During one of his first experiences in a ceremonial sweat-lodge in 2014, Indigenous jazz trumpeter Chuck Copenace heard a simple Ojibway melody that got stuck in his head. He did some research and learned of its original creator, Neil Hall from Sagkeeng, and received encouragement from an elder to use it in his current single “Creator” from his forthcoming album Oshki Manitou. Watch the video on YouTube here:
Originally called “The Creator Helper Song,” it’s a piece of music meant to heal and encourage letting go. “I really loved how simple the melody is, but how it flows. All that you need is right there – it’s just one melody with one drum,” Copenace muses in a video about the making of the song.