The Blues Nation’s self-titled CD features five seasoned and experienced players that are top notch. The band consists of Dusty Miller (Comanche Tribe) on Guitar & Slide, Terry Tsotigh (Kiowa Tribe) plays Drums & Harmonica, Obie Sullivan (Muskoke Creek Tribe) on Keyboards, Sonny Klinekole (Kiowa/Comanche/ Apache Tribe) plays the Bass, and Tom Ware (Kiowa/Comanche Tribe) who rounds out a wonderful Native blues band on Guitar & Vocals.

The first trac, “What Do You Think” is a smooth, slick shuffle groove, played like they were on the stage at the Cabooze. The vocal is reminiscent of Bobby Blue Bland or BB King with a guitar that reminds me of Albert/ Freddie King. The guitar player, Dusty Miller has phrasing that is extremely lyrical and romantic. He attacks the fret board like a man possessed and then goes to a tempo change and a slow 12 bar blues progression.

“The essence of the problem is about consumption, recognizing that a society that consumes one third of the world’s resources is unsustainable. This level of consumption requires constant intervention into other people’s lands. That’s what’s going on.”

Winona LaDuke grew up in Los Angeles, California. She is an enrolled member of the Mississippi Band Anishinaabeg of the White Earth reservation in northern Minnesota. Her father was an actor in westerns as well as an Indian activist. Her mother was a Jewish art professor. She credits her parents for passing the spirit of activism on to her. LaDuke became involved in Native American environmental issues after meeting Cherokee activist Jimmy Durham as a student at Harvard. She began making a political name for herself at age 18 when she addressed the United Nations on Indian issues.

Wikipedia calls Grupo Fantasma a “Latin funk orchestra” and the Village Voice’s internationally recognized reviewer, Jim Caligiuiri says, “They’re the best band in Austin.” Created by fusing two other bands this album is the quintessential Latin band touring now. They are eleven members large with a big band sound including horns and percussion that are vital to maintaining the essential traditional elements of Latin music.

Maceo Parker is a special guest on the Sonidos Gold CD. Anyone ever heard of him? He was one of the pioneers of this sound. When you get someone of the stature of Maceo (His discography is as long as your arm including work with James Brown and George Clinton/Bootsy Collins) to sit in on your session, as a musician, you realize you are there. Our local punk funk hero Prince endorses them by saying, “Real musicians playing real music!”