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Native America Calling: Charting the future of Native jazz
Friday, May 10, 2024

Charting the future of Native jazz
A big band made up of Native musicians is headlining a jazz festival at the Kennedy Center in the nation’s capital this weekend.

The Julia Keefe Indigenous Big Band is billed as the only all-Native jazz band in the world. It’s made up of 16 of the music disciplined genre’s most notable and talented Native musicians, including co-director Delbert Anderson (Diné), Mali Obomsawin (Odanak Abenaki), and Ed Littlefield (Tlingit).

Guests on Native America Calling
Julia Keefe (Nimiipuu), jazz singer, band leader, actor, and director of Julia Keefe Indigenous Big Band

Delbert Anderson (Diné), jazz trumpet artist, composer, educator, and co-director of Julia Keefe Indigenous Big Band

Julia Keefe
Julia Keefe. Photo: Chris Wooley

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