An artist from the Northern Tutchone Nation, Jerry Alfred blends traditional musical styles and chants with contemporary instruments to create songs that sound at once ancient and modern. Etsi Shon/Grandfather Song (1994) is an album that is accessible to a wide listening audience--reflecting a deep spirituality and communion with the land and its people. Alfred sings lead vocals and plays guitar and traditional drum while his band--The Medicine Beat--fills in with keyboards, accordion, harmonica, and backup vocals.

Nendaä (1996) continues Alfred's poetic messages and his soft lyrical voice backed sometimes by nothing more than a hand drum and other times by a full band. The liner notes contain translations of the Tutchone songs into English. Deeply captivating, the introspective melodies and chanted chorus draw you into Alfred's lyrics and music. "Pelly Song" translates to "I'm sitting here looking at the river. If that water were to flow backwards I could go back and see all the things that happened before." Produced by Bob Hamilton, Nendaä includes the fine backup playing of Alfred's band, The Medicine Beat, consisting of Bob Hamilton, Andrea McColeman, Marc Paradis and Marie Gogo.

Etsi Shon/Grandfather Song
1994 Jerry Alfred (JA1-1994)

Generation Hand Down; The Warrior Song; Caribou Stick Gambling Song; Taan Mun/Lake Laberge; The Grandfather Song/Etsi Shon; MacMillan River Love Song; Beginner Gambling Song; The Watchmen; Salaw; A Love Song; Towhata Lake 47:26

Nendaä---Go Back
1996 Etsi Shon (CRCD002)

Beware; Pelly Song; Residential School; Old Ways; Homeless; Nendaä--Go Back; Another Love Song; McQuestion River Stick Gambling Song; Haven't I Told You?; Denë Kazhe; Solzhee 45:27