Art Napoleon

Artist Information

Biography

Art Napoleon, a bushman from the boreal foothills of Northern BC, can still skin a moose with a pocket knife but he is known more as an artist whose words and music bridges cultures. He is an extremely versatile bi-lingual singer-songwriter armed with a wicked sense of humour and an uncanny ability to improvise and engage audiences of all ages. A born entertainer, he can embody both trickster and shaman to cast a spell on the gathered.

Raised by Cree speaking, hunting-gathering grandparents near the northern BC-Alberta border, Art crafts songs with clever, personal and honest lyrics. Whether he is telling a story or singing about a life of intriguing and mystical experiences and characters, he somehow manages to be both irreverent and deeply spiritual.

Napoleon has been featured on many radio and TV programs including CBC Winnipeg Comedy Festival, the APTN show Tiga Talk, CBC Roundup, North By Northwest, All Points West, Rez Blues and has also hosted CHUM TV's The New Canoe and an environmental TV program Down 2 Earth. His previous recordings have been nominated for numerous music awards including the WCMAs, Canadian Folk Awards, the NAMMIES & the CAMAs. Art's latest release Creeland Covers, a collection of familiar songs performed in his Cree language is receiving rave reviews. His moose-nose stew has been known to heal the broken hearts of both cowboys and Indians. When he is not performing, doing TV voice-overs or speaking at conferences, Art can still be found chasing large mammals.

Art's latest project is The Napoleon Collective, a family EP of retro influenced tribal rock & blues with his daughters Niska & Quanah. Check out the audio section for sneak previews of pre-mastered mixes!

Instrumentation

Niska Napoleon - vocals & guitar
Quanah Style - Vocals/percussion

Discography

Creeland Covers- Most recent full-length CD of popular covers all performed in an ancient tribal tongue! Some of the most played tunes on North American Aboriginal radio.

Siskabush Tales- full length released sept 2008- airplay on various international music stations, CBC, Aboriginal, Community & College radio. Two songs hit #1 on the Aboriginal Canada Top 30 playlist. Samples can be heard online through CBC2 Live concert series. It was one of Stuart Derdyn's(Vancouver Province) favorite albums of 2008 & won awards for best country & best folk recording at the 2009 CAMAS.

Mocikan: Songs for Learning Cree- full length released March 2008. First kid's recording nominated for a couple Canadian based awards. Airplay on CBC, community & Aboriginal radio.

Miyoskamin - Full-length CD released April 2006. CBC, College & Aboriginal radio with some international play. Top played album of 2006 on CBC Galaxy Folk-Roots program. Songs selected for two compilation projects, one based in France with European distribution.

Outta the Woods - 1st recording, full-length CD. CBC, College & Aboriginal radio play with some TV play.

Links

• Facebook
• Twitter
• MySpace
• Art Napoleon's official website
• the Napoleon Collective

Audio

• never let you go 050412
  Listen  
• Again
  Listen  
• Purple Mountains
  Listen  
• no for an answer 050412
  Listen  
• Next Distraction
  Listen  

Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• Siskabush Review 1
  

  "An animated and vivacious but serious exercise in straight-ahead, good-times music..."

• Siskabush Review 2 [+ Show ]
  

  "Napoleon favours telling detail over stereotype and approaches his subject with both respect and wr..."Napoleon favours telling detail over stereotype and approaches his subject with both respect and wry humour."

• Miyoskamin Review 1 [+ Show ]
  

  "This 13-track disc presents a potent distillation of First Nations rhythms and chants with that hig..."This 13-track disc presents a potent distillation of First Nations rhythms and chants with that high, lonesome Northern Canadian country/folk sound."
  
  

• Miyoskamin Review 2 [+ Show ]
  

  "If you’re a fan of solid roots music with a strong emotional subtext, this is one singer-songwriter..."If you’re a fan of solid roots music with a strong emotional subtext, this is one singer-songwriter you should remember… this is good music for both cowboys and Indians."
  

• Miyoskamin Review 3 [+ Show ]
  

  " Art brings a hopeful observer's and teacher's eye to all he sees around him...he straddles both wo..." Art brings a hopeful observer's and teacher's eye to all he sees around him...he straddles both worlds and his music showcases it... the world is a better place for having Napoleon's music a part of it."

• What They Say 1... [+ Show ]
  

  "Who better to write meaningful, fierce and touching country music than a First Nations artist from ..."Who better to write meaningful, fierce and touching country music than a First Nations artist from the country. He's a killer writer with a wit sharp enough to skin anybody alive who gets in his way."

• What They Say 2... [+ Show ]
  

  "Art Napoleon is a classic example of what a good songwriter should be. He writes about what he know..."Art Napoleon is a classic example of what a good songwriter should be. He writes about what he knows - the land, the lifestyle of the people where he lives and the challenges he and they face. They're the kind of songs that could only be written by somebody who has lived that experience."
  
  
  
  

• What They Say 3... [+ Show ]
  

  " Art Napoleon should be regarded a national treasure. His work comes directly from the heart and sp..." Art Napoleon should be regarded a national treasure. His work comes directly from the heart and speaks to the modern world."

• What They Say 4 [+ Show ]
  

  "His voice is handsome and burnished sounding...the songs on his new disc are about lovin', hurtin' ..."His voice is handsome and burnished sounding...the songs on his new disc are about lovin', hurtin' and life on and off the "rez".

• Children's Shows [+ Show ]
  

  " By the end of the concert he had 14 year olds up dancing, jamming and singing along. There aren't ..." By the end of the concert he had 14 year olds up dancing, jamming and singing along. There aren't many performers who can charm a teen audience but Art was awesome and the young adults loved it!"

Setlist

A typical concert set runs from 30 to 50 minutes while conference performances can be longer. Depending on the venue and crowd Napoleon usually performs originals from the albums and originals not yet recorded. Armed with a sly, self-deprecating wit Art sincerely loves to connect with audiences. He often creates an intimate, living-room like atmosphere by disarming the audience and welcoming them on a cross-cultural journey of songs & tales so while he prepares a set-list he also reads audiences and makes necessary adjustments.
Napoleon calls himself a traditional song-maker and his sets are mostly Cree and English originals or revised traditionals but he does crank out cover tunes and impersonations for conference settings and children's shows.

Basic Requirements

Calendar