Seed of Life

by Radmilla Cody

Overview

Dine (Navajo) singer Radmilla Cody brings a fresh, contemporary sound to the songs of her ancestors. Her voice has the warm tone and supple phrasing of a pop singer, but the arrangements here are simple and true to tradition. Singing a cappella or accompanied by only drum and rattle, she sings songs of the seasons, marriage, corn grinding, and even sibling rivalry, all in the Dine tongue. The simple, earthy poetry of these songs is translated by Herman Cody in the liner notes. Most of the songs are traditional, but Cody includes a tribute to a beloved relative in the poignant "Grandmother," reciting her own poetry over a gently rocking lullaby. She bookends the release with Dine adaptations of two patriotic songs, "God Bless America" and "America the Beautiful," dedicating them to the Navajo Codetalkers, who became heroes during World War II. The unaffected simplicity of her delivery of these often overblown warhorses is particularly touching after the events of September 11, 2001. Seed of Life is a graceful, honest release. The only drawback is that, at just over 33 minutes, it's too short. Still, in Cody's hand these lovely old songs stand a good chance of surviving into the 21st century. ~ Peggy Latkovich

Product Details

Release Date:	02/26/2002
Label:	Canyon Records
UPC:	0729337634527
Rank:	141365

Tracks

1. Child to Young Woman
2. God Bless America
3. The Return Home
4. The Proposal and the Promise
5. The Cycle of Life
6. Corn Grinding Song
7. Sibling's Pets
8. Song and Dance Romance
9. Seed of Life
10. Grandmother
11. America the Beautiful

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Radmilla Cody   Primary Artist

Technical Credits

Stephen Butler   Executive Producer
Jack Miller   Mastering,Digital Engineer
Frank Zappa   Composer
Samuel A. Ward   Composer
Radmilla Cody   Composer,Liner Notes
Robert Doyle   Producer,Executive Producer
John Running   Photography
Katharine Lee Bates   Composer
Jeffrey Nagy   Art Direction