Find out how the local landscape and indigenous communities have shaped Phoenix's musical identity.
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00:00 My name's Foy Vance. I'm a singer-songwriter from Northern Ireland,
00:03 and I've toured all over the world, but there's one place where the music keeps pulling me back for more.
00:08 The USA.
00:09 So I'm on a journey to visit different cities across the country
00:12 to experience the best music, food, and culture that's on offer.
00:16 This is Notes From The USA.
00:19 Today, I'm in Phoenix, part of a sprawling area in Arizona known as the Valley of the Sun.
00:28 Phoenix is known for its action-packed outdoor activities, world-class cultural attractions, and historical sites.
00:35 And I want to learn all about how the city's indigenous cultures and stunning landscapes have influenced the music here.
00:42 To get familiar with the city's surroundings, I first head out for an action-packed ATV tour through the Sonoran Desert
00:48 with Devin O'Brien from local tour operator Stellar Adventures.
00:52 We're going to get some gear on, head to the towel, make sure our safety equipment's ready to go, hit the trails.
00:56 Sound good?
00:57 Sounds great. Let's do it.
00:58 Booyah.
00:59 Let's go.
01:00 You got a slender down, you're going to get a kid's size today.
01:05 Is it really that slender?
01:26 This whole area is part of the Four Peaks Lower Wilderness Recreation Area.
01:30 Over 550 linear miles of trail out in this area of the desert alone.
01:34 So it gives our tours the ability to have diverse trail riding.
01:37 If you can imagine, a lot of these trails to many years back, this was all, you know, horse and wagon.
01:42 So right here, we're about 45 minutes from central downtown Phoenix, 30 minutes from North Scottsdale.
01:47 So very, very easy to access.
01:49 I hear you're into the music scene, yeah?
01:50 Yeah, that's what we're here for.
01:51 You've come to the right spot.
01:52 Whether you're in downtown Phoenix, Tempe area, Scottsdale, there's a club, there's a venue,
01:57 there's every single genre of music that you can imagine.
02:00 Whatever the vibe you're looking for is, we're going to have it.
02:02 After a proper introduction to the local landscape, I'm looking for a taste of history.
02:18 And there's one spot I can't wait to see, the Musical Instrument Museum.
02:23 Home to over 15,000 items and mecca for music lovers such as myself.
02:28 Phoenix is a really interesting big city, you know.
02:33 People come from all over the world.
02:34 When they're discovering some of the natural landscape,
02:38 they also have an opportunity to discover a musical landscape from all over the world as well here at Melloness.
02:45 Is that Buddy Rich's drum kit?
02:46 It is Buddy Rich's drum kit.
02:47 What I love is some of these instruments are so recognizable for the people that even from 50 feet away, 100 feet away,
02:54 you can say, "That's got to be Buddy Rich's drum kit."
02:57 I feel like a wee boy at Christmas here.
02:59 Yeah.
03:01 A number of the instruments from around the collection have been passed down from generations,
03:06 and they still represent community and family and heritage.
03:11 They mean more than just the physical tool. They mean people. They mean humanity.
03:17 It's a really interesting part of the country.
03:21 People discover something really powerful when they visit Phoenix.
03:25 There's a real gem of a destination here at the Musical Instrument Museum.
03:30 [Music]
03:36 I could play around in the museum for days.
03:39 But while in Phoenix, I want to learn more about the music of the indigenous communities here.
03:46 The Herd Museum is a space dedicated to the advancement of American Indian art.
03:52 Marcus Mullen Erkett is the director of community engagement.
03:59 The museum was founded in 1929, so you do have a full collection, about 45,000 items.
04:07 But today, our charge, our mission, is to represent American Indian cultures.
04:13 There's heaviness, but there's celebratory moments, and they come up quite regularly.
04:19 There's also lots of music, dance, chants that go along with the ceremony and the rituals.
04:25 A visit to the Herd Museum will really be a great jumping-off point for the history of the state.
04:32 Native music and dance, this is your place.
04:36 The two museums left me wanting to dig deeper into local music and culture.
04:41 So while I was in town, I couldn't pass up a visit to the Heritage Festival, taking place in neighboring Flagstaff,
04:48 to take in some performances and speak to those showcasing their roots.
04:52 [Music]
04:56 The flute, did you say your song made it?
04:58 Yes, it's a drone flute, and they've been making drone flutes like this for thousands of years.
05:03 Growing up in the city, we still had groups of native people that would have powwows.
05:08 I love that, that there's an effort to keep that alive.
05:11 No matter what language we speak, if we don't understand each other, if we play a rhythm, we play a pattern, we play a melody, it connects with you.
05:19 But it's not just traditional music on display here at the Heritage Festival.
05:23 Local musician Sage Bond combines her traditional influences and culture with a heavy metal sound for something quite unique.
05:30 [Music]
05:58 That was beautiful. Beautiful, the right word, I don't know, it was evocative.
06:01 Something people don't expect when they see me, I guess.
06:05 For such an aggressive sound, it's filled with some of the most sentient, sweet-hearted human beings, you know what I mean?
06:11 Because it's coming from the soul.
06:13 Go hard or go home.
06:14 Yeah, yeah, exactly. I'm glad I get to be a part of this show here at the Heritage Festival.
06:20 People get to see the traditional aspects, get to see, experience the culture, and also they get to hear modern, contemporary music.
06:28 Like, natives aren't always playing traditional music.
06:32 We do other things too. We don't live in teepees.
06:34 We don't live, we're people of today. We're not people of the past.
06:39 How do you think that's impacted your music?
06:40 I like to incorporate it into my music by telling stories that I feel like need to be heard again, that need to be heard by different audiences.
06:49 We can all enjoy it.
06:50 Music belongs to us all, doesn't it?
06:52 Yeah.
06:53 Along with music, I always feel that cuisine is the best way to dive into a different culture.
07:01 So it felt like time to sample a staple, fry bread.
07:06 It's a dish found all over Arizona, and Valene Hatafli from Val's Fry Bread has mastered this culinary treat.
07:13 Is it savory or sweet?
07:14 Both. You can have it either way. You can have it as a dessert or a main meal.
07:18 It's so fluffy. If you want it crispy, it can be crispy. It's unlike anything you could ever try.
07:24 I want to try it the way you should, yes. You know what I mean? Yes.
07:27 Yeah.
07:28 Oh, I will not bet.
07:32 Phoenix is not like a traditional city.
07:39 Its influence and culture extend beyond its borders and into a deep-rooted relationship with music.
07:45 And though the temperate climate and glorious sunshine may attract visitors from all over the world,
07:50 it's those experiences, cultures, and locals that really make this city a must-visit.
07:56 Phoenix, Arizona.
08:00 ( music )
08:03 (upbeat music)