Hay River (Jul 03/06) - Alex Tambour has a unique ability. The K'atlodeeche First Nation resident can instantly translate an English song into South Slavey.

"It's just like I'm on a two-track mind," he explains. "I'm thinking in English, but singing in Slavey."

Tambour, 59, put that skill to use to record some of the songs on two compact discs released earlier this month.

One of the CDs contains well-known gospel songs in South Slavey, while the other features children's songs, also in South Slavey. For some of the gospel songs, there was nothing written down, and Tambour translated them as he was singing in a Hay River recording studio.

Simultaneous translation is nothing new for Tambour, who often works as a translator at meetings.

Half of the proceeds from sales of the CDs will help support the K'atlodeeche First Nation's Children's Centre, where Tambour works as a language specialist.

"I wanted to do it for the daycare," he says. "I love working there and I love the little kids."

In all, 1,500 copies of the gospel CD were produced and 500 of the children's CD.

The children's CD contains traditional South Slavey songs and others written by Tambour, along with "You Are My Sunshine."

The gospel CD contains such well-known songs as "I Saw the Light," "I'll Fly Away" and "Just a Closer Walk."

"The reason I chose gospel is every time I've gone to funerals people ask me to sing special songs," Alex says, adding the requests often include "Amazing Grace" and "Where the Roses Never Fade."

Elaine Rene Tambour, Alex's wife and the daycare centre co-ordinator, notes the two CDs are sponsored by the Department of Education, Culture and Employment as part of a Language Nest program. The project has been in the works for about two years. After the songs were recorded, his South Slavey translations were written down. Copies will be sent to NWT libraries and placed on the NWT Literacy Council website.

The CDs will be sold -- for $20 each -- throughout the NWT. As far as the Tambours know, the CDs are the first recorded songs in the Hay River dialect of the South Slavey language.