Artist misses music awards

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Sandy Scofield would have loved to be in attendance to accept a pair of Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards that she won.

But the Vancouver resident was unable to show up for the awards ceremony, held on Nov. 28 in Toronto. That's because at the time Scofield was in Australia as part of a month-long cultural exchange. She was one of seven British Columbia-based Aboriginal people who took part in the exchange.

"You can't have everything," said Scofield, who is Metis, when she found out she had won a pair of awards a day after the Toronto show.

As for the music award, Scofield ended up winning the best folk album category for her work on Ketwam, her third album.

Ketwam also won her an award in the best producer/engineer category, an award Scofield shared with Shael Wrinch.

Ketwam had been nominated for awards in five separate categories.

"I thought if I get one - yippee," Scofield said. "I got two. So, yippee, yippee."

Scofield had also received nominations in the best songwriter and the best contemporary traditional album categories. Also, Marty Dolan had earned a best album cover design nomination for his work on Ketwam.

In Cree, Ketwam means 'until we meet again.' Scofield was especially pleased with this piece of work, because she had long yearned to release a musical project that was more traditionally based than her first two albums.

"This was a niche I had to scratch," she said.

Ketwam, a 15-song CD sung mostly in Cree and Algonquin, features original songs in the style of traditional Aboriginal music.

"I was pleased I got the awards," Scofield said. "It was a very arduous project. It seemed to be a reward for me."

This wasn't the first time Scofield was honoured at the Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards. She won a pair of trophies at the 2000 awards show, which was also staged in Toronto. Her second CD, titled Riel's Road, won the best alternative album. Also, the lead song, Beat The Drum, was chosen as the best song.

Besides her touring committments for this year, Scofield has some other projects to keep her occupied. She's been slowly trying to finish a Music degree at Simon Fraser University. And she's been working away on a fourth album; as with many other musical projects, a release date is dependent on acquiring some funding.

"If I have my way, there will be another one out in 2004," Scofield said.

Her Australian trip marked the first time she had performed outside North America. While Down Under, Scofield appeared at an Aboriginal music festival and a couple of elementary schools. She also did various private performances for some Elders.

Scofield plans to do some more touring in 2004.

"It's a big year for me," she said. She performed in Vienna in late January. And there are plans to tour Europe throughout September and October.