Swing Set honours Indigenous Jazz Artists for National Indigenous People’s Day

This week’s summer solstice marks National Indigenous People’s Day, so this week Swing Set shines the light on some talented and influential jazz and swing musicians with indigenous roots, including some Canadian Métis musicians.

Bassist Oscar Pettiford is one such influential jazz musician. Being part Choctaw and Cherokee, Oscar was exposed to ceremonial music and dance at a young age and contended that the importance of indigenous cultural influence on jazz was underestimated and overlooked.

To that point, Louis Armstrong’s chart-topping album Hello Dolly included Big Chief Russell Moore on trombone, who remembered hearing his elders singing the chants of the Pima Indians, and “Queen of Swing” Mildred Bailey credited indigenous singing on the Coeur D’Alene Reservation as helping her become a great vocalist.

Swing Set will also dive into the surprising and beautiful Mardi Gras Indian tradition with Danny Barker, and will spin Canadian Métis musicians Andrea Menard and Andy De Jarlis.

Tune into Swing Set this Saturday, June 21 at 7PM EST only on jazz.fm91.