Composer/Bassist Mali Obomsawin Examines Indigenous History and Resilience in Two-Night Engagement
“[Sugarcane] is immersive and incredibly beautiful, shot like poetry…. The result is both stunning and sobering.” —New York Times
“Potent commentary on Indigenous heritage, autonomy and experiences … gripping, dynamic and thunderous … ” —JazzTimes
Composer/bassist Mali Obomsawin (Odanak First Nation) returns to the Twin Cities for a two-night engagement featuring a live trio set ahead of the Oscar-nominated Sugarcane screening and a sextet concert at Icehouse.
Sugarcane, a documentary following an Indigenous community grappling with the painful history of a residential school, features a score written by Obomsawin that stands as a testimony to Indigenous struggle and resilience. On April 16, the Walker presents a screening/performance event beginning with a short live set by Obomsawin’s trio before the film.
A separate concert experience will feature Obomsawin’s sextet in a copresentation with Icehouse on April 18. Melding Wabanaki songs with religious hymns and jazz traditions with Québécois folk music, the ensemble chronicles the complex histories that have come to shape Abenaki life today.
Mali Obomsawin: Sugarcane plus Live Trio
Thursday, April 16, 7:30 pm
Walker Cinema
Mali Obomsawin Sextet
Saturday, April 18, 7:30 pm
Icehouse
2528 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis
Tickets: https://icehouse.turntabletickets.com/
ABOUT MALI OBOMSAWIN
Mali Obomsawin is a performer, composer, and improviser. Her work explores fringes and frontiers, influenced by her experience as a W8banaki person crossed by the US-Canada border. She is best known for her evocative singing, compositional storytelling, and bass playing in her experimental ensembles and her band Deerlady. She is a citizen of the Abenaki Nation at Odanak.
Obomsawin also works in film as a composer, writer, and actress. Her music was featured in the FX series Reservation Dogs in 2023. She composed the score for the Oscar-nominated documentary Sugarcane (2025) directed by Julian Brave NoiseCat and Emily Kassie, and scored, wrote, and narrated Lokotah Sanborn’s experimental doc Otherworld (2025). She has collaborated with musicians Raven Chacon, Esperanza Spalding, Yo-Yo Ma, Taylor Ho Bynum, and visual artist Cannupa Hanska Luger in recent years.
TICKETS
Ordering tickets is easy: visit walkerart.org/tickets or call 612-375-7600. Box office is open Wednesday–Sunday and one hour before performances.
ACCESSIBILITY
For more information about accessibility, visit our Access page.
For questions on accessibility or to request additional accommodations, call 612-375-7564 or email access@walkerart.org.
ABOUT THE WALKER ART CENTER
The Walker Art Center is a renowned multidisciplinary arts institution that presents, collects, and supports the creation of groundbreaking work across the visual and performing arts, moving image, and design. Guided by the belief that art has the power to bring joy and solace and the ability to unite people through dialogue and shared experiences, the Walker engages communities through a dynamic array of exhibitions, performances, events, and initiatives. Its multiacre campus includes 65,000 sq. ft. of exhibition space, the state-of-the-art McGuire Theater and Walker Cinema, and ample green space that connects with the adjoining Minneapolis Sculpture Garden. The Garden, a partnership with the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board, is one of the first urban sculpture parks of its kind in the United States and home to the beloved Twin Cities landmark Spoonbridge and Cherry by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen. Recognized for its ambitious program and growing collection of more than 16,000 works, the Walker embraces emerging art forms and amplifies the work of artists from the Twin Cities and from across the country and the globe. Its broad spectrum of offerings makes it a lively and welcoming hub for artistic expression, creative innovation, and community connection.
ABOUT ICEHOUSE
Built in 1868 to store lake ice, Icehouse has been transformed into a lively music club in the heart of Minneapolis’ famed Eat Street. Since opening in 2012, Icehouse’s mission has been the same; provide a fun and uncompromising space for music fans and bands to come together and do their thing. As the reputation and event calendar grew in the early years, bigger and bigger bands took notice of Icehouse’s unique environment and uncompromising commitment to the live experience. Beyond live shows, Icehouse has grown into a place where locals could grab a drink with friends, take in a comedy show, or dance all night.
Program support provided by Nor Hall and Roger Hale.