Robbie Robertson & Ulali Mahk Jchi Heartbeat Drum Song

Ulali is a Native American women's a cappella group. Founded in 1987, it includes Pura Fé (Tuscarora) Soni (Mayan, Apache, Yaqui), and Jennifer Kreisberg (Tuscarora). Ulali's sound encompasses an array of indigenous music including Southeast United States choral singing (pre-blues and gospel) and pre-Columbian music. Ulali's live performances address Native struggles and accomplishments. The group was first called "Pura Fe'" and included three female singers and three males. Later, the group became a duo comprising singers, Soni Moreno and Pura Fé before eventually becoming a trio The group participated in the Indigo Girls recording Shaming of the Sun, and opened for and performed with the Indigo Girls in several cities in 1997. Ulali also contributed to the Indigo Girls benefit recording project, "Honor the Earth" and participated in the national tour of the same name. Ulali was featured on the soundtrack of the Miramax film Smoke Signals. They performed at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival in support of Smoke Signals, which won the Audience Choice Award and Filmmaker's Trophy. Ulali recorded on the soundtrack for the Turner documentary series The Native Americans. They subsequently had two of their songs, "Mahk Jchi" and "Ancestor Song" featured on Robbie Robertson's album Music for The Native Americans. Their video "Follow Your Hearts Desire" won "Best Music Video" at The American Indian Film Institute Awards. Ulali has appeared on National Public Radio several times and made their national television debut when they performed with Robertson as featured guests on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. After performing at the Todos un Cantos del Mundo in May 2000, Ulali was featured on the "Jô Soares Show", a nationally televised talk show in Brazil. The group has been on several compilations that have been nominated for Juno Awards. Ulali participated in the Aboriginal Women's Voices Project and helped to develop songs for the Project recording "Hearts of the Nations". They were also featured on the Smithsonian's Folkways compilation recording "Heartbeat," and can be heard on dozens of albums, documentaries and movies. In addition, Ulali contributed the music for a recording with Lakota/Kiowa Apache Story Teller Dovie Thomason's "Lessons from the Animal People," which won the American Library Association's 1997 "Editor's Choice Award" and "Notable Recording Award". During Spring 2002, they were featured on the "One Giant Leap" recording and MTV video. Ulali has shared the bill with Buffy Sainte-Marie, Floyd Westerman, Miriam Makeba, John Trudell, the American Indian Dance Theatre, Sting, Richie Havens, the B-52's, Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, Mary Chapin Carpenter and the Neville Brothers.