Search - Joy Harjo :: Letter from the End of the 20th Century

Post Colonial Tales

Enrique Torres | San Diegotitlan, Califas | 05/27/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is such an excellent CD that everytime I go a record store I look for something new from her. The mixture of "Joy's" poetry and the fusion of Jazz, Raggae and Rock is magical. "Joy" does an excellent job on sax as well, especially her soprano work. The strength of this CD is "Joy" and her incredidible poetry. Once you hear her poetry you will be hooked. She weaves tales like no one I've ever heard, it borders on an otherworldly supernatural experience. Her tales of the Native American experience are biting reminders of the injustices imposed by the ancestors of white America. The music is without a doubt very good but her lyrics are haunting and touch touch your soul. The tales are modern as well with wonderful analogies that reflect the here and now. An example of this would be "Letter From The End of The 20th Century" where someone" must settle the story of his murder before joining his ancestors or he will come back as a ghost". This is a must have album for any serious record collector. Even though it is a contemporary album I already rate it as one of my all time favorites. Do not be put off by the serious nature of most of the themes explored because this is powerful stuff that will help you understand your own fears. This is music that is by far best appreciated with an open mind and as Joy says "I am not afraid to be angry.......I am not afraid to be loved"."

Perfect marriage of word and sound

M. J. Smith | Seattle, WA USA | 05/18/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"My first encounter with the work of Joy Harjo was on PBS - she was reading "She had some horses". I immediately purchased her book of poetry of the same title and decided that I had discovered a major poet.This CD is an excellent backing of her poetry with music; but the music is not "background atmosphere", the music stands in its own right - especially (but not limited to) Joy Harjo's sax.I promptly gave copies of this CD to 3 twenty-something family members for Xmas. 2 enjoyed it immensely; the 3rd loved the music but was uncomfortable with the more political poems - the brutality of our treatment of Native Americans was not appreciated. However, I believe that the beauty of the art - words and music - is an appropriate hook to force us to look at our history ... and our current actions.Harjo's poetry reflects reality - a mixture of pleasant, neutral and unpleasant experience. I appreciate her honesty - an honesty that never lapses into anger or diatribe.This CD is a must for individuals interested in poetry, social justice and/or Native American cultural experience."

A perfect blend of jazz, Native American, and Joy's poetry

Ulrike.Hoffmann-Heyden@gmx.net | 08/26/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I had never heard of Joy Harjo and Poetic Justice until a friend, who was quite smitten by her, told me about her poetry and music earlier this year. He loaned me Letter From The End Of The Twentieth Century to listen to. It floored me. It was one of the most powerful recordings I'd heard in a long time. I played it over and over. I returned the tape to my friend and bought the CD for myself. The music, the stories, and Joy Harjo's voice are a perfect and powerful blend. I check back here monthly looking for their next CD. I hope it is soon coming."