Redhouse Family Jazz Band

Redhouse Family of Musicians Puts a Navajo Spin on Jazz

By Lee AllenAsk the six siblings of Arizona’s Redhouse Family if they are the Native American equivalent of Michael Jackson’s Jackson Five family and Tony Redhouse acknowledges, with a smile: “We have some of the same dynamics in that our families were both raised around music and we all began performing at a very early age.” Early, as in 5 when Tony was handed a drum and propelled onto the stage—7 when brother Vince took up woodwinds—9 when brother Larry added piano stylings.

Known as Arizona’s American Indian First Family of Jazz, the Redhouse Family Jazz Band and Dancers consist of four brothers and two sisters capable of a panoply of performances as musicians, composers, vocalists, flutists and dancers.

Music has been a central theme in the life of Vince, Mary, Charlotte, Lenny, Tony, and Larry Redhouse from the time maternal grandmother Concepcion played honky tonk piano entertaining GIs in the Phillipines to their father, Rex, frequently singing traditional Navajo squaw dance songs in his home using drums that were handmade in his backyard.

While the siblings earn daily bread in various occupations as teachers, healers, and artists, they perform independently and collectively in sets that can best be described as Indian Eclectic—music influenced by Latin, fusion, rhythm and blues, funk, folk, contemporary jazz, and traditional Native American sounds and spirituality.Comment:  For more on Native jazz, see Native Jazz Quartet and Pamyua Blends Inuit Music, Jazz, Funk.