Oregon-native Nahko, born a mix of Apache, Puerto Rican, and Filipino cultures and adopted into an American family, suffered an identity crisis from an early age. But the unifying power of music entered his life as a healing remedy, when he took up the piano at age six. Armed with his newfound talent, he set out to bridge the cultural gaps dividing his own psyche and began producing a public, musical journal of his journey toward personal, spiritual, and communal healing.
From his hometown of Portland to the shores of Hawaii or Bali, wherever he has traveled, Nahko is joined by a tribe of culturally alienated truth seekers for whom Nahko’s story resonates with their own, and who find redemption in his voice, guitar, flute, and drum. Whether solo or with the dynamic group of musical troubadours known as “Medicine for the People,” Nahko delivers a soulful dose of curative vibrations that moves audiences to dance, laugh, and cry. His ‘spirited redemption music’ lays bear the scars of cultural wounds, environmental wrongs, and social injustices. His lyrics bear the burden of heavy messages, but the load is lightened by agile melodies and driving rhythms that coerce all who bear witness into spirited, purifying, movement. His humor disarms, and his lyrical stories open listeners to the power of “Real Talk Music”—songs that reveal an honesty and depth so raw, it inspires an internal revival that echoes out into the world. Sometimes exuberant, sometimes savage, but always transformational, Nahko makes the movement move.
nahko.com
MEMBERS
Hope Medford
In a time when there is a need for balance between the masculine and feminine voice, Hope rises to meet this call with her conscious, powerful beats. Hope is the percussionist for Nahko and Medicine for the People. Bringing the tribal rhythms to Medicine’s sound, Hope invokes ancient vibrations mixed with street root beats on the Afro Peruvian Bajo Cajon drum and West African Djembe drum. Her unique flair integrates influences from cultures where she has studied percussion including Senegal, West Africa, Brazil, and Peru. A hand drummer for nearly twenty years, she is also an artist and community activist, and these passions continue to inspire and fuel her music.
Hope’s independent music is a journey of percussion and feminine vocals with layers of world instruments including cajon, djembe, halo drum, dun duns, singing bowls, digeridoo, flute, and sacred tones with a dub dance feel. Hope’s second solo album, Purify, was released in 2013. For more information visit Hopemedford.com
(summary borrowed from nahko.com/tribe)
