*LOS ANGELES, CA – Alaska’s highly acclaimed Inuit musical group Pamyua, will make their Los Angeles concert debut when they headline the inaugural Los Angeles Global Music Festival, taking place on Saturday, September 9th at the First Congregational Church of Los Angeles. Presented by The Resonance Collective and Numinous Music, the day-long Festival will feature a celebration of diverse cultures through musical performance. Pamyua will also offer an interactive Yup’ik dance workshop earlier in the day, where they will teach drum-dance songs and choreography seen in Yup’ik ceremonies.
The Festival will include a local opening act representing a culturally spiritual tradition as well as an adjoining series of workshops to be announced later in the summer. The First Congregational Church of Los Angeles is located at 540 S. Commonwealth Ave., near Koreatown.
Pamyua is known for its compelling, interactive performances that blend the traditional Inuit songs and drum dances of their Yup’ik/Black ancestors with contemporary soul and R&B, often referred to as “tribal funk” or “Inuit soul.” Their unique style and sound derive from combining traditional melodies with contemporary vocalization and instrumentation. Their concerts showcase the indigenous Inuit cultural traditions and stories of their bi-racial heritage through music and ceremonies passed down through the generations.
The Global Music Festival extends the Resonance Collective and Numinous Music’s mission to highlight historically neglected cultural and spiritual practices through art and music. The Festival will present sacred music and dance from around the world, celebrating both the differences and similarities found in these practices.
No group better emphasizes this ethos than Pamyua, described as “one of the 10 greatest Alaska artists of the millennium” by Alaska Magazine. Founded by brothers and Yup’ik/Black artists Phillip and Qacung Blanchett, Pamyua expresses the ceremonies and culture of the Yup’ik through a modern lens, incorporating popular music and dance into their performances, yet staying true to their Inuit heritage.
At a time when diversity and inclusion are more important than ever, Pamyua is bringing the music and culture of Indigenous people to the forefront of mainstream entertainment, through their musical contributions to such shows as ABC’s “Alaska Daily” with Hilary Swank, Nat Geo’s Emmy-winning “Life Below Zero: First Alaskans,” and Discovery Channel’s “Flying Wild Alaska.” The group’s music and videos are now also featured in the Library of Congress’ permanent national archive in the Library’s American Folklife Center.
“We are deeply committed to honoring cultural identity. It is a privilege for us to contribute to the cultural community, sharing the richness and uniqueness of Indigenous culture and experiences. As artists, we celebrate the joyous spirit of our Inuit heritage, showcasing the music, dance, and ancestral traditions that define us,” says Phillip Blanchett, co-founder of Pamyua. “Participating in this event offers us a wonderful opportunity to share the captivating stories of our Yup’ik heritage with diverse audiences in Los Angeles. We work to foster meaningful understanding and respect for cultural diversity, inspire unity, and strengthen the bonds that connect us all.”
“The Resonance Collective’s mission is to explore how artists from different cultural perspectives re-invent how we define sacred music today,” says Fahad Siadat, artistic director of the Resonance Collective. “A cosmopolitan city like LA deserves more opportunities to celebrate music from around the world, and we are happy to provide a festival experience where attendees can experience these fantastic performances as well as learn about the traditions first-hand.”
“Los Angeles currently does not have such a festival and has not had one for a while now,” adds Craig S. Hyman, co-producer and curator of the Festival. “It is a city of deep cultural and ethnic roots with a fantastic history, so very diverse throughout, and it is underserved and largely unnoticed by the general public as a whole. It is profoundly important that people know and embrace these various cultures that we live side by side with, and in turn realize how we are all one and in this together.”
The Festival will take place at the First Congregational Church of Los Angeles (FCCLA), a thriving hub for exciting musical experiences. In recent years, FCCLA has hosted and presented concerts by the HEAR NOW Music Festival, Monday Evening Concerts, LACMA, and Ambient Church, featuring musical artists such as opera singer Davoné Tines, electronic musician Suzanne Ciani, organist Sarah Davachi, the Musica Angelica Baroque Orchestra, and Pulitzer-Prize winner Raven Chacon. As a part of FCCLA’s commitment to the arts and social justice, the community enjoys hosting diverse voices who bring new artistic perspectives to important cultural topics.
Tickets for the Festival start at $35 and are available now at bit.ly/lagmf2023. For more information about the event, please visit resonancecollective.org.
To learn more about Pamyua, visit pamyuamedia.com.
THE LOS ANGELES GLOBAL MUSIC FESTIVAL 2023
Who: Pamyua; local act TBA
When: Saturday, September 9, 2023; workshops start at 3pm, doors open at 7pm
Where: First Congregational Church of Los Angeles; 540 South Commonwealth Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90020
source: Nina Gordon Public Relations
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