Buffy Sainte-Marie

Buffy Sainte-Marie is featured in the most topical phase of her early folk singer/songwriting days on this episode of the Pete Seeger-hosted television program Rainbow Quest. If there's any criticism to be offered for a show that was never intended to be reviewed as an artistic statement, it's that it might dwell too heavily on just the most political facets of Sainte-Marie's repertoire. That tied in with the thrust of this show, in which Seeger's customary opening monologues steered the subjects toward the unjust treatment of Native Americans. Sainte-Marie's songs, accordingly, emphasize Native American culture and protest against the indignities suffered by North American Indians. It's not all didactic, though. Sainte-Marie offers some interesting commentary between the songs, and also illustrates how to play the mouth bow (as well as playing it and singing simultaneously during some of her set). It would have been nice if standout early songs like "Codeine" and "Until It's Time for You to Go" had also been featured, to give a more accurate, wider perception of the breadth of her repertoire. But what's here is certainly interesting, and, as Rainbow Quest intended, educational. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide