FAIRBANKS - Native music and jazz may seem too dissimilar to ever be considered in the same sentence, let alone in the same song.
But for the men behind the Native-Jazz quartet, not only is it in their name, it’s what they do.
Former Alaskan Ed Littlefield blends traditional Tlingit lullabies, known as dléigoox, and layers the melodies with jazz beats. The music melds almost seamlessly. Easily recognizable jazz beats are delicately layered with Native sounds.
“Essentially, I tried to keep the melody as pure as possible,” Littlefield said. “So you can hear the original part.”
Littlefield was born and raised in Sitka, although he now he lives in Seattle. He recently started the Native-Jazz Quartet with Christian Fabian, Jason Marsalis and Reuel Lubag.
Together, each member of the quartet brings a distinct background to the group. Littlefield is Tlingit, Fabian grew up in Europe, Marsalis in New Orleans and Lubag in the Philippines. Littlefield uses Tlingit lullabies as his background, Marsalis uses American jazz, Fabian his European roots and Lubag Filipino sounds.
“It’s a concept,” Littlefield said. “We’re all native of somewhere.”
Fabian explained that native in the U.S. generally refers to an American Indian or Alaska Native, but that’s not necessarily what the group is getting at.
“In our upbringing we all have totally different backgrounds,” Fabian said. “You’re native in the surroundings you grew up around.”
Both Littlefield and Fabian recently released CDs, both of which will be incorporated into the concert.
Creating the music wasn’t a perfect process and at times the group struggled. Ultimately the collaboration came together. Fabian hopes coming to Alaska can be a yearly thing.
“The whole project took a lot of turns, but it’s really come together as a unit,” he said. “We’re very excited.”
They plan to take their music to the Sitka Fine Arts Camp and hopefully show others how to blend Native music and jazz.
“We hope to share history and experience,” Fabian said. “So (the students) can be creative and follow our footsteps.”
Read more: Fairbanks Daily News-Miner and CapitalCityWeekly.com
