Native

Named for the traditional Navajo song "Shi Ni Sha," I Am Walking collects the best of contemporary Native American music, blending the airy beauty of flutists Andrew Vasquez, Joseph Fire Crow, Gary Stroutsos, and R. Carlos Nakai with notable singers Joanne Shenandoah and the Coolidge family of Walela. The result is rich with the spiritual beauty of ancient Navajo, Hopi, Oneida, and other Native cultures. Too many bright spots dominate this collection to list them all, but among the most special goodies are Walela's "Wash Your Spirit Clean"–floating with angelic voices, sparkling guitar, and crisp percussion and drums–and "Oweegon" from Jim Wilson's Little Wolf Band, which sends Priscilla Coolidge's vocals and Native chant flowing over spicy electronic rhythms like cold water through river rocks. A majestic collection for kind hearts.