Music
Press
The title is Cree for Mother Earth, a pivotal piece in Vancouver Metis artist Sandy Scofield's latest release. "Raining in Vancouver" will have a certain amusing resonance and "Faith" is a career song. -J.P.M. - The Vancouver Province April 17, 2007
A Metis of Cree and Saulteaux heritage, songwriter Sandy Scofield sings about the urban experiences of a first nations woman, and her lyrics have sting. Nikawiy Askiy (Mother Earth in the Cree language) offers 10 Scofield originals that flit from one music style to another. She sings about being deceived (Raining in Vancouver), about the cost of corporate greed (Money is the Goal), and about a man whose love life is little more than a scorecard (Famous). Time Has Come, which starts out with some nifty electronics delves into subjects close to home, including Vancouver's missing Downtown Eastside women and Willie Picton. Scofield, who plays guitar and keyboards, has a strong, expressive voice and has some good musical ideas. Guest artists include Kinnie Starr, Veda Hille, Holly McNarland, Art Napoleon and Jason Burnstick, who plays a nasty slide guitar on Money is the Goall. - Marke Andrews - The Vancouver Sun, April 19, 2007
Since the release of her first independent album, Dirty River, Sandy Scofield has been a musical force to be reckoned with. In 2000, her second album, Riel's Road, won the awards for Best Alternative Album and Best Single (Beat the Drum) at the Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards (CAMA) and earned her a Juno nomination. In 2003, she released Ketwam, which won Scofield the award for Outstanding Aboriginal Recording at the Western Canadian Music Awards, and for Best Folk Album and Best Producer/Engineer at that year's CAMA's.
Scofield is continuing her winning ways with her latest album, Nikawiy Askiy. On November 28, 2007, she was named Best Songwriter at the Canadian Folk Music Awards.
Nikawiy Askiy, which means 'my mother earth' in Cree, is a breath of fresh consciousness. The album is a powerful compilation of environmentally and socially conscious themes sung with hip-hop, blues, rock and electronic influences.
Scofield's songs are loaded with great themes that conjure a sense of awareness and sensitivity to the issues going on with Aboriginal people today. She sings about the environment and is not afraid to touch on issues such as suicide, which she sings about in the song Faith. Scofield also honours other Aboriginal talents in the music industry on her album, including Kinnie Starr, Os12, Eekwol, Manik and Green Tara who all join her to perform tracks on the CD. Scofield's music is a refreshing take on today's contemporary issues with a strong spiritual message from the 'old ones' to have faith take care of mother earth. - Windspeaker National Aboriginal Newspaper, January 2008
Discography
Nikawiy Asliy (Mother Earth)/ 2007 / Arbor Records/EMI
Ketwam (Until We Meet Again) / 2002 / Kokum
Riel's Road / 2000 / Arpeggio
Dirty River / 1994 / Arpeggio
Photos
Bio
Sandy Scofield is Metis artist based in Vancouver. She has been performing professionally since 1986 and hails from four generations of musicians and singers. Nikawiy Askiy (Mother Earth in Cree) is her fourth CD and was released in June 2007 on Arbor Records/EMI Canada. It won her the 2007 a Canadian Folk Music Award for Best Aboriginal Songwriter, along with a Canadian Aboriginal Music Award (making this her fifth Canadian Aboriginal Music Award) and garnered Scofield her third consecutive Juno nomination in 2008. Her previous release, Ketwam, featuring songs by Sandy, Lisa Sazama and Shakti Hayes, took home the 2003 Western Canadian Music Award for Outstanding Aboriginal Recording. Sandy has sung in many bands in her day - from rockabilly to cajun and zydeco to highly accomplished folk-rock, jazz and vocal ensembles. Internationally, she has performed in Seoul Korea, Australia, Mexico, France, Germany, Vienna and Washington DC's Smithsonian Institute. She is described as "a complex artist who can effortlessly move from centuries old aboriginal vocal styles to satiny pop to robust rhythm & blues and rock. Like a transforming trickster, Sandy uses melody and beautiful harmonies to carry weighty messages. Her keen ear for original arrangements, her experience articulated in powerful lyrics, and her beautiful vocal instrument combine to form a growing body of incisive musical works which touch contemporary audiences of all cultures. She is also blessed with a sense of humour and a born theatricality, both of which find their way out on stage." by Ellie O'Day
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