MUSIC

"Sonnet" composed by Julia Keefe (Nez Perce) and arranged by Franklin Piland. Lyrics by Julia Keefe, inspired by Pablo Neruda's Sonnet XVII. Performed on May 9, 2025 at Sonoma State University. Featuring Rogan Tinsley, alto sax Asa Peters, alto sax Michael Gutierrez, tenor sax Adam Lamoureux, tenor sax Orion White, bari sax Kali Rodriguez, trumpet Giovanni Martinez, trumpet Delbert Anderson, trumpet Charles Copenace, trumpet Quinn Carson, trombone Kilan Thorns, trombone Wade Demmert, bass trombone Chantil Dukart, piano Corey Thomas, bass Edward Littlefield, drums Julia Keefe, director and vocalist

"Ku'u Pua i Paoakalani" composed by Queen Lili'uokalani and arranged by Rogan Kahale Tinsley (Kanaka Maoli). Performed on January 29, 2026 in Ann Arbor, MI. Featuring Rogan Tinsley (Kanaka Maoli), alto sax and vocals Asa Peters (Mashpee Wampanoag and Narragansett), alto sax Adam Lamoureux (Muskegon [Swampy Cree]), tenor sax Michael Gutierrez (Comanche and Cheyenne-Arapaho), tenor sax Orion White (Nez Perce and Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma), tenor sax Quinn Carson (Apache Tribe of Oklahoma and Kiowa Tribe), trombone Dennis Wilson, special guest and Univ. Michigan faculty Wade Demmert (Lingít and Oglala Lakota), bass trombone Kali Rodriguez (Taíno), trumpet Giovanni Martinez (Yaqui), trumpet Delbert Anderson (Diné), trumpet Jenny Bement (White Earth Nation Chippewa), trumpet Marcos Varela (Olmec, Maya, Zapotec, Teotihuacan, Mixtec, and Aztec), bass Ed Littlefield (Lingít), drums Dennis Yerry (Haudenosaunee [Iroquois]), piano Julia Keefe (Nez Perce), director

DDAT Suite: mvt 3 "Iron Horse Gallup" composed by Delbert Anderson (Diné) and arranged by Franklin Piland Performed on January 29, 2026 in Ann Arbor, MI. Featuring Rogan Tinsley (Kanaka Maoli), alto sax Asa Peters (Mashpee Wampanoag and Narragansett), alto sax Adam Lamoureux (Muskegon [Swampy Cree]), tenor sax Michael Gutierrez (Comanche and Cheyenne-Arapaho), tenor sax Orion White (Nez Perce and Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma), tenor sax Quinn Carson (Apache Tribe of Oklahoma and Kiowa Tribe), trombone Dennis Wilson, special guest and Univ. Michigan faculty Wade Demmert (Lingít and Oglala Lakota), bass trombone Kali Rodriguez (Taíno), trumpet Giovanni Martinez (Yaqui), trumpet Delbert Anderson (Diné), trumpet Jenny Bement (White Earth Nation Chippewa), trumpet Marcos Varela (Olmec, Maya, Zapotec, Teotihuacan, Mixtec, and Aztec), bass Ed Littlefield (Lingít), drums Dennis Yerry (Haudenosaunee [Iroquois]), piano Julia Keefe (Nez Perce), director

"Darn that Dream" composed by Jimmy Van Heusen with lyrics by Eddie DeLange, arranged by Vern Sielert Performed on May 9, 2025 at Sonoma State University Featuring Rogan Tinsley, alto sax Asa Peters, alto sax Michael Gutierrez, tenor sax Adam Lamoureux, tenor sax Orion White, bari sax Kali Rodriguez, trumpet Giovanni Martinez, trumpet Delbert Anderson, trumpet Charles Copenace, trumpet Quinn Carson, trombone Kilan Thorns, trombone Wade Demmert, bass trombone Chantil Dukart, piano Corey Thomas, bass Edward Littlefield, drums Julia Keefe, director and vocalist

"Creator" composed by Charles Copenace (Ojibway) and arranged by R. Gillis Performed May 9, 2025 at Sonoma State University. Featuring Rogan Tinsley, alto sax Asa Peters, alto sax Michael Gutierrez, tenor sax Adam Lamoureux, tenor sax Orion White, bari sax Kali Rodriguez, trumpet Giovanni Martinez, trumpet Delbert Anderson, trumpet Charles Copenace, trumpet Quinn Carson, trombone Kilan Thorns, trombone Wade Demmert, bass trombone Chantil Dukart, piano Corey Thomas, bass Edward Littlefield, drums Julia Keefe, director

"Blood Quantum" composed by Mali Obomsawin (Abenaki of Odanak First Nation) and arranged by Allison Burik. Performed January 29, 2026 in Ann Arbor, MI Featuring Rogan Tinsley (Kanaka Maoli), alto sax Asa Peters (Mashpee Wampanoag and Narragansett), alto sax Adam Lamoureux (Muskegon [Swampy Cree]), tenor sax Michael Gutierrez (Comanche and Cheyenne-Arapaho), tenor sax Orion White (Nez Perce and Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma), Bari sax Quinn Carson (Apache Tribe of Oklahoma and Kiowa Tribe), trombone Dennis Wilson, special guest and Univ. Michigan faculty, trombone Wade Demmert (Lingít and Oglala Lakota), bass trombone Kali Rodriguez (Taíno), trumpet Giovanni Martinez (Yaqui), trumpet Delbert Anderson (Diné), trumpet Jenny Bement (White Earth Nation Chippewa), trumpet Marcos Varela (Olmec, Maya, Zapotec, Teotihuacan, Mixtec, and Aztec), bass Ed Littlefield (Lingít), drums Dennis Yerry (Haudenosaunee [Iroquois]), piano Julia Keefe (Nez Perce), director and vocalist

The Julia Keefe Indigenous Big Band (JKIBB) – one of the only jazz big bands in the world comprised exclusively of Native and Indigenous people – is releasing its debut album, Incarnadine, on May 8, 2026. Led by celebrated vocalist Julia Keefe (Nez Perce), Incarnadine brings together a 16-piece ensemble to celebrate a largely unrecognized lineage of Indigenous artists in jazz, while presenting new compositions rooted in tribal histories and storytelling. Following extensive touring at major performing arts centers and jazz clubs across the country, Incarnadine offers the ensemble's first recorded statement. On Incarnadine, celebrated vocalist Julia Keefe (Nez Perce) leads her all-star Indigenous Big Band featuring pianist Marc Cary (Chappaquiddick Wampanoag), trumpeter Delbert Anderson (Diné), bassist Mali Obomsawin (Abanaki of Odanak), trombonist Quinn Carson (Apache/Kiowa), drummer Edward Littlefield (Lingít), and many more. “We are not culturally monolithic,” said Keefe. “We each bring with us the cultural practices of our ancestors and many of our compositions are derived from traditional melodies and stories. With Incarnadine, we dive deeper into improvisatory music from the Indigenous perspective.” The album features music made famous by Indigenous jazz musicians from the Twentieth Century such as Mildred Bailey (Coeur d’Alene) and Jim Pepper (Kaw/Mvskoke) but also amplifies new works from musicians within the band’s ranks. Mali Obomsawin’s “Wawasint8da” is a haunting exploration of a Catholic hymn that was translated into the Abanaki language by an early French Jesuit missionary. DDAT Suite by Delbert Anderson pays homage to his tribal lands, commemorates Diné code talkers, and tells the story of an overnight train ride from Gallup, NM to Los Angeles. Keefe’s composition “Sonnet” was inspired by the poetry of Chilean poet Pablo Neruda. To quote the late Jim Pepper, “you can’t generalize about Indian music, it’s too diverse.” Incarnadine was recorded through the support of The Prior Performing Arts Center at the College of the Holy Cross. Album artwork by Ellen Taylor (Umatilla). Mixed by Ken Rich, Grand Street Record Studio. Mastered by Dave Darlington.

Julia Keefe on Vocals Delbert Anderson on Trumpet Mali Obomsawin on Bass Nick Lucero on Drums Live at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts, Olympia WA