Indigenous Music in North America: A Participatory Introduction-Performed by Musician and Author Craig Harris-Saturday, October 12 at 2:00 p.m.

Enjoy a celebration of Indigenous People’s Day at the library on Saturday, October 12 at 2:00 p.m.!  Musician and Author Craig Harris will perform, Indigenous Music in North America: A Participatory Introduction. This performance offers an unprecedented eye-and-ear-opening look at the Indigenous soundscape. More than powwow drums and wooden flutes, Indigenous music intersects with rock, blues, jazz, folk music, reggae, hip-hop, classical music, and more. It’s what gives America’s music its distinct flavor.

Music historian, percussionist, photographer, and radio host Craig Harris, M. Ed., is the author of Rise Up! Indigenous Music in North America (2023), Crossing Borders (2021), Bluegrass, Newgrass, Old-time and Americana Music (2018), The Band: Pioneers of Americana Music (2014/2017), Heartbeat, Warble, and the Electric Powwow: American Indian Music (2016), and The New Folk Music (1993). A skilled percussionist, he’s played with the Gaea Star Band for over a decade and has co-hosted the weekly syndicated Gaea Crystal Radio Hour (Dreamvision 7 radio network) since 2014. He’s also appeared onstage with C.J. Chenier, Greg Brown, Jonathan Edwards, Rod MacDonald, Melanie, Mustard’s Retreat, Merl Saunders, Rick Danko (The Band), Los Texmaniacs, and Two Day Jeans.

After more than a quarter of a century as a music teacher in public/charter schools, Harris launched the Drum Away the Blues program in 2009. Since then, he’s presented multimedia programs in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, North Dakota, Indiana, Kentucky, Arkansas, Michigan, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Florida. The Craig Harris Show airs Fridays (10 PM – 1 AM) on Washington, DC’s WAMU-FM HD2/Bluegrass Country Radio.

This event is free and open to everyone. No registration required. Drop-ins are welcome as space allows! Recommend arriving early to select your seat. For more information, contact Cynthia, Community Services Librarian, at cgwiazda@hagamanlibrary.org. 

Extra parking for evening and weekend library events is available in the East Haven Town Hall parking lot on 250 Main Street (across the street from the library), in the KeyBank parking lot next to the library (after 12:00 p.m. on Saturdays and after 5:00 p.m. on weekdays) and in the Stop and Shop lot behind the library, accessible from Messina Drive.