Music
The best kept secret in music
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Discography
Turning Point is Elizabeth St.John - Ahote`'s Premier 2005 Release: This music is ethereal and deep, ancient, traditional and modern all at the same time. The vocals soar, soothe and inform and the production by Allan Phillips is seamless. Once you've heard it you'll want to hear it again and again.
The Indian Prayer or Great Spirit Prayer is the hub of this recording. Allan Phillips' majestic arrangement of Ahote's melody for the prayer set into motion the momentum for this powerful musical journey. Lakota Peace Elder Grandfather Wallace BlackElk, before he passed, gave Elizabeth Ahote`, in the oral tradition, his translation of the prayer. Recordings in both English and Lakota are included on the CD, Turning Point. And as Grandfather Wallace ecncouraged her, the Prayer is also recorded in Apache, the language of her grandmother, Spanish and in French. (To be released.) Audio streaming available at cdbaby.com
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Bio
Elizabeth St.John - Ahote`
Chiracaua Apache - Tepehuana - French
Mestiza from Montana, Elizabeth Ahote` grew up with a mother who sang folk music and who loved jazz, and with an exceptionally gifted jazz and classically trained musician father.
While studying in Seattle, both jazz and classically, Elizabeth was immersed in a prolific arts scene. Her influences ranged any where from workshops with Betty Carter to Sam Rivers, to singing opera. Throughout her life she has interpreted the original songs of the songwriters and musicians she was surrounded by, in miriad genre and styles.
Now in Turning Point, interspersed with a few traditional works and spiced with Innocence, a song written by producer and arranger Allan Phillips, she delivers her own poignant songwriting. Hers is an expression borne of a relentless search for identity, both ancestral and creative. With a love and reverence for traditional Native American music, she stretches the genre naturally.
Vocal interpretation in various languages being a forte for Elizabeth, Turning Point features the Indian Prayer, or Great Spirit Prayer in a Lakota translation gifted to her by Grandfater Wallace Black Elk in 2001. With Grandfather's encouragement, the prayer is also recorded in Apache, the language of her grandmother, as well as in Spanish and French. (To be released.)
You might ask at this point: what kind of music does she sing? I wish I could easily tell you. On this recording she commands blues, Native American prayers, gospel, ballads and jazz. I can't tell you what her niche is. She sounds powerful and sexy one minute, then spiritual and soft the next. Her voice has always illustrated her complex personality. Her music is her - confident but always searching, proud but humble. She sings about what matters to her - how to live in the 21st century and still hang on to your soul.
In this CD, Elizabeth illustrates the importance of her American Indian Roots, as well as her love for traditional gospel and blues. But more important, this recording clearly showcases her talent. Her songs, her vision and the way she wants to present her music are clear. Allan Phillips' production and dynamic accompaniments are the keys that unlock Elizabeth's vocals.
Turning Point is just the tip of the iceberg; clearly the St.John, Phillips collaboration has much more to offer. The heart, soul and intelligence of their music are imminent with surprise.
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