Tezeta Band is the sound of memory, of nostalgia, of sweaty soulful dance music, part jazz, part motown, part Ethiopian folk music, inspired by and arranged from the Golden Age of Ethiopian music, the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. Imagine James Brown, Elvis Presley, and John Coltrane merged into one sound, one source, melting together in the clubs and lounges of Ethiopia.
Tezeta Bandis a musical reunion of The Five Fingers of Funk (Talbott Guthrie-drums, Ted Hille - Saxophone, Tim Cook - Keyboards, Curt Bieker - Trombone & Josh Prewitt - Trumpet) formed in 1992 with rapper Pete Miser. For nearly ten years, the Five Fingers were the premier 100% Live Northwest Hip-Hop experience that rocked stages from Portland, Oregon to Portland, Maine and opened for such acts as De La Soul, The Roots, Maceo Parker, Fishbone,Run DMC, Digital Underground, Bootsy Collins and The Greyboy Allstars.
Now, with the help of Brent Martens (From Asylum Street Spankers and currently the Escapists, Royal Motel Orchestra, and Duo Royale) and Bassist/Composer John Teagle. In 2006 the idea for the band came after a few members came across the Ethiopiques CD series and were inspired to put together a weekly session based on this music. Quickly realizing that they were on to a new challenge that was both exciting and unique, the band was formed and has evolved since.
Black Jesus Experience is an 8-10 piece band playing an irresistibly danceable blend of traditional Ethiopian song and 21st century groove. With backgrounds as diverse as the 5 continents the members of 'BJX' hail from, their music reflects the multicultural vibrancy of the band's hometown, Melbourne, Australia.
When not touring BJX run a weekly session at cultural hub The Horn where BJX create new songs live on stage. The comfort BJX has with this practice lies in the improvising traditions of that feed BJX including hip hop, jazz, azmari and rutu pa'u.
The music is also fed quite literally before each performance by the ritual of a group meal prepared by singer Enushu and MD Peter Harper in the Ethiopian tradition, "those who eat from the same plate will not betray each other". This inspires and reinforces bonds musical, social and spiritual, bonds BJX invite their audiences to join.
Enushu began entertaining her local community as a child in Addis Ababa. Forced to leave Ethiopia, Enushu migrated to Australia bringing hauntingly beautiful compositions inspired by her remarkable life story and the unique vocal traditions of Ethiopia. Enushu is joined on vocals by poetic giant and lyrical miracle The Monk, Zimbabwe born and Outback bred.
Highlights for BJX include two tours of "the Motherland" Ethiopia, performing sellout shows with Ethiojazz legend Mulatu Astatke in Europe and Australia (an association which won BJX and Mulatu "The Age Best Tour" award) Glastonbury, Big Chill, City Of London Festival, WOMADdelaide, the Big Day Out, Golden Plains and Melbourne International Jazz Festival and supporting Tony Allen among other great festivals.
The rhymes and chimes of Black Jesus Experience deliver the power and beauty of Africa through the vocal prism of Hip-Hop and freedom of Funk.
Discography :
Dark Light (2009)
Yeluinta (2010)
Migration (2014)
band members are : Enushu Taye - vocals Peter Harper - tenor saxophone, composer Ian Dixon - trumpet, flugelhorn, composer Liam Monkhouse - mc/vocal Chris Frangou - electric bass Matt Head - drums Hue Blanes - keyboards Nashua Lee - electric guitar
Either/Orchestra with Tsedenia Markos live in Ethiopia - Bati
The Either/Orchestra (E/O) is a jazz group formed by Russ Gershon in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, in 1985.
E/O is configured as a "small big band", with three saxes, two trumpets and one or two trombones. E/O's is characterized by a heavier and more orchestrated sound than that of a smaller jazz combo, but remains more streamlined and improvisation-oriented than most big bands.
With a small but significant change of instrumentation - add congas/percussion, remove one trombone - and major changes in personnel - only bandleader Russ Gershon and veterans Tom Halter and Charlie Kohlhase are holdovers from their last album - the E/O has made its most sensual, rhythm-heavy recording ever.
Famous for the breadth of its musical vision, the E/O rides the powerful drums of Harvey Wirht, from Suriname, and the exciting congas of Vicente Lebron, from the Dominican Republic, on a trip from North American jazz/blues/funk, to Latin jazz, and Township jazz/calypso, to Ethiopian pop tunes from the '70s. All of these grooves are incorporated into original compositions by Gershon, except for the three Ethiopian tunes which have been arranged by the band.
The result is an intoxicating brew, forceful and seductive, with memorable melodies, superb ensemble playing and some of the best soloing ever heard in the long history of the Either/Orchestra. This is without a doubt the most accessible E/O album ever. The groove emphasis brings the E/O's tradition of challenging writing and cutting edge playing into a form that will be enjoyed by fans of African music, Latin music, even reggae and jam bands, without losing the core of E/O fans and jazz critics.
Tom Halter - trumpet, flugelhorn
Colin Fisher - trumpet, flugelhorn
Joel Yennior - trombone
Jaleel Shaw - alto saxophone
Russ Gershon - tenor, soprano saxophones
Charlie Kohlhase - baritone saxophone
Dan Kaufman - Steinway, Rhodes and Wurlitzer pianos, Hammond B-3
Rick McLaughlin - bass
Harvey Wirht - drums
Vicente Lebron - congas, bongos, percussion
1. Amiak Abet Abet (Teshome Sissay; arr. by E/O; 10:03) 2. Number Three (10:20) 3. More Beautiful than Death (10:46) 4. Musicawi Silt (Girma Beyene; arr. by E/O; 6:21) 5. Breaktime for Dougo (8:35) 6. All Those SOBs (8:58) 7. Slow Mambo for J.J. (4:53) 8. Feker Aydelmwey (Ayalew Mesfin; arr. by E/O; 7:09) 9. The Eighth Wonder (6:54)
The E/O began performing original arrangements of Ethiopian songs, inspired by a compilation called Ethiopian Groove: the Golden 70s.
In 2000, after three of these songs appeared on the album More Beautiful than Death, Francis Falceto, the producer of Ethiopian Groove, contacted Gershon and eventually arranged an invitation for the E/O to play at the Ethiopian Music Festival in Addis Ababa in 2004. Along with Indo-British singer Susheela Raman the same year, the E/O was the first non-Ethiopian artist to appear in the festival, and was the first US big band to appear in Ethiopia since Duke Ellington's in 1973.
Their concert at the festival was recorded and ultimately appeared in Falceto's Ethiopiques series on the French Buda Musique label.
Five Ethiopian guests appear on the recording: Mulatu Astatke, Getatchew Mekurya, Tsedenia Markos, Bahta Hewet and Michael Belayneh. This tour and recording have led to an ongoing collaboration with Astatke, the primary founder of Ethiopian jazz, concerts with Ethiopian expatriates singer Hana Shenkute, krar player Minale Dagnew, masinko player Setegn Atanaw, and the great Ethiopian singer Mahmoud Ahmed with whom E/O released a DVD in 2007.
Mahmoud Ahmed and fellow legendary Ethiopian singer Alemayehu Eshete played Lincoln Center Out of Doors in 2008 backed by E/O.
The group debuted a collaboration with vocalist Teshome Mitiku in the summer of 2010, including a headlining appearance at the Chicago Jazz Festival.
Nubian Arkis tremendously experimental and has taken the fusion of jazz and Ethiopian music to new levels.
1. Nubian Ark - Diminished Heaven (4:31)
2. Nubian Ark - Mamite (8:15)
3. Nubian Ark - Nine Lives (7:32)
A tight 7 piece jazz-funk combo playing a mixture of original compositions mixed with excursions intoEthiopian standards, Nubian Ark is an exciting new addition to the Addis musical scene. Driven by bass, drums and keyboards with the three piece horn section (2 sax and trombone) and percussion adding punch and color, Nubian Ark delivers an exciting live show.
This is a cassette of Dur Dur, a group from Somalia which was very popular in the 1980’s. When I first listened to it I was amazed by the sound which resembled very much 1970’s funk music.
John at Likembe writes about similar experiences. He presents also a lot of more information about Dur Dur in a another posting.
Because of the civil war in Somalia the group had moved to Ethiopia where they published this cassette in the early 1990’s. As it was the practice at that time the cassette was published by a music shop. In this case it is a shop called Elham Video Electronics. The shop has two branches one in Negele, Borana and one in Addis Ababa. The first branch in Negele seems to be the main one. It is located in an area in southern Ethiopia, which is close to the Ogaden, i.e. the Somali region of Ethiopia.
THE MUSICIANS
On the cover there are photos of four members of the group written in Latin and Ethiopic script: Zahra,Muktar, Abdinur and Qomal (or Komal).
As with a lot of Somalian musicians and artists it is difficult to obtain mor e information about them. Therefor I would be happy for further information and comments about the group, its members and its music.
THE SONGS
The cassette contains twelve songs, six on each side. The titles are given in Latin script on the inside, but listening to the songs it seems that the order of the titles is not correct. Therefore I changed the order of the lables of the 3., 4. and 5. song on the first, and of the 10. and 11. song on the second side. There may be further mistakes in the labeling.
All hits compilation of late 1960s to early 1970s Ethiopian soul and R 'n' B. Very intensely groove oriented material by some of Ethiopia's top musicians. Includes songs by Mulatu Astatke, Seyfou Yohannes, Ayelew Mesfin, Getatchew Kassa, and the mighty Abbebe Tessemma. Nonstop party. Old school 'tip on' sleeve.
Class side of Ethio R&B hits dating to late ’60s and early ’70s. It comes out of the blocks hard with Astatke’s Assiyo Bellema and Tessemma’s Ashasha Beyew both boasting irresistible polyrhythmic grooves, the former bouncing along with queasy steel drum details, while the latter is driven by organ chords and lovely bright brass.
While other highlights come courtesy of Yohannes’ lounge jazz-inflected Yekermo Sew with smooth sax, bubbling guitar work and a fascinating cyclic piano line, Mesfin’s bouncy funk-soaked Lene Antchi Bitcha Nesh and the irresistible polyrhythmic call-and-response simplicity of Damtew Ayele’s ‘Wefe Yelala’, the whole LP is a delight, although with these warm exotic shuffle grooves it feels like more of a soiree than a party.
01. Mulatu Astatque - Assiyo Bellema (2:54)
02. Abbebe Tessemma - Ashasha Beyew (3:36)
03. Getatchew Kassa & Soul Ekos Band - Bey Lesnabetesh (4:03)
Walias Band (sometimes spelled Wallias Band) were an Ethiopian Jazz and funk band active from the early 1970s until the early 1990s. Formed by members of the Venus Band, Walias backed up many prominent singers with a hard polyrhythmic funk sound influenced by western artists like King Curtis, Junior Walker and Maceo Parker.
In 1977 they recorded one of the few albums of Ethiopian instrumental music (Hailu Mergia and The Walias Band – Tche Belew)in collaboration with vibraphonist Mulatu Astatke, whose role as a bandleader and composer was also a major influence on Ethiopian popular music.
In 1981 Walias became the first modern Ethiopian band to travel to the United States, playing on a tour with singer Mahmoud Ahmed primarily to audiences of Ethiopian refugees.
Four members Girma Bèyènè, Mogès Habté, Mèlakè Gèbrè and Haylu Mergia stayed in the U.S. and formed a new group called Zula Band in favor of returning to live in Ethiopia under its dictatorship.
Mergia took work in Washington DC driving a taxi cab and released solo cassette tapes of traditional Ethiopian music played on analog synthesizer, electric piano and accordion.The remaining members, Yohannes Tèkola and Tèmarè Harègou,continued to play together under the Derg dictatorship for another decade.
In the late 1990s Walias Band found a wider audience in the west when the French label Buda Records reissued much of the group's music on the Ethiopiques series of compact discs. Their instrumental, "Musicawi Silt", became a popular dance number and has been covered by a number of artists.
The Walias Band's name derives from the walia ibex, an endangered species of the Capra genus native to the mountains of Ethiopia. They share no members with the similarly named Ibex Band who also backed up Mahmoud Ahmed during the same epoch.
1.Walias Band - Malada [Woubishet Fisseha] (5:11) 2.Walias Band - Kalatashew Akal (2:35) 3.Walias Band - Tizzita [Getachew Kassa] (10:25) 4.Walias Band - Ashkaru [Mahmoud Ahmed] (3:06) 5.Walias Band - Ye Kereme Fikir [Getachew Kassa] (4:47) 6.Walias Band - Inchi Libbe Echo Naw [Mahmoud Ahmed] (6:32) 7.Walias Band - Eyuwat Sitnafikagn (3:41) 8.Walias Band - Wa Hoyye [Woubishet Fisseha] (5:13)
"...The Brass unit from Germany's Poets of Rhythm bring the Ethio-funk on this recent release entitled, Tezeta. Clearly inspired by Mulatu Astatke, the band takes its cue from the golden age of Ethiopian music. Spacey organ, reeds o' plenty, snapping drums, low end bass all create some seriously snaking grooves..."
Woima Collective - Marz
"...Infectious album of Ethiopian and Afro-jazz inspired grooves from members of lauded German funk unit Poets Of Rhythm. 'Tezeta' came about after group leader and tenor sax player Johannes Schleiermacher was smitten with the sounds he soaked up on trips to Morocco and the feelings of celebration and healing in Gnawan trance performances. Further meetings with the legendary Ethio-jazz master, Mulatu Astatke, prompted him to set up a ten piece unit and after a three day rehearsal and a pair of two day recording session, this album was created. The result is brilliantly diverse album, ranging from fiery funk arrangements akin to the Heliocentrics, to super-cool and dubby workouts imbued with a skilled freedom and sublime groove which will surely impress any fans of the Ethiopiques series..."
The Woima Collective has produced a remarkable set of Ethiopian-styled grooves with its debut record, Tezeta, released on the Netherlands-based record label Kindred Spirts. Including the brass-section members of the internationally respected German funk outfit Poets of Rhythm, the Collective channels the sweet funk and jazz rhythms of Mulatu Astatke, with a sound that matches his legendary 1960s and '70s recordings.
Led by tenor saxophonist Johannes Schleiermacher, who was inspired by the African rhythms found during his travels through Morocco, the 10-musician collective has one of the tightest rhythm sections in the contemporary scene. Though originally brought together to record a single at the Lovelite Facility in Berlin, the Collective soon turned the one-time session in a full-blown album, rehearsing and recording Tezeta in only five days.
Woima Collective - Puno
Creating a cohesive record in five days with disciplined arrangements and complex instrumental dynamics calls for an extremely talented group of musicians, and it’s quite clear the Collective knows its North African music. Tezeta is filled with bottom-heavy percussion brought to life with horn-driven grooves decorated by guitar-plucked rhythms.
Ethiopian music takes presence from dark, pentatonic scales, giving the music a hypnotic and smooth nature. The Collective takes this approach and leaves it open-ended, allowing ample room for instrumental spotlights and extended solos. Album opener “Marz” is a fitting introduction to the group, with groovy organ and brass solos that can only be described as snake-like. It is reminiscent of the work of Sun Ra, but with very distinct African horn phrases.
Tracks such as “Woima” and “Puno” have an intrinsically sinister quality, partly due to the forboding horn lines that threaten to go atonal at a moment’s notice, but also because of the fuzzy drone organ that keeps it all together. Underlying it all, however, is a slight tinge of funk, heard best on "Wayna" and "Illusions," tracks that swing hard with a wide array of reed solos and funky guitar licks.
Tezeta is an album with an excellent tonal texture that is matched by world-class musicianship. The Woima Collective has combined funk aesthetics with otherworldly melodic modes. The outcome is a beautiful blend of relentless breakbeat rhythms typical of the European funk scene with the unique melodic pulse of North Africa.
recorded live @ 17ème Rencontre Internationale de la Clarinette Populaire, Glomel, France, may 7, 2005.
A musical meeting between Yanna Badume's Band and virtuoso clarinetist of Ethiopia Aklilu Zewdie (director of Yared School, National School of Music at the University of Addis Ababa).
Aklilu Zewdie
Want to find Poullaouen Glomel and the atmosphere of warm nights in Addis Ababa 70's, when fantastic crooners bewitched girls with languid melodies
