Shoshona and Raven are writing and singing hits!
There’s a remarkable couple who are living their native Canadian commitment in the high tech world of digital sound studios and video streaming.
Shoshona Kish and Raven Polson-Lahache, who met accidentally during a music performance audition, are now writing music that honours their native roots. Shoshona was born to the Ojibway nation, part of the Anishinabe Nation from the Algonquin language group.
Raven’s roots are in northern Quebec, his mother Mohawk of the Six Nations Confederacy and his father Algonquin, part of Anishinabe.
This quiet-spoken couple, who will be performing next Saturday night for the Barrie Folk Society, found each other for a reason.
Comfortable with a variety of instruments as well as their trained voices, Shoshona and Raven perform contemporary music, drawing upon their cultural roots for creative inspiration. “Our music is not exclusively traditional aboriginal music,” says Shoshona, but certain their roots music pulls from the land.
They perform at folk festivals, conferences, special events, launches of aboriginal voices, the first national aboriginal radio station at 106.5 FM, and they hit consistently high notes on the top ten charts on CBC’s www.rootsmusiccanada.com.
As if this weren’t enough, Shoshona, with AKI Multimedia Productions (www.akimultimedia.com) does website development focussing on cultural, artistic businesses and groups. They offer flash, html, streaming video and sound on sites, as well as animations. They also do studio recordings which often overlap with their web design, utilizing their 16 track digital recording studio.
Parents of two youngsters, this couple has worked hard individually, Raven is a graduate of an arts high school and then on full scholarship at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. Shoshona completed her arts high school training and attended University of Victoria’s En’Owkin International School of Writing, a unique arts program of indigenous based curriculum with faculty from around the world. She went on to study music at Carleton University.
Shoshona and Raven have travelled to Hawaii and New Zealand, throughout the US and Spain to produce and perform on recording projects.
And we’re lucky they’ve chosen to settle in Barrie. The Barrie Folk Society was quick to sign them up for one of the popular house concerts offered in the community. You can enjoy an intimate setting in a welcoming home environment and listen to fabulous music with a unique and historical approach next Saturday, January 17 at 8 pm. If you’re interested, log onto the Barrie Folk Society’s website at www.barriefolk.com or send your registration email to Ann and Tony at andrusys@drlogick.com.
And Raven? And Shoshona? Thanks!