Blogtrotters

Showing posts with label soul. Show all posts
Showing posts with label soul. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Mulatu Astatke - Mochilla presents timeless Mulatu Astatke [2010] [ethiopia]



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Mulatu Astatke - Timeless (Live)


       Ethiopian composer/arranger/vibraphonist Mulatu Astatke reached a lot of Western ears in the ‘90s when the fourth installment of the Ethiopiques series featured his work. That album presented innovative recordings from the ‘60s and ‘70s that fused jazz and Ethiopian sounds. Astatke got more exposure when some of his pieces were used in the soundtrack for Jim Jarmusch’s Broken Flowers. 


       

       In 2009, Astatke and a fine group of American musicians performed at California State University, Los Angeles, and Timeless captures the concert. Featured players include woodwinds wizard Benny Maupin, former McCoy Tyner sideman Azar Lawrence on tenor sax, and trombonist and Tribe veteran Phil Ranelin. A number of younger players also make contributions, including keyboardist Brandon Coleman, violist Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, and trumpeter Todd Simon, who displays a nice feel for Ethiopian scales. 


     Astatke’s vibraphone solos are always welcome, and if you had to pick a standout track it would be “Mulatu,” where the band finds a deep groove.






1. Mulatu Astatke - Yèkèrmo Sèw (7:32)
2. Mulatu Astatke - The Radcliffe (8:29)
3. Mulatu Astatke - I Faram Gami (7:45)
4. Mulatu Astatke - Yèkatit (7:15)
5. Mulatu Astatke - Kasaléfkut Hulu (8:05)
6. Mulatu Astatke - Mulatu (7:10)
7. Mulatu Astatke - Munayé (7:47)
8. Mulatu Astatke - Yègellé Tezeta (5:24)
9. Mulatu Astatke - Ebo Lala (6:31)





Bass Clarinet, Flute, Soprano Saxophone – Bennie Maupin
Drums – Tony Austin
Drums [Hand], Percussion – Munyungo Jackson
Electric Bass, Acoustic Bass – Trevor Ware
Electric Guitar – Dan Ubick
Electric Piano, Piano, Organ – Brandon Coleman
Percussion – Alan Lightner
Tenor Saxophone – Azar Lawrence
Trombone – Joel Yennior, Phil Ranelin
Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Todd Simon
Viola – Miguel Atwood-Ferguson

Vibraphone, Percussion – Mulatu Astatke



Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Tilahun Gessesse with the Ibex Band - [1977] - Abaro Geday [ethiopia]




Tilahun Gessesse - Fesum Yelesh Acha






        Tilahun Gessesse was born on 29 September 1940, in Addis Ababa and died on 19 April 2009.

    Tilahun was born to Woizero Gete Gurmu and Ato Gessesse Negussee. When he was fourteen years old, he was taken by his grandfather to Waliso Oromia where he began attending Ras Gobena Elementary School.

       As time went by, his interest in music became increasingly clear, although his grandfather urged him to concentrate on his academic studies. The Ras Gobena School Principal Mr. Shedad (who was from Sudan), encouraged Tilahun's interest in music and urged him to go to Sudan to pursue his music career. Although Tilahun did not go to Sudan, he took Mr. Shedad's advice very seriously. When Woizro Negatwa Kelkai, Ato Eyoel Yohanes and others artists from the Hager Fikir Theatre came to his school to perform, Tilahun took the opportunity to discuss his interest in music with Ato Eyoel. He was told to go to Addis Ababa if he wanted to pursue a career in the field.

       Tilahun left school to go to Addis Ababa, a journey he began on foot without his grandfather's consent. When his grandfather realized that Tilahun was no longer in Woliso, he informed Tilahun's great-aunt in Tulu Bolo. After Tilahun traveled fifteen kilometers on foot, he was caught in Tulu Bolo and stayed overnight with his great-aunt Woizero Temene Bantu. The next day, he was forced to return back to his grandfather in Woliso. Since his interest in music lay deep in his heart, Gessesse chose not to stay at his grandfather's house in Woliso. After staying only one night at his grandfather’s house, he again began his journey to Addis Ababa, this time hiding himself in the back of a loaded truck.

       Ethiopian News - Tilahun GessesseIn Addis Ababa, Tilahun was first hired by the Hager Fikir Association, which is now known as Hager Fikir Theater. After a few years at the Hager Fikir Theater, he joined the Imperial Bodyguard Band where he became a leading star singer. During his time with the band, Gessesse ran afoul of the government after the attempted coup d'état of December 1960 by the Imperial Bodyguard. He was arrested and put in prison for a time.

      Tilahun moved to the National Theater where his success continued. He was so famous that he appeared three times in front of Emperor Haile Selassie I. During a visit, the Emperor advised him not to abuse his talent.

        Tilahun's recordings are in Amharic and Oromo.

    He received an Honorary Doctorate Degree from Addis Ababa University, in appreciation of his contribution to Ethiopian music. He has also received an award for his lifetime achievements from the Ethiopian Fine Art and Mass Media Prize Trust.

       Tilahun Gessesse died on April 19, 2009. He had been in poor health for several years due to diabetes.





01 - Tilahun Gessesse with the Ibex Band - Abarro Gedaye (6:29)
02 - Tilahun Gessesse with the Ibex Band - Yeqolegna Lidj Nat (4:30)
03 - Tilahun Gessesse with the Ibex Band - Akam Neguma (6:54)
04 - Tilahun Gessesse with the Ibex Band - Bewodish New Enne (5:46)
05 - Tilahun Gessesse with the Ibex Band - Metenegna Lidj Nat (5:31)
06 - Tilahun Gessesse with the Ibex Band - Yetelash Yitla (9:09)
07 - Tilahun Gessesse with the Ibex Band - Ye Fiqir Sebago (5:53)
09 - Tilahun Gessesse with the Ibex Band - Tsegereda (5:25)
10 - Tilahun Gessesse with the Ibex Band - Fiqerey Wey Yalantchi (5:48)



Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Oh No - Dr. No's Ethiopium [2009]


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       Following in the tradition of Dr. No's Oxperiment, Oh No delves headfirst into an album inspired by and sampled from rare 60's and 70's Ethiopian funk, jazz, folk, soul and psychedelic rock

          He calls it Ethiopium. Previous descriptions used to describe Oh No's adventures into "never-sampled-before" territory apply - adventurousexoticsmartfun, and thrilling.




       Even if you've never heard an instrument tuned to the qenet scale before, even if you're more into ballads than you are tezeta's, Oh No's transformative effect on his source material will blow you away in its otherworldy funkiness.






36 tracks. 52 minutes of delights .. enjoy ...


Friday, June 27, 2014

Emilia Mitiku - Winter [EP] [2012] [swe+ethiopia]





Emilia Mitiku - Winter Beach


       Emilia Rydberg also known as Emilia Mitiku (born 5 January 1978, Stockholm, Sweden) is a Swedish pop music and soul singer, mostly known for her hit, “Big Big World”. Emilia was discovered in 1996 by Lars Anderson, son of ABBA’s manager, Stig Anderson.

         Rydberg’s father is Ethiopian singer Teshome Mitiku, and her mother is Swedish. She used an alias of Emilia in the first years of her career but in 2012 she has started to perform under the name of Emilia Mitiku using her father’s surname. 

      She was exposed to a unique mix of cultures throughout her youth, reared by a Swedish mother and Ethiopian father. The traditional Ethiopian music and jazz that filled the house, thanks to her musical father, introduced Emilia to the joys of singing and performance early on. She decided on a life in music at the age of ten after one of her father's concerts, and was accepted into the Adolf Fredriks Music School in Stockholm shortly thereafter. 





       She studied classical music there for eight years, playing soul and pop music on the side. Emilia was discovered by Lars Anderson (son of ABBA member Stig Anderson) in 1996. Together she and Anderson set to work writing and recording what would become her debut record. Though finding time between work and her studies at university was difficult, the hard work paid off with the release of Emilia's debut single, "Big Big World," in September 1998. 

      The song became the fastest-selling single in Swedish history, attaining gold status after six days on the air, and platinum status five days after that. The song quickly went on to win fans all over Europe, dominating charts from Norway to Turkey. The full-length record Big Big World hit shelves in 1999, ultimately selling over a million copies. Her self-titled follow-up drew a producer and songwriters from the highest levels of the pop music industry. Though Emilia did not rule the pop charts as its predecessor had, the artist enjoyed the high sales and first-rate touring that come only with international stardom. 


      After a long period of silence, Emilia returned to the spotlight in 2007 with her third original release, Sma Ord Av Karlek, on the the independent Bonnier label rather than the behemoth Universal, which was responsible for her two previous records. In 2009, Emilia entered a competition to represent her country at the Eurovision Song Contest. 





Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Almaz Yebio - Down To Earth [2013] [swe+ethiopia]


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbwuN-nb4Kg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGYNcOxI4es





The beginning

       Music was a part of my life very early on. I began to sing in a choir when I was five years old. My family moved from Sweden to Kitwe, Zambia for a couple of years before continuing to Addis Abeba, Ethiopia. There I started playing the piano, an instrument I've always returned to through the years. Haile Selassie was deposed by a military junta so my parents quickly decided to take us children back to Sweden where I began taking classical guitar classes. I continued playing the guitar for more than a decade before realizing that my voice was my main instrument! I was 20 years old and studying at the Academy of music in Malmoe, Sweden when it became clear to me.

       Since my graduation as Master in fine Arts I've been working on a freelance basis as an artist, conductor and as a teacher. The projects through the years have been many and varied; some of which you can find amongst the records at sale.




01 - Almaz Yebio - Merry go round – M.Godée/A. Yebio
02 - Almaz Yebio - Further to fly – P.Simon
03 - Almaz Yebio - Hearts and bones – P.Simon
04 - Almaz Yebio - En dag var hon borta – K.Jonsson/J.Willén
05 - Almaz Yebio - Dancing – M.Ingvarsson/A.Yebio
06 - Almaz Yebio - Down to earth – P.Gabriel,T.Newman/P.Gabriel
07 - Almaz Yebio - Have a good time – P.Simon
08 - Almaz Yebio - The little things – F. Lundin/T-L.Væring
09 - Almaz Yebio - Solsbury hill – P.Gabriel
10 - Almaz Yebio - Washing of the water – P.Gabriel





       The latest recording "Down to earth" is the project closest to my heart at the moment! A sort of Almaz Yebio trio project that expanded towards more musicaians; an urge to give every song it's own sound within the record. I'm the producer of this record together with Mats Ingvarsson and it's also the first release on my own label!

     Member of Stroman/Jönsson vocal project, a Sweden/England collaboration discovering a suite written for five singers and five instrumentalists: Lena Willemark, Linda Pettersson-Bratt, myself, Scott Stroman, Cleveland Watkiss, all singers, and Maggi Olin-piano, Lisbeth Diers-percusion, Mattias Hjorth-bass, Cennet Jönsson-saxophones, Henrik Frisk- saxophones. A highly interesting and lovely piece of music with a lot of space for improvisations.

        Guest soloist on the latest record by Kjeld Lauritsen trio "In the zone". Kjeld is an institution all by himself in the Danish jazz community with his swinging Hammond organ playing!

         Since the release we have done quite some gigs together and it's really a thrill for someone like me who needs an injection of soul/jazz once in a while, that Hammond provides a sound to jump off of, every single time! In the trio you also find: Per Gade-guitar and Sören Frost-drums.


         Anna Weister-Andersson is one of Sweden's most acclaimed gospel singers and choir leaders. She is passionate about black american gospel music, and is putting her work as a composer, teacher and choir conductor into spreading and sharing this music throughout the country. 2011 Anna gathered a choir of ten singers and fie musicians to do the first recording entirely with her compositions, "One in Christ". I was invited to take part in this fantastic project, and we still do concerts when there is a possibility to gather the whole gang. Quite an undescribable feeling to be singing together with people like Samuel Ljungblahd, Malin Övrell, Ingela Olsson, Frank Ådahl, Malcolm Chambers, Martina W Möllås, Per Ankarberg, Kristina Talajic and Anna of course!




Almaz Yebio:  Vocals
Krister Jonsson:  Guitars and backing vocals
Mats Ingvarsson:  Basses, backing vocals, rhythm guitar
Fredrik Lundin:  Saxophones
Björn Jönsson:  Drums
Christian Glass:  Percussion
Dan Svensson:  Backing vocals



Monday, December 2, 2013

Abyssinia Infinite - Zion Roots [2003]


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Abyssinia Infinite, Featuring Ejigayehu “Gigi” Shibabaw, Brings Ethiopian Music Back to its Zion Roots


The overthrow of Ethiopia's Emperor Haile Selassie in a “creeping coup” organized by his own military began two decades of chaotic rule. Under the Derg regime, a curfew was imposed which drove live musicians to prison and unemployment. For a twenty-year period of time, horns and live bands were replaced with synthesizers and drum machines. The release Zion Roots (Network Medien) on December 9, 2003, Abyssinia Infinite, featuring Ejigayehu “Gigi” Shibabaw, brings back live instrumentation and experimentation to Ethiopian music. This album with acoustic instruments and traditional songs is a return to a classic sound—it picks up right where music left off in the mid-’60s through mid-’70s.




“Ethiopians believe that when Zion is mentioned in the bible they are speaking about Ethiopia,” Gigi explains. With that in mind, the album, Zion Roots, is exactly what the name implies: music rooted deep in Ethiopian culture. On this latest concept project, Gigi—who first came to fame in the West on her self-titled album on Palm Pictures—was able to realize her longstanding dream of melding elements of East and West African elements into the music of her home country. "This traditional project is something that I wanted to do to keep in touch with the music of Ehtiopia. This does not represent me as a solo artist but more me introducing Ethiopian traditional music in different settings, as a concept project. As an artist signed to Palm Pictures, my next solo album Gold & Wax is due early 2004."

Gigi’s experience in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church has largely influenced the sound of Abyssinia Infinite’s CD. Although this album contains no songs from the Ethiopian church, the phrasing and style of the traditional songs are very similar. The soul and vibrato characteristics of church music of Ethiopia are similar to American church music. 

Abyssinia Infinite chose the songs for this album to convey a traditional spirit. Aba Alem Lemenea is a spiritual song written about a world that's peaceful and loving. Gole is another traditional song that puts new words to a time-honored melody. It is sung half in Amharic and half in an older language called Agewña—a language that very few people speak with the exception of Gigi’s father’s tribe.


Abyssinia Infinite uses traditional instruments such as the kirar—which is referred to as King David’s harp in the Bible and is perhaps one of the oldest surviving East African instruments—and the washint—a simple bamboo flute. The band is composed of prominent players in the world music community including the magical Senegalese percussionist Aiyb Dieng, the virtuoso tabla-player Karsh Kale, the guitarist/accordionist Tony Cedras (known for his work on Paul Simon's Graceland project), the Ethiopian saxophonist Moges Habte, and world music producer/musician Bill Laswell, with a rare performance on acoustic guitar.

Thursday, October 3, 2013

Dereb Desalegn - Dereb The Ambassador [2010]


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                       Dereb The Ambassador (Dereb Desalegn)


       Dereb Desalegn is well known in his homeland of Ethiopia, but he now lives in Australia. This new album features songs from famous Ethiopian singers, traditional songs, and Dereb's own compositions. 



  

              Dereb Desalegn, also known as Dereb The Ambassador, is based in Sydney and originally derives from Ethiopa. Sydney producer Tony Buchen has put together this project for the whole world to enjoy, including Australia. Dereb is a renowned and well-respected artist in Ethiopa. So far, Aussies have responded enthusiastically to Dereb’s music and his fans keep multiplying.

                  Dereb’s self-titled album has come to knock on the door of your heart with its soulful timbre. His music is best described as raw, Ethiopian vintage soul and funk with a pinch of jazz and Motown vibes.

                   Although the language within the music is foreign, that does not hinder the listener to get the most from this rare musical experience. The album contains a good blend of party-like anthems and tranquility. Dereb takes the listener into his world for about forty-eight minutes of your life - if only it was longer.

         The music is complete with a 9-piece band with pre-1970s instruments and equipment, which produces uncommon and raw sounds. One can hear the richness of sound coming from the musical instruments used in this LP, some of which are the 5 piece horns, trumpets, percussion, drums and amazing guitar riffs with the electric guitar on tracks like “Gedawo (Traditional)” and “Setaleygn (Tilahun Gesese)”. The real rhythm of soul music is evident in the instrumental song “Yelage Tizeta (Mulatu Astaqe)” with the harmonious trumpet, the organ and drum beats.

      Most of the tracks on the LP are quite upbeat soul and funk rich in the use of instruments, however there is a beautiful acoustic track called “Hiwot (Tilahun Gesese)” which is quite a soothing track to listen to. The vocals, piano, clapping and African sekere are the sole and dominant sounds used in the track “Kulun (Traditional)”, which makes it such a smooth track to listen to.


      A really great adventure of an album!




01. Dereb Desalegn - Addis Ababa Bete (Alamayetu Eshete) (5:46)
02. Dereb Desalegn - Etu Gela (Tesfaye Lemissa) (4:03)
03. Dereb Desalegn - Ney Denun Tiseshe (Seyfu Hayle) (3:08)
04. Dereb Desalegn - Gonde (Dereb Desalegn) (3:15)
05. Dereb Desalegn - Kulun (Traditional) (4:32)
06. Dereb Desalegn - Setaleygn (Tilahun Gesese) (3:45)
07. Dereb Desalegn - Gedawo (Traditional) (4:17)
08. Dereb Desalegn - Yelage Tizeta (Mulatu Astaqe) (3:27)
09. Dereb Desalegn - Mela Mela (Traditional) (3:20)
10. Dereb Desalegn - Aynei (Dereb Desalegn) (5:28)
11. Dereb Desalegn - Hiwot (Tilahun Gesese) (4:21)


Monday, September 30, 2013

v.a. - [1992] - Music from Ethiopia [Caprice]



       This recording gives rich samples of the sounds of tradition in urban musical life in Ethiopia today. The ancient ceremonial music played on the embilta flutes or the vocal art of Alemayehu Fanta or Gebre Hiwot Lemma represent older traditions. The group Sne Bahel offers samples of singing and music which accompanies lively traditional dances from the Oromo and Wollaita ethnic groups. Modern pop music is represented in six tracks by the Abyssinia Band. 




       A really nifty release, Caprice has combined two forms of urban music usually rigidly separated: professionally performed "traditional" music for krar, flute, voice, and Ethio-soul by electric groups that play the real local thing rather than the crossover material we're usually offered. The result is splendid: very varied and splendidly performed music and truth-in-classification.











01. Lemma Gebre Hiwot - Medina / Zelesegna (4:50)
02. Abyssinia band - Yedejih abeba negn [Hanna Shenkute] (6:44)
03. Yohannes Afework - Ambassel (4:29)
04. Abyssinia band - Mis men gidifkini [Girmai Biable] (4:18)
05. Asnakech Worku - Tizita (4:45)
06. Abyssinia band - Endenew yisemah [Hanna Shenkute] (5:30)
07. Areru Shegane, Teka Tema, Yohannes Afework - Tigrigna (3:16)
08. Yared Orchestra - Alegntaye (5:30)
09. Alemayehu Fanta - Salamta (3:00)
10. Abyssinia band - Yiberral libbe [Dawit Mellese] (4:23)
11. Sne Bahel - Haya wolalome (2:29)
12. Alemayehu Fanta - Anchihoyelene / Tizita (7:03)
13. Abyssinia band - Esketayew [Dawit Mellese] (4:35)
14. Sne Bahel - Dowa dowe (3:22)
15. Abyssinia band - Tizita [Hanna Shenkute] (7:11)



Thursday, September 26, 2013

Walias Band - [1981] - The Best Of Walias [ethiopia]



         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)

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Ethio Stars & Tukul Band - Amharic Hits and Experimental Traditions from Ethiopia [1994]


                               R   E   U   P   L   O   A   D   


       Ethiopian popular music is in its very nature multi-national. In addition to strong Ethiopian traditional songs, other elements derive from various currents of popular music - from soul and jazz to Italian hits and Islamic vocal styles. The result is a completely original kind of contemporary Ethiopian popular music. It could be described as "Arabic soul singer plays Amharic-Italian funky jazz."


       The origin of popular music in Ethiopia can be traced back to the 1920's when Haile Selassie brought over a group of Armenian orphans from Jerusalem and so formed The Bodyguard Orchestra. They brought new instruments with them, like trumpet and saxophone, and from this and other military bands a night-club scene began to emerge. In 1935, Ethiopia was invaded and though this lasted only a few years Italians stayed and formed some dance bands.

        Regardless of the effect outside influences, such as American rock have had on musicians, Ethiopian popular music is still very strongly based on both sacred and secular traditions from different parts of the country. Perhaps more relevant than the question of how western music has affected Ethiopian, is how Ethiopian music might one day influence western popular music...

       The Ethio Stars' best known album, Amharic Hits, was split with The Tukul Band.


    Ethio Stars    


       Shimeles Beyene, the leader of the Ethio Stars tells: "We chose the name Ethio Stars because we were the best musicians. We formed the group in 1981... ";"We are running our group by ourselves. Privately, you see. We buy our own instruments. We practice every day. If we don't play well we don't live. What I mean is, we cannot continue like we play in Ghion Hotel if we don't improve our talent all the time. So we practise more and attract more people." ...


       "Day by day our music is changing. Before it was soul music. Now sometimes rock. It changes, you see. Before it was more acoustic, now electronic instruments are very important." "We call it Ahmaric music because of the language. How does it sound? as you can hear, it sounds good! Mostly we have four pentatonic scales: tizita, anchi-hoye, ambasel and bati. We compose depending on them. The most usual rhythm we play is chikchika. It's the same like in the Eshet Eshet, the song sung by Getatchew. You can write the beat in 3/4, but if you make it fast it becomes the beat of chikchika"...

         The Ethio Stars continue to play their infectuous dance music in the hotel clubs of their homeland. Led by saxophone player Shimeles Beyerie, The Ethio Stars have recorded prolifically with their cassettes selling well in Ethiopian music stores. Most of the Amharic songs tell about love. In Amharic you call it fikir.

Ethio Stars are:

Getachew Kassa: Vocal
Girma Chipsa: Vocal
Shimeles Beyene: Trumpet
Girma Woldemichael: Trombone
Bibisha teferi: Guitar
Abiyou Solomon: Bass
Dawit Senbetta: Keyboards
Samson Mohammed: Drums
Mulatu Astatke: Drum Machine


                                     T U K U L   B A N D   


       Tukul Band plays traditional Ethiopian music in a modem experimental way. Musical director Mulatu Astatke is a well known figure in the modernization of Ethiopian music and improving traditional instruments.



       The Krar is a six string bowl-Iyre. Tukul Band uses its modem forms: electric lead krar and bass krar. Krar is nicknamed the devil's instrument (yeseyTan mesaria). According to the legend: God himself made the begena and gave it to Dawit. "Use this instrument to adorn and praise My name", God said. The scheming devil, envious and green-eyed, made the krar in distorted imitation. "Play it and adore all the worldly pleasures", said the devil to mano (Ashenafi Kebede, Krar: The Devil's Instrument. Ethnomusicology Vol.xXI Nr. 3.)

        The Masinko is the only Ethiopian bowed instrument, a 1-string fiddle. It is the typical instrument of an azmari, or entertaining bard ("griot"/ "troubadour"). Getamasay Abebe from Tukul Band plays an electrically amplified masinko. The Washint is a bamboo flute, usually with four finger holes. Ethiopian drums used in this recording are hollow-bodied with skins at both ends. Adungna Chekel plays three upright drums with sticks and chimes.


Tukul Band are:

Yohannes Afework: Washint
Kut Ojulu: Bass Karr
Birhane Haile Maryam: Lead Krar
Getamasay Abebe: Masinko
Adungna Chekel: Ethiopian Drums, Chimes
Mulatu Astatke: Arrangements; Musical Director