Digging Roots

2010 has been a ground-breaking year for Digging Roots, their album We Are won a JUNO Award for Best Aboriginal Album of the Year, the award for Best Pop Recording at the 12th Annual Native American Music Awards and the award for Best Blues CD at the Aboriginal People’s Choice Awards. After the successes of last year, Digging Roots are optimistic about what 2011 holds for them!



Digging Roots combines elements of traditional Indigenous influences, hip-hop, folk, reggae, and blues and roots styles of music, which has wowed audiences across the country and internationally. The band is led by beautiful and superb vocalist ShoShona Kish and the extraordinarily talented guitarist and music director Raven Kanatakta.



Forming in 2004, the band released their first album Seeds in 2006. Since that time they have performed non-stop from coast to coast. Their second album, We Are, released in 2009 brings these artists into their own with such songs as the socially charged “Plant The Seeds,” the rough around the edges “Brave Enough,” and the pop textured anthem, “Spring To Come.” The band delivers a joyful on-stage energy that is entertaining to audiences of all ages.
'WE ARE' produced with Kinnie Starr builds on the unique strength of DiggingRoots' live sound with carefully crafted songs, tight studio arrangements and soulful performances. These are artists coming into their own with a groove heavy album that spans a range of emotion from dark haunted heartache on 'Holes' to socially charged optimisim on "We Are". At the center of the new work is the chemistry and songwriting of collaborators ShoShona Kish and Raven Kanatakta. The lead track and first single 'Spring to Come' exemplifies the convergence of their styles that is the DiggingRoots almost undefinable sound.somewhere between the lines of roots, rock, hip hop, and blues.
As vocalists, Kish and Kanatakta play well off each others' strengths and here they both have been given room to stretch out. Kish's emotional range is showcased throughout the record from breathy seductive texture on songs like 'Brave Enough' to a sweet almost naive approach on 'These Hands' to the throaty wails that have garnered her live performance references to the likes of Janis Joplin.
Still playing tube-electrified acoustic guitars, Kanatakta's chops really shine through the new recording from minimalist melodies, to searing blues inspired slide guitar to epic Zeppelin-esque solos. Kanatakta sets himself apart from the pack with the fluidity of his musical ideas, playing with references to his influences (think, Hendrix meets Sun House meets Derek Trucks) while still shaping an entirely original sound.
The album features guest appearances by Kinnie Starr, Tanya Tagaq and Melanie Storm.
Contact
Assistant Manager:
info@diggingrootsmusic.com
(705) 717-2198
Booking:
bookings@diggingrootsmusic.com
(705) 717-2198
Publicity:
www.anyawilson.com
Anya Wilson Promotion & Publicity
awilson@netsurf.net
(416) 977-7704
Fax: (416) 977-7719
Media + Promotions Consultant:
Derek Andrews
derekandrews@sympatico.ca
(416) 260-6655
Distribution:
www.outside.on.ca
Outside Music
lloyd@outside-music.com
(416) 461-0655
Fax: (416) 364-3616