Mali Obomsawin (bass); Cedric Easton(drums); Madgalena Abrego (guitar); Allison Burik (bass clarinet & alto saxophone); Noah Campbell (saxophones); Nolan Tsang (trumpet)
Mali Obomsawin is a Wabanaki bassist, singer and composer from Odanak First Nation. Her debut album Sweet Tooth and touring sextet has garnered acclaim from The Guardian, NPR, and JazzTimes. Sweet Tooth (Out of Your Head, 2022) is a suite of gripping and dynamic music that seamlessly melds chorale-like spirituals, folk melodies, and post-Albert Ayler free jazz. Obomsawin's compositions are brilliantly delivered by her evocative, thunderous band, occupying a universe completely their own and perfect for any stage.
Mali Obomsawin (they/she) is an award winning bassist, songwriter and composer from Abenaki First Nation at Odanak. With an expansive background in American roots, rock, and jazz, Obomsawin carries several music traditions. Mali’s debut album Sweet Tooth, has received international acclaim since its release in October of 2022 (Out of Your Head), including rave reviews in The Guardian, JazzTimes, and NPR. A Smithsonian Folkways Recordings artist, she spent the years 2014-2021 touring internationally with beloved folk-rock band Lula Wiles. An in-demand bassist in the US folk and jazz circuits, Mali appears often as an accompanist with contemporaries Jake Blount and Lizzie No, and has performed at festivals like Newport and Philly Folk. She can also be found in galleries and creative music spaces with the likes of Peter Apfelbaum, Taylor Ho Bynum, and Bill Cole's Untempered Ensemble. Obomsawin received the 2022 International Folk Music Association's “Rising Tide Award," which honors new generation artists who embody the values and ideals of the folk community through their creative work, community role, and public voice. They also received the New England Foundation of the Arts' "New Work New England" award in 2022. Mali is a member of The Julia Keefe Indigenous Big Band and Indigenous Performance Productions' Welcome To Indian Country. As a composer-arranger, they scored the upcoming film “We Are The Warriors,” collaborated with Red Sky Performance and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and Palaver Strings.
Photo by Jared and Abby Lank