American Odyssey: Inuit to Inca

The goal of this Putumayo collection is to present contemporary music as rendered by indigenous peoples of the Americas--North, Central, and South. It succeeds as an appealing and diverse affair. While the 13-track package showcases a number of acts nobly seeking to preserve musical traditions in a contemporary world, the album's chief attractions lie in the modern spins several acts put on their musical heritage. The album's first six selections are the most intriguing, starting with a mystical folk rave, driven by acoustic guitar and passionate violin, as conjured up by members of Kashtin, a group spawned by the Montagnais Indians of Quebec. Their language, Innu, may be undecipherable to most, but the group's earnestness and urgency is easily comprehended. An Inuit (Eskimo) duo, Tudjaat, casts an Enya-like spell with the vocals of Madeline Allakariallak. Apache member Andrew Vasquez delivers an image-rich, spoken-word soliloquy, followed by rousing pop-folk from Mohican Bill Miller, followed next by an inventive blend of acoustic guitar, traditional flute, and percussion from the Ute trio Burning Sky. As the album stretches to Central and South America, the selections become more traditional and perhaps not quite as bewitching to modern listeners. The cheerful interplay of pipes, charango, and handclaps on "Tema de Maimara" from Peru's Los Incas is a charmer for sure, yet it is this noteworthy project's earlier tracks that leave the most lasting impressions. --Terry Wood