God is Alive (Magic is Afoot)

The first Native American artist that I became familiar with is Buffy Sainte-Marie (Cree).  Hers is one of the strongest vibratos that I have ever heard in a singer, and I think it is fair to say that her music is an acquired taste.  I have several of her albums, but I can recommend the above double-LP as providing a good overview of her music.  She is primarily a folksinger but has also made rock and country recordings.  Surprisingly, one of the four album sides on The Best of Buffy Sainte-Marie has electronic music; one song in particular is a lively rendition of a song by Leonard Cohen called “God is Alive (Magic is Afoot)”, with looping lyrics that freely interchange the ideas of “God” and “magic”. 

(August 2013)