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Northern Cree: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert

For the second consecutive year, NPR teamed up with globalFEST in January 2021 for a thrilling online music festival we call Tiny Desk Meets globalFEST: three nights, nine bands, and a world of musical traditions hosted by African pop star Angélique Kidjo. Now, we're posting all the sets from our festival as individual Tiny Desk (home) concerts.


Northern Cree is a powwow and round dance act, based in Maskwacis, Alberta, Canada. Formed in 1982 by the Wood brothers – Steve, Randy, Charlie and Earl Wood of the Saddle Lake Cree Nation – most members originate from the Treaty 6 and are members of the Cree Nation. This year marks Northern Cree's 40th birthday as a group.

Northern Cree has recorded 50 albums and been nominated for a GRAMMY nine times. They made history in 2017 when they became the first powwow group to perform at the Grammy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles. They recorded this performance at the powwow arbor of the Tsuut'ina Nation. --The globalFEST staff

SET LIST

  • "The Dream"
  • "Kohkominaw"
  • "Storytelling Warrior"
  • MUSICIANS

  • Steve Wood: vocals, speaker
  • Penny McGilvery: vocals
  • Jonas Tootoosis: vocals
  • Marvin "Mickso" Deschamps: vocals
  • Jordon Fiddler: vocals
  • Emerson Samson: vocals
  • Jayzer Littlewolfe: vocals
  • Leroy Whitstone: vocals, flute
  • Leah Omeasoo: dancer
  • Rusty Gillette: dancer
  • CREDITS

  • Production: Alan Greyeyes, Steve Wood
  • Audio: Eric Cinnamon
  • Video: Corey Gomez
  • Special thanks: The Canada Council for the Arts, The Tsuut'ina Nation, Hal Eagletail

  • Tiny Desk Meets globalFEST

    Tiny Desk Team

    Producer: Bob Boilen

    Video Producer: Maia Stern

    Audio Mixing: Josh Rogosin

    Tiny Production Team: Bobby Carter, Kara Frame, Joshua Bryant, Sofie Hernandez-Simeonidis

    Executive Producer: Keith Jenkins

    Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann

    globalFEST Artistic Team

    Co-Directors: Shanta Thake, Isabel Soffer, Bill Bragin

    2022 Curators: Shanta Thake, Isabel Soffer, Bill Bragin, Gabrielle Davenport

    globalFEST Production Team

    Event Producer: Ian Thake

    Producer: THE OFFICE performing arts + film*

    Video Producer: Karim Tabbaa

    Special Thanks

    The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, NYC Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment, JanArtsNYC, Valerie French (social media), Yuri Kwon of Pitch Perfect PR (publicity), Tamizdat (legal services) and Duane Morris (legal services)

    *THE OFFICE performing arts + film consists of Rachel Chanoff, Laurie Cearley, Olli Chanoff, Erica Zielinski, Nadine Goellner, Lynn Koek, Noah Bashevkin, Catherine DeGennaro, Gabrielle Davenport, Chloe Golding, Kyla Gardner, Tess Peppis, Zion Jackson, Scout Eisenberg and Jose Alvarado

    Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

    In 1988, a determined Bob Boilen started showing up on NPR's doorstep every day, looking for a way to contribute his skills in music and broadcasting to the network. His persistence paid off, and within a few weeks he was hired, on a temporary basis, to work for All Things Considered. Less than a year later, Boilen was directing the show and continued to do so for the next 18 years.