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Showing posts with label dub. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dub. Show all posts

Friday, March 20, 2015

AIYE #60 : Mikael Seifu - Africa In Your Earbuds [ethiopia]




       Mikael Seifu is an Ethiopian electronic music producer & performer. Seifu fuses both the secular Ethiopian music of nomadic folk musicians, known as Azmaris, and the sonics of Tobia with garage & his own dream brew, which he calls “Ethiopian electronic.”

     Born and raised in Addis Ababa, Seifu attended the French school Lycee Guebre-Mariam as a child, and went on to study music production & the music industry at Ramapo College of New Jersey, a small school about 45 minutes outside of Manhattan. Here, Seifu studied under avant-garde composer, trumpeter and inventor of the “Mutantrumpet,” Ben Neill. “He opened me up to another way of thinking about music,” says Seifu.




Mikael Seifu - Yarada Lij




      After his time at Ramapo, Seifu traveled back to Addis Ababa where he currently runs his recording studio, a central hub for the perceptive & open-minded local musicians of Addis Ababa, and continues to cultivate & curate the local electronic & Ethiopian experimental music scene.

His debut EP, Yarada Lij, draws from a long list of musical influences including Ethiopian & African Folk, the Addis Acoustic Project, Ben Neill, Burial, Zion Rebels, Air, Röyksopp, reggae and R.F.


“My music is about vibrations…it does something to me and I want to immediately share that with people. It’s not Eastern, Western, Martian… it’s about that impact. If that impact is not shared, it doesn’t matter.” - Mikael Seifu





       Ethiopian beatsmith Mikael Seifu made his impressive debut this year with the 4-track Yarada Lij EP and loose single “Tuff Ruff” — a striking hybrid of house & UK garage production with secular azmari folk and sacred music traditions of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. The Addis Ababa-based producer, who cites labelmate Endeguena Mulu, Burial, traditional Ethiopian folk, and Scott Storch as his influences, is the torch-bearing artist on the newly formed Washington, D.C. imprint 1432 R.What do you think?


      For his Africa In Your Earbuds mixtape, Mikael Seifu delivers an astounding, hazy journey through reinterpreted Ethiopian folk sounds. The producer mentions, “The last two songs are the only unaltered from the mix. I basically went for it and picked artists of Ethiopia or who are Ethiopian. That being said I used bits and pieces of their works and composed on top of that for the mix. One can say the majority of the mix is technically original stuff with it’s major influence and theme being Ethiopian folk."










Mikael Seifu - AIYE #60: Mikael Seifu (19:47)



Samples Used For Mix/Tracklist:

Ethiopian Folk

Tommy T - Oromo Dub(Cushitic Dub)
Gash Abera Molla - Enkutatash & other
Emahoy Tsegué-Maryam Guèbrou - The Last Tears of a Deceased
Addis Acoustic Project - Soundcheck at Jazzamba Club
Hailu Mergia - Ambassel
Seifu Yohannes - Yekermo Sew
Zion Rebels ft. Lion Heart Soldiers, Tiger & Black Haze -  Dess Yebelesh
Lema Guebre-Hiwot - Medina Zelessegna


Alexo & Friends -Hulètshih [2013] [ethiopia]




More dub music from Ethiopia.







 Alexo & Friends - 01 - Hulètshih 1 (04:52)  
 Alexo & Friends - 02 - Hulètshih 2 (06:56)  
 Alexo & Friends - 03 - Hulètshih 3 (03:59)  
 Alexo & Friends - 04 - Hulètshih 4 (03:11)  
 Alexo & Friends - 05 - Hulètshih 5 (03:35)  
 Alexo & Friends - 06 - Hulètshih 6 (05:56)   
 Alexo & Friends - 07 - Hulètshih 7 (04:36)





Hulètshih 5 was previously released on "Molécules 5" vol.IV (Sous le manteau, 2009) titled "Wolayta" & on Ethiosonic's "Noise & Chill Out - Ethiopian Groove Worldwide" titled "Tètchawètu!" (Buda Musique, 2011) 




Composed & arranged by Leyekun Zewdu & Alexo 

Words by Helina Feqadu 

Vocals by Sertse Fresebhat 
Washint by Yonas Asrat 
Messenqo & krar by Leyekun Zewdu 
Alexo: bass, kebero, dubmaster 



Recorded in Alliance Ethio-Française of Addis Abeba by Covalesky & Alexo in 2007 
Sound artwork by Alexo & Covalesky 



Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Invisible System - Live and Raw [2012] [uk+ethiopia] [EXTRACT]




Invisible System - live 2011



       Invisible System's live performances at festivals and concerts in the UK, and Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), have been known to simulate, attack, relax, exhaust people from dancing, confuse, uplift and even frighten others!







With Dennis Wint as the main front man in the UK he has become known by the press as a cross between a Jamaican/African Johnny Rotten and a rasta preacher man for spirituality and social justice whilst being a live cannon.

From playing with bands like Dreadzone to playing the main stages at festivals across the UK, Invisible System have crossed dance, dub and reggae, rock, post-punk, acid and world music with similar shows taking place alongside their Ethiopian singers in Addis.

These recordings illustrate how Invisible System sound live. A much more intense and stripped down beast than some of their album track releases. 





01 - Invisible System - Grazella Heart   (live Addis Ababa, Ethiopia) (5:51)
02 - Invisible System - Milash Situgn   (live Addis Ababa, Ethiopia) (5:54)
03 - Invisible System - Sintun Ayehun  (live Addis Ababa, Ethiopia) (4:14)
04 - Invisible System - Sewbekagn   (live Addis Ababa, Ethiopia) (7:37)
05 - Invisible System - Min Atefahu   (live Addis Ababa, Ethiopia) (4:54)


Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Dub Colossus - [2014] - Addis to Omega [uk + ethiopia]




Addis To Omega - Dub Colossus Soundsystem


         Although Dub Colossus made their name fusing Ethiopian music with reggae and funk, in this, their fourth album, band leader Nick Page has rung a change in focus: a departure from the home of Rastafari icon Haile Selassie I for a thorough exploration of Jamaican influenced sounds.

      Addis to Omega is bursting with funk-influenced reggae and stripped back dub, brash dancehall, jumping ska, and sincere lethargic grooves.

         The album opens with Nick Page's alter ego Dubulah's bold fuzzy bass and Joseph Cotton's post-Rastafarian vocals on Boom Ka Boom (and the Dub Disciples). At first appearances a strong dancehall track, key changes and eerie chord progressions hint at further depth.





        The record continues to feature prominent vocals, but Dub Colossus are at their strongest on their instrumental pieces Soft Power, Tale of 2 Cities, and the epic Orpheus Underground. Without the distraction of accomodating authentic vocals and traditional song structures a space is formed for composition, open improvisation and more profound mood changes.

    Although recognisably following a reggae-based theme, the impressive and diverse collection of contributors on the release occasionally introduces a surprise. Natacha Atlas and Samy Bishai bring a more exotic sound on The Shape of Things to Come - a song more Arabian than Carribean - or the atmospheric A Voice Has Power featuring the mesmerising low rumbling vocal work of Albert Kuvezin.

       Family Man and the title track give the brass contributors Horns of Negus time to develop classic long brass chordal lines, while the funky Fight Back provides opportunity for Ben Somers to channel Maceo in his tenor solo.


A well-executed exercise in reggae-fusion, Addis to Omega is a fifteen track journey through the many facets of its sub-genres. Afro-beat percussion and pentatonic Ethio-Jazz have been swapped for political lyrics, fast-paced reggae and clean dub. While Dub Colossus have undeniably changed musical tack, the original twists and large collective approach remain the same.


review by Dan Bergsagel


Dub Colossus - Boom Ka Boom (and the Dub Disciples) (4:21)
Dub Colossus - Family Man (3:53)
Dub Colossus - The Casino Burning Down (5:05)
Dub Colossus - We Are the Playthings of the Rich and Famous (4:05)
Dub Colossus - Fight Back (4:42)
Dub Colossus - Addis to Omega (Amnesis Mix) (5:33)
Dub Colossus - Keep On Rocking (6:17)
Dub Colossus - Soft Power (4:17)
Dub Colossus - Madmen (3:50)
Dub Colossus - Mi Dad (3:18)
Dub Colossus - A Tale of Two Cities (4:34)
Dub Colossus - The Shape of Things to Come (5:46)





Dubulah (Nick Page):
drums, bass, guitars, vocals, keyboards, Dub FX, programming, percussion; 
Nick Van Gelder: drums; 
Dani Fabregas: drums; 
Winston Blissett: bass, vocals; 
Sebastian Martinez: bass; 
Bernard O’Neill: double bass, piano; 
PJ Higgins: vocals; 
Mykael S. Riley; vocals; 
Toby Mills: keyboards, percussion; 
Tim Whelan: piano, zither; 
Horns of Negus (Ben Somers, Neil Waters, Bob Dowell)
brass and woodwind; 
Paul Chivers: percussion, drums, keyboards; 
Harry Brown; trombone; 
Orphy Robinson: vibraphone; 
Samy Bishal: violin; 
Boleslaw Usarzewski: mandolins;
Simon Smith: melodica.

Thursday, July 17, 2014

Gabriel Teodros - GT's Ethiopium: A Jitter Generation Mixtape [2009] [usa+ethiopia]




Gabriel Teodros - Cycles


       Gabriel Teodros (born 1981), is a hip hop artist and a member of the groups Abyssinian Creole and CopperWire. He is of Ethiopian, Scottish, Irish and Native American descent,and was raised on Beacon Hill, Seattle, Washington. Teodros' music often features socially conscious themes, and he was a catalyst in the surge of dynamic underground rap acts from the Pacific Northwest during the first decade of the 2000s.






       Born and raised in Seattle, Washington to an Ethiopian mother and a father of Scottish, Irish and Native American descent. His parents met through anti-war organizing in the 1970s, and they split up around the time Gabriel was born. He stayed with his mother, where he met grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins as they first emigrated to the United States and all stayed in the same house.



His relationship with hip hop culture began at a young age within the South Seattle neighborhood of Beacon Hill. “A lot of kids in my neighborhood were affected by gang culture. And I kind of had a death wish. I felt like, at an early age, that I wasn’t going to live to 21” he said in an interview with Sheeko Magazine. He spent his high school years in Las Vegas, Nevada where as one out of approximately 30 students of color in a predominantly white school, something within him changed. “It was the first time I understood that there was a system in place that wanted kids like me to want to die. And understanding that in high school made me want to live.” he says in the same interview. 

The former breakdancer, graffiti writer and closet-emcee finally began to take his career path seriously at age 16, using hip hop to both understand and explain his world.


       In December 2009, Teodros released GT's Ethiopium: A Jitter Generation Mixtape. This release shined a light on the realities of Ethiopia, touched on America’s own imperfections & stressed the importance of exploring one's own intelligence and spirituality. It was made completely using instrumentals from Oh No's Ethiopium, which was made completely using old-school and rare samples of Ethiopian music.


Discography

   Albums   

Sun To A Recycled Soul - Gabriel Teodros (independent, 2001)
Sexy Beast - Abyssinian Creole (Khingz & Gabriel Teodros) (MADK/Pangea, 2005)
Westlake: Class of 1999 - Gabriel Teodros (independent, September 11, 2006)
Lovework - Gabriel Teodros (MassLine, 2007)
Crow Hill - Air 2 A Bird (Amos Miller & Gabriel Teodros) (independent, 2010)
Colored People's Time Machine - Gabriel Teodros (Fresh Chopped Beats/MADK Productions, 2012)
Earthbound - CopperWire (Meklit Hadero, Burntface & Gabriel Teodros) (Porto Franco Records,  2012)
Children Of The Dragon - Gabriel Teodros & AirMe (independent, 2014)


   EPs   

Sexy Beast - Abyssinian Creole (Khingz & Gabriel Teodros) (MADK/Pangea, 2005)
No Label - Gabriel Teodros (MassLine, 2007)
The Lentil Soup EP - Gabriel Teodros & DJ Ian Head (Everyday Beats, 2011)

   Mixtapes   

GT's Ethiopium: A Jitter Generation Mixtape - Gabriel Teodros (independent, 2009)


Friday, February 14, 2014

Dub Colossus - Rockers Meet Addis Uptown EP [2010] + bonus


   R   E   U   P   L   O   A   D   


Dub Colossus - Shegye Shegitu (Blue Nile Mix)



1. Dub Colossus - Uptown Top Ranking (Radio Edit) (4:18)
2. Dub Colossus - Guragigna (5:14)
3. Dub Colossus - Medina (3:08)
4. Dub Colossus - Selemi  (6:45)
5. Dub Colossus - Uptown Top Ranking (Full Mix) (5:02) 
+
6. Dub Colossus & Sintayehu ** - Krems '09 VI 25 -A Town Called Addis– IX (16:52)
7. Dub Colossus & Sintayehu ** - Krems '09 VI 25 -A Town Called Addis– X (5:37)


**Sintayehu Zenebe | vocals
    Teremage Woretaw | vocals, mesenko
    Samuel Yirga Mitiku | keyboards
    Michael Riley | percussions


Thursday, February 13, 2014

Dub Colossus - Dub Me Tender [2012]

Original source : AfroCubanLatinJazz


   R   E   U   P   L   O   A   D   






01. Dub Colossus - Dub in a Time of Cholera (4:48)
02. Dub Colossus - Dub Me Tender [Ezana Mix] (4:11)
03. Dub Colossus - Satta Massagana [Yeka Dub] (3:49)
04. Dub Colossus - I'm in Dub With a German Filmstar (4:25)
05. Dub Colossus - Falling in Dub Again (4:15)
06. Dub Colossus - Uptown Top Ranking [Negus Dub] (3:59)
07. Dub Colossus - Stop! In the Name of Dub (3:57)
08. Dub Colossus - This is Not a Dub Song (5:22)
09. Dub Colossus - Crazy in Dub (5:27)
10. Dub Colossus - I Dub the Sound of Breaking Glass (5:58)
11. Dub Colossus - What Time is Dub (3:02)
12. Dub Colossus - Living in the Dub of the Common People (4:01)
13. Dub Colossus - It’s Friday I’m in Dub (4:13)
14. Dub Colossus - Bizarre Dub Triangle (4:22)




Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Imperial Tiger Orchestra - remixed [2013] [swiss-ethiopia]







1. Djemeregne (Imperial Tiger Orchestra) remix (4:14)
2. Yedao (Imperial Tiger Orchestra) remix (4:59)
3. Djemeregne (Canblaster Tribal mix) (4:20)


Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Dub Colossus - remixes


     R  E  U  P  L  O  A  D    





Dub Colossus - Black Rose (Side stepper remix)

01. Dub Colossus - Wehgene [Almamegretta Mix] (4:57)
02. Dub Colossus - Tringo [Bimbamatic Mix] (4:45)
03. Dub Colossus - Yezema Meseret [Madame Diop Mix] (3:56)
04. Dub Colossus - Wey Fikir [Janaka Selekta Mix] (4:59)
05. Dub Colossus - Medina [Eccodek Mix] (6:00)
06. Dub Colossus - Selemi Pt 2 [Nick Van Gelder Mix] (3:23)
07. Dub Colossus - Wey Fikir [David Chazam Mix] (4:54)
08. Dub Colossus - Azmari Dub (Mista Savona Remix) (4:14)
09. Dub Colossus - Ekcentricity [Sumo Skank mix] (7:55)
10. Dub Colossus - Shegye shegitu [Blue Nile remix) (3:56)
11. Dub Colossus - Neh Yelginete (My First Love) (5:40)
12. Dub Colossus - Sima Edy (Plastic People Dub Re-Edit] (5:38)


Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Samuel Yirga - [2012] - Guzo [ethiopia]





       Guzo is the debut release of young Ethiopian pianist Samuel Yirga. Against the odds, Samuel found his way to music school in Addis Ababa and despite still being in his 20s and only having left music school relatively recently, he has developed at a pace remarkable for someone of his age. 

       He has gone on to become one of Ethiopia's most promising young musicians and composers and in recent years, Samuel has gained wider international recognition through his touring and recording with Ethio-fusion group Dub Colossus.





       The title, Guzo, means "journey" in Amharic, the official working language of Ethiopia. Recorded partly in Addis Ababa and partly in the UK at Real World Studios, it is the product of his years experimenting with the music of his roots and the outside influences of American jazz (particularly Keith Jarrett and Herbie Hancock), Latin, and classical music. It explores the traditional musical history of Ethiopia, the more modern Ethiojazz that has brought his country's music to international attention, ventures into big-band brass ensembles, moves through soul and funk, and then simmers with the deeply impassioned solo piano tracks. Whilst the solo piano pieces are introspective and deeply felt, Samuel has enlisted some great singers and instrumentalists from Ethiopia, Europe and the Caribbean. Featured vocalists are the Creole Choir of Cuba, a Cuban choir whose songs go back to their Haitian roots; Mel Gara, a British singer whose origins are in Iraq; and Nicolette, a Nigerian-British singer, famous for her collaborations with Massive Attack.

       While Sammy has been influenced by American jazz and funk, he also wanted to record some tunes which showed the great range of traditional music in Ethiopia. On these tracks, which he recorded in Addis Ababa, he was joined by some of the country's best young traditional instrumentalists.

       "His world is opening up," says Dubulah (aka Nick Page), the British musician and producer behind Transglobal Underground, Syriana and Dub Colossus and also producer of Guzo, "He's feeling his way around and this recording is a statement of where he's intending to go and what he has to offer. I think the result will surprise people."

        'Guzo' is both bold and sensitive. It is the start of Samuel Yirga's musical journey and a platform to showcase the extraordinary skill as both musician and composer of this emerging young talent. The album's roots might be firmly in the Ethiojazz of Samuel's homeland, but this young man from Addis has opened up a whole new door on a musical genre and region.





Tracklisting

1. Abet Abet: is a traditional love song which features the raw and melodic notes of the Ethiopian one-stringed fiddle, the messenqo. Recorded in Addis, Sammy is accompanied by some of Ethiopia's best young traditional instrumentalists.

2. Tiwista: this is another well-known Ethiopian song and means 'nostalgia'. The tune is arranged with Sammy's own jazz-influenced base line. The melody is led by a subtle but powerful saxophone which weaves in and out of the piano through the track.

3. Ferma Ena Wereket: This tune's title means 'We don't need paper to love each other'. "Everyone can sing about love," says Sammy, "but the way you describe it is what's important." This track is a controversial statement about marriage.

4. Ye Bati Koyita: - a solo piano piece. The title means "A Time in Bati" - Bati is a town in northern Ethiopia, and also the name of the musical scale Samuel plays. Always the innovator, Samuel plays it not with the original time signatures in which it was written, but swapping between different timings to keep the tune fresh. The result is a mature, intricate take on an old Ethiopian melody which ripples with classical and jazz influences.

5. Nou Se Soleil: - Vocal introduction to I am the Black Gold of the Sun, sung by The Creole Choir of Cuba.

6. I am the Black Gold of the Sun: This song features guest vocalists The Creole Choir of Cuba, Nicolette and Mel Gara and is a re-working of the 1970s psychedelic soul classic. The three sets of vocals are underpinned by the funk-laden chords and flourishes of Sammy's jazz-infused piano playing. Page chose the song to cover because of Sammy's love of 1970s and '80s American music, and brought in those artists because together they told the story of a journey from Africa to the Caribbean, via the Middle East and Europe. The song brings with it the sunshine of the Caribbean, carried by the uplifting rich vocals of the Choir, as well as the urban tones of the British-based singers.

7. Dance With the Legend: a solo piano piece, which takes its inspiration from a song by Ethiopia's great singer Tilahun Gessese. The tune swings with a lilting rhythm and ripples with classical and jazz influences.

8. My Head: Recorded in the UK, with the regular Dub Colossus horn section, this track is an upbeat latin number.

9. Drop Me There: This piano solo written by Sammy features three of Ethiopian music's distinctive melodic scales and was written at Real World Studios last winter. "It was very quiet there," says Sammy of his time at Real World, "so I could really feel every note when I played."

10. The Blues of Wollo: Based on a famous Ethiopian song called Ambassel, featuring both traditional and modern instruments. Recorded in Addis, with wonderful keening vocals from Genet Masresha.

Bonus Track
11. African Diaspora: featuring and co-written by Nicolette, African Diaspora is a melancholic song which demands "Africa, why are you letting your people leave?" The song reverberates with muted horns and the gentle tones of Sammy's piano playing.




Reviews

...young Ethiopian pianist who blends his soul and jazz influences with music of his homeland.
(Guzo) stacks up well next to the best music of swinging Addis. His three solo piano pieces show huge range: "Drop Me There" is crystalline and delicate..."Dance with the Legend" is as fluid as Keith Jarrett in Koln.
                                                                                Downbeat 4 ****        (USA)


No. 2 in Rhapsody's Top 10 World Albums...
Sometimes an album just takes your breath away. Swirling together contemporary jazz and Ethiopian grooves with a graceful boldness and elegant subtlety that makes this Addis Ababa-born pianist's youth hard to believe, Guzo lures you in from the first creeping...
                                                                                       Rhapsody   (Online USA)


Yirga's debut offers surprise after surprise.
Samuel Yirga is a pianist from Ethiopia whose debut record "Guzo"sits somewhere in the fertile ground where jazz mingles with R&B and funk to create soulful beauty. ...Yirga's appetite is big, and each surprise within Guzo renders easy comparisons useless. Yirga's debut offers surprise after surprise.
                                                                                      Los Angeles Times (USA)


CD of the year...Otherworldly jazz from young Ethiopian pianist with dizzying potential
This is both a bang up-to-the-minute album, but also a throwback to the glory days of Ethiopian jazz in the late 1960s and 1970s... the balance of instrumentation between brass, percussion and piano is a thing of wonder. ... the potential is dizzying and his joy in playing transmits wonderfully to the listener.
                                                                                          The Arts Desk (Online)


one of the most exciting and innovative jazz players in the world.
(Samuel Yirga's) classical sensibilities fused with the native folk sound has made this young artist one of the most exciting and innovative jazz players in the world.
                                                                                         Huffington Post   (USA)


Samuel Yirga: A Prodigy Reviving Ethiopian Jazz
Yirga has had to fight for his right to be himself, and in the end, the voice and vision of a distinctive composer shines through in this impressive debut.
                                                                                 NPR Music Online        (USA)


...masterfully produced...
...his new album Guzo is a talented blend of sounds...and sparkling cameo performances.
                                                                                         The Africa Report (UK)


...fierce debut...an essential purchase for anyone...
who has fallen for the jazzier end of the ethiopiques spectrum. Among the highlights here - the swinging groove of My head...and I Am The Black Gold of the Sun.
                                                                                                               Mojo  (UK)


Powerful and beautiful...9 out of 10
                                                                                          Stereoplay  (Germany)


...Yirga should be an exciting prospect to discover for any jazz fan.
One moment he's pouring out emotive, classical jazz, the next fusing traditional Ethiopian sounds and Ethiojazz with sparse piano and elements of funk, or working alongside soulful guest vocalists.
                                                                       Loughborough echo online    (UK)

...rich beyond its measure.
...some outstanding jazz soloing...
                                                             The Weekend Australian       (Australia)


...an enjoyably diverse set as leader.
Guzo ranges from ruminative solo piano to the ebullient party blast of My Head... The Creole Choir of Cuba join him for an epic take on the psychedelic soul groove I Am The Black Gold of The Sun.
                                                                                                     The Times  (UK)


Guzo - Track 5 on Songlines Top of the World
...It's not often that one is greeted by such a strong debut, so effortlessly shot through with intelligence and creativity. ...a project that successfully takes the tunes and arrangements of Ethiopia's much-documented golden age and updates the into a modern setting, consolidating their originality and power in the process.
                                                                                                      Songlines   (UK)


... it's a great introduction
If you're already a fan of Ethiojazz, this is as good an indication as any of its new direction and if you're unfamiliar with the genre, it's a great introduction.
                                                                                          The Morning Star (UK)


Dub Colossus's young Ethiopian pianist is an incandescent talent.
                                                                                          The Independent (UK)


Summer anthem? Recon so.
(I am the Black Gold of the Sun)...some sublime vocals from The Creole Choir Of Cuba..
                                                                                                      Echoes       (UK)


...His talent is remarkable
...influences of blues and funk clearly audible in the slower parts, while the frantic rhythms gripped listeners with anxiety.
                                                                         Spaceship News, Perth
                                                        (Live review from The Ellington Jazz Club)                         


....an impressive album.
                                                                                            The Guardian      (UK)


...accomplished debut.
Yirga draws on his country's best-known musical currency - the dark flavours of Seventies Ethio-Jazz - on this accomplished debut.
                                                                                 The Daily Telegraph     (UK)


...solo mixture of abstraction and funky jamming
...solo mixture of drifting Monkish abstraction and HeadHunter-styled Hammond and Rhodes funky jamming. 'I Am The Black Gold Of The Sun' benefits from the Creole Choir Of Cuba's blissful gospel singing.
                                                                                  The Financial Times     (UK)


Impressive debut from Ethio-jazz pianist - 7/10
Twentysomething Yirga is a man on a mission - to become Ethiopia's greatest pianist. He's surely halfway there. The best tracks here align him convincingly with the rediscovered 'Ethio Jazz' of the 1960's - "Twista", with its funky one-string fiddle, both entice.
                                                                                            Uncut Magazine  (UK)


Incredible ... this album has absolutely blown my socks off!
                                                               Gilles Peterson - BBC 6 Music        (UK)


An impressive debut album that attests to the originality of its author.
Guzo, the debut set by Ethiopian pianist Samuel Yirga, is such a set. In short, this is an impressive debut album that attests to the originality and expressiveness of its author.
                                                                                    BBC Music Online        (UK)


It goes without question that Yirga has talent...Yirga is a performer.
...his debut solo album Guzo is sure to launch him straight into the forefront. It goes without question that Yirga has talent; every track demonstrates virtuosity and jazz know-how....Yirga is a performer. The album oozes with feeling and heart. Every track is so full of artistic sensibility that it's hard not to be sucked up in the performance. ...piano solos like 'Yeh Bati Koyita' and 'Drop Me There', which are painfully beautiful. ...rarely is an album able to bring it's audience along for a passionate ride, full of ups and downs. Guzo does exactly that. And if Yirga can perform with such spirit on an album, I can only imagine what it would be like to hear him live, something I am definitely looking forward to.
                                                                                 NOMAD's Playlist (Australia)


...melodic themes that touched the heart.
Though sparingly unleashed, his deliberate, eastern-inflected solos were thoroughly transporting. The frantic final selection, 6 and 4, married a northern Ethiopian mode to a southern rhythm...propulsive interplay with bassist Yoseph Hailemariam Bekele and star drummer Nathaniel Zewde sounded like top-flight funk in anybody's language.
                        The Age & The Canberra Times (Live review from Comedy Theatre, Melbourne International Jazz Festival)   (Australia)


...one of the most thrilling bands on the world stage.
His opening solo piece was staggering in its invention, facility and narrative skill. He led us through a fantasia of idioms, drawing on Ethiopian, jazz, Cuban, funk and classical...with the ease of one with a deep understanding of the convergence of their essences, rather than the disparity of their surfaces. On Tiwista his improvising was seismic in its power and transporting in its range... Feleke Woldemariam (tenor saxophone), Nathaniel Zewde (drums) and Yoseph Hailemariam (electric bass), musicians worthy of Yirga's singular gifts. Woldemariam played with a fluttering quality to his notes...suddenly the commonplace tenor saxophone became exotic and carried immense emotional sway. The explosive Abet Abet...Rhythmically the piece metamorphosed into the sort of funk that would lead some people to lock up their children rather than let them be corrupted by such raw, visceral and wanton music. breathtaking in its intricacy and complexity, while maintaining inexorable grooves.
                                                             The Brisbane Times (Live review from  The Blue Beat Jazz Club) (Australia)


...staggeringly brilliant album.
Samuel Yirga is a bright new musical flame who shows that Ethiopia's rich jazz heritage is still alive and thriving in his young hands.
                                                                      Sydney Morning Herald (Australia)


One of the world's more remarkable young pianists is a 26-year-old Ethiopian who did not even touch a piano until he was 16.
...highly diverse - variously solo or ensemble, instrumental or vocal, 'pop' or not. Guzo includes three jaw-dropping piano-only cuts; they do not imitate Keith Jarrett but are in the same league as his solo flights.
                                         Preview - The Weekend Planet Radio     (Australia)


....Yirga is such an exciting artist
...that deserves the recognition he is getting. Guzo is just a taster of what is yet to come from this talented artist.
                                                                                               Musika.uk.com (UK)


"It has all the ingredients of a masterpiece and certainly those that make it top of my playing list. Great balance between avant garde jazz and sweet r&b vibe in some tracks and those Ethiopian scales... all tracks are outstanding!"
                    JPR at Simply Out Of This World/Covent Garden Radio      (UK)


I feel very privileged to have an early preview of this fantastic album."                                                               Juice FM


It seems he's pulled out all the stops. His classical music experience shows in his sensitive and thoughtful approach to his solo piano work like Ye Bati Koyita and Drop Me There and at the same time can make a beautiful Charles Stepney tune like I am the Black Gold of the Sun sound fresh yet again. Powerful and dynamic performances on other tracks recorded with the UK and Ethiopian musicians show off his improvisational style but I keep returning to his solo piano work. Thoroughly rewarding album."
                                                                                 AfroBase on Juice FM   (UK)