New North Collective

The New North Collective is an ensemble of Northern Canadian performing artists from Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavik/Nunavut including throat singer/drum dancer Sylvia Cloutier from Nunavut/Nunavik; spoken word artist/bassist Pat Braden and composer Carmen Braden from the NWT; singer/songwriter Diyet (Kluane First Nation), guitarist/songwriter Graeme Peters, trombonist/singer Selena Savage, and percussionist Robert Van Lieshout from the Yukon; with multi-instrumentalist Eric Reed from BC.

“For many in Canada, the North is still considered exotic, a great expanse with few people that is far, far away. There is an element of intrigue and often a misconception of the people who live in the north and how they live. As we’ve performed across Canada from Koerner Hall in Toronto ON to the Lougheed Centre in Camrose AB, the universal feeling from audience is that we’ve brought the North alive for them. We live and work in the north, from Burwash Landing in the western Yukon through Whitehorse, Yellowknife, and as far away Nunavik and Nuuk. We connect 3500 kilometers of tundra and taiga and mountain lands, over river and lake and ocean waters.” – Diyet

The New North Collective’s interpretation of the world is modern, filled with the driving rhythms of a diverse musical and cultural landscape. Theirs is a contemporary expression of what it means to be from Canada’s North. This interpretation translates into a tightly woven artistic creation, comprised of many threads of music and visuals – each of which can trace its roots to long histories of its many musical traditions. Together, they explore their ideas of north – from the land to the people; from the traditional to the contemporary. Their shared music focuses on an in-depth look at being a northern person and a northern artist with the impact of north on the music all are creating using the musical lens of folk, jazz, traditional, experimental, spoken word, and rock. This music and media arts event is current, traditional, and thought provoking for diverse audiences reaching many demographics and musical tastes.