Passing it on
When they were growing up on the Yankton Indian reservation in South Dakota, the Nanji siblings benefited greatly from their father’s record collection. The elder Nanji, an influential spokesperson for Native American rights, was also a musician with a deep-running understanding of the blues. He spun records by the likes of B. B. King, Freddie King and Buddy Guy for his kids, and taught them how to play in the style these musicians helped create. A family band, born of the combined influence of the blues and the Native American struggle, was soon touring.
By their 20s, the Nanjis had formed Indigenous and made a name for themselves via a stirring blend of socially conscious blues-rock, with the lessons learned from the blues-men of the South in ample evidence. Soon, B. B. King had turned from major influence on the band to bona fide fan, and Indigenous charted regularly on the Billboard lists, as touring broadened its fan base. Thingschangedratherradically, andoutofnowhere, as theyoftenwill. Bythetimethe dustkickedupbyinter-band difficultieshadsettled, onlyguitaristandsingerMatoNanji remainedto carryontheIndigenousname. Not surprisingly, he reboundedstronglywiththe 2008release “BrokenLands,” andhasbeencarryingonthe band’s traditionever since.
Indigenous comes to Buffalo on Tuesday for a show inside the Tralf (622 Main St.) with opener Blues Hounds. Doors open at 7 p. m.; tickets are available through Ticketmaster. —Jeff Miers
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