Tradition and tech mix at festival
Ko K'e Music and Spoken Word Festival headliners include Quantum Tangle, Andrea Bettger and Natasha Duchene
April Hudson
Northern News Services
Thursday, October 13, 2016
LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON
Slam poetry, throat singing and violin are just a few of the artistic styles the Ko K'e Music and Spoken Word Festival will be bringing to Fort Simpson on Oct. 19.
Quantum Tangle is a collaboration between Greyson Gritt, left, and Tiffany Ayalik. - photo courtesy of NACC
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The festival is returning to the village for a 7:30 p.m. show at Bompas Elementary School, featuring Yellowknife-based duet Greyson Gritt and Tiffany Ayalik as Quantum Tangle, Natasha Duchene and Andrea Bettger.
The performance will "pack a punch," said Gritt. Some of that punch comes from their use of a looping pedal to layer their music.
"We can build a song that has the sound of four or five guitars, a bunch of different layers of (Ayalik's) voice - then we can turn the volume up or down so we can have it just underneath the storytelling as well, to keep the energy up," Gritt said.
"It's pretty fun because people aren't really expecting that. It's a way for us to pack a punch and show how versatile we are with our voices and our instruments."
Ayalik said the tool allows her to, within a few seconds, create the sound of a 10-person choir if she chooses.
"It's great as a throatsinger, so I can throat sing with myself and also create other arrangements," she said.
Festival-goers can expect a blend between traditional music and storytelling as well as technology. Ayalik said Quantum Tangle's inspiration comes from both her and Gritt's cultures as well as the music, sounds and stories of each.
"We're also modern indigenous people who love making those things accessible through technology, different instrumentation and the imaginings of traditional things," she said.
"It's kind of a blend of old and new."
This is Quantum Tangle's second time touring with the festival. Gritt said one of the best parts about the festival is being able to share who
they are, their stories and experiences.
"Ko K'e is like coming around the fire, coming together and sharing stories. For me, it means that we get to connect with other people and share our story, hope that it resonates with them," they said.
The theme of this year's festival is emerging indigenous and Northern artists.
Marie Coderre, executive director for the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre, said it was important to her that the festival encompass music as well as storytelling components.
"The artists are very compatible together and have a story to tell. They are all social activists in their own way, dedicated to indigenous rights and the arts," she said.
"You guys are in for a real treat. We want a big crowd to come to the festival and to learn from this."
Coderre said Quantum Tangle's set will merge old-world sound with new, including melodies and slam poetry, guitar and their looping pedal.
"They create a real world of sound and rhythm," she said.
As for Natasha Duchene and Andrea Bettger, Gritt said the two artists share a studio space with Quantum Tangle, making them very familiar with each other.
Gritt said they have also performed with Duchene previously.
"She and I have played music in Yellowknife and Hay River and I'm familiar with her work. I love her songwriting," they said.
"And (Bettger) is an awesome violin player, among other things. It'll be nice to actually have more time together on the road."
