There’s nothing ponderously “spiritual” in Navaho Two-Step songs. This is party music, light-hearted and ironic songs of love and courting that you can hear at weekend social gatherings all over Dinetah. The genre has made stars of singers like Ed Lee Natay and Davis Mitchell. Navaho music is a bit far from my current stomping grounds, but years ago, I used to hang out in that part of the world, and I picked up some good tapes. This is one of my favourites, recorded at the Chinle Valley Festival in April of 1986. Fine performances by the Toh-Den-Nas Shai Singers, Twin Lakes Swingers, Smoke Signal Travelers, Four Corners Singers, Nataani Nez Travelers, Beclabito Valley Singers, and the Chinle Valley Boys. Most noteworthy are the bouncy first number, “Six Pack To Go” by Toh-Den-Nas Shai and the amusing “My Mother Dislikes Our Relationship” by Four Corners Singers.
0 Comments.