Neway Debebe has been described as possessing a "voice of silk". A protégé of poet Tilahoun Gessesse, Debebe first attracted attention as the lead vocalist of The Roha Band, a tradition-rooted Ethiopian pop band that has supplied accompaniment on more than two hundred and fifty recordings by such top-ranked Ethiopian vocalists as Aster Aweke, Tilahoun Gessesse and Mahmoud Ahmed.
Debebe has also performed with Three Flowers, a group he shares with Tsegaye Eshetu and Areghagn Wersash.
Besides his ability to write and produce all of his songs, his charm and genuine love of his fellow Ethiopians are what made him everyone’s favorite.
01. Neway Debebe - Maebel New (4:12)
02. Neway Debebe - Teteyeki Was (5:31)
03. Neway Debebe - Hagere Nat Habte (5:26)
04. Neway Debebe - Ye Ayne Abeba Nesh (4:07)
05. Neway Debebe - Yetikimt Abeba (3:52)
06. Neway Debebe - Lalkedash Kal Alebign (5:08)
07. Neway Debebe - Yelefku Ende Hon Banchi Sefer (5:10)
Abeba Lakewor Abby Lakew, an Ethiopian-American artist from the Houston area, releases a well received album entitled "Hello Ethiopia". The album has proved to be a surprise hit helping the young singer assume the position of one of the most successful Ethiopian artist so far.
Abby Lakew
Abby is one of the few Ethiopian singers who are mixing the traditional and modern way of singing into one blend and make a great music. It has been a while since Abby release her first and last album.
The late Yemane Ghebremichael know by his nickname Barya was one of Eritrea's favourite singers. He was exiled during the war but now teams up with the Zemen band to record this album at the Admas Studio in Asmara.
Yemane's songwriting strove to reflect what he perceived to be Eritrean experience during the Eritrean War of Independence. His songs were dotted with stories of love, journey, hope, immigration, and liberation. In 1975, he was jailed for the perceived political interpretation of one of his songs.
A few years after the declaration of the independence of Eritrea, Yemane moved to Asmara and continued to release albums that reflected the new era of hope and national prosperity, with a mixture of Eritrean and Latin melodies. He also sang about the people involved in the movement towards Eritrean independence, and the sacrifices of that movement.
Yemane Barya was also known as the 'Eritrean caretaker', due to his reputation as being of a generous, down-to-earth nature, and for sharing his place with newly arrived Eritreans. He is known for having helped many Eritreans adjust to diaspora life in Sudan and move to better places in the Middle East, America, Europe, etc. He was also reputed for his artistry and mastery of Tigrinya, the most widely used language in Eritrea.
1. Yemane Barya - NATZNET YU KIBRET (6:33)
2. Yemane Barya - MESOB ADE (6:58)
3. Yemane Barya - KULU ENTNAY N'AKI (7:59)
4. Yemane Barya - NEWRI AYKONEN FKRI (8:27)
5. Yemane Barya - AB HILMI MISAKI HADIRE (9:05)
6. Yemane Barya - AKMISKINI HAMOT (8:25)
7. Yemane Barya - FERIHEKI'YE (6:42)
8. Yemane Barya - ETZBEY ALEKU (6:26)
From the softly sensuous sounds of Natzanet, he and the band proceed through a lovely set of songs. On the more traditional side the mournful and haunting sound of the title track gives way to the bouncy style of Kulu and its faster cousin Newri. On the modern side Ab Hilmi is simply gorgeous, so to the bubbly sound of Akmiskini with Yermane's softly warbling vocal style and the lovely mix of sax and guitars they come across beautifully.
Yemane Ghebremichael (commonly known as Yemane Barya), was a well-known Eritrean songwriter, composer and singer. Not confined to musical pursuits, Yemane was also heavily involved in Eritrean politics. He died of natural causes in 1997.
Yemane’s songwriting strove to reflect what he perceived to be Eritrean experience during the Eritrean War of Independence. His songs were dotted with stories of love, journey, hope, immigration, and liberation. In 1975 he was jailed for the perceived political interpretation of one of his songs.
A few years after the declaration of the independence of Eritrea, Yemane moved to Asmara and continued to release albums that reflected the new era of hope and national prosperity, with a mix of African and Latin melodies. He also sang about the people involved in the movement towards Eritrean independence, and the sacrifices of that movement.
Yemane was also known as the ‘Eritrean caretaker’ due to his reputation as being of a generous, down-to-earth nature, and for sharing his place with newly arrived Eritreans. He is known to having helped many Eritreans adjust to diaspora life in Sudan and move to better places in the Middle East, America, Europe, etc. He was known for his deep sense of artistry and mastery of Tigrinya, the most widely used Eritrean language.
Originally the lead singer of Wallias Band, of great fame in the hotels and clubs of Addis Ababa (one of the main venues, instead of concert halls), Netsanet Mellesse is one of the younger generation of Ethiopian singers who infuse music with influences from the West, India, and from other parts of Africa. She has been recorded on Shanachie, notably with a song on Holding up Half the Sky.
Dawit "Messay" Mellesse is an exceptional young singer who creates exciting, energy-filled music in his native tongue. He has traveled extensively, performing for diverse audiences throughout the world, and he entertains in numerous nightclubs in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa.
Dawit was discovered by Ethiopia's legendary Roha Band, and he has performed with the Ethio-Stars, Sevan, Abyssinian, Wallias, Hager Fikir and Express Band. But it was Dawit's debut album, "Alchalkum", in 1991 which made him a favorite with Ethiopia's youth.
Since then, he has recorded three albums, including 1995's Lottery (AIT Records) with the Admas Band. His current release earns Dawit a place among Ethiopia's greatest performers."Anchin New" - You are the One- is a collaborative effort of Dawit and Ethiopia's renowned Admas Band and Express Band. AIT Records is pleased to bring you this high energy album.
Ali Birra (born September 29, 1950) is a famous Oromo singer, composer, poet and nationalist. He was born in Lagaharre village in the city of Dire Dawa, Ethiopia.
His parents were separated when he was three years old, after which he was brought up by his father. He attended Arabic school as a child where he learnt Arabic language. He then enrolled in local academic school and pursued his education till the sixth grade.
In his early years, Ali used to do small on-sreet business so as to support himself as a means of livelihood. When he was 13, he joined Afran Qallo cultural group which was then oprerating unofficially to promote the Oromo music and culture. The first song that he sang on stage was called "Birra dha Bari'e" so that the people nicknamed him "Ali Birra," meaning "Ali the Spring". The Haile Selasie regime banned the group in 1965 and arrested some of its members. Ali escaped arrest and moved to Addis Ababa.
After he settled in Addis Ababa, he was engaged in different activities along with singing. On this occasion, Ali came to know the nationalist Ahmad Taqi, and the latter bought him a guitar so that Ali could sing more widely. His fame increased dramatically throughout the city. He had ability to sing in Amharic, Arabic, Harari, and Somali languages, in addition to Oromo, his mother tongue. This had gained him appreciation from different personalities including Eyoel Yohannes, at the time the head of Kibur Zebegna, so that Eyoel recruited him as a solo singer in Oromo. He joined other famous singers such as Mahmoud Ahmed, Tilahun Gessesse and Bizunesh Bekele.
While he was within the group, he could travel to all regions of the country and show his talent to his admirers. He also traveled to the Sudan repeatedly and sang with well known celebrities like Mohammed Wardi. When he was in Addis Ababa, he would perform in large venues such as Hager Fiker and Ras Teyater, but following a discussion with his father, he left Addis Ababa. In the early 1970s, at the breakout of the Ethiopian revolution, Ahmad Taqi was killed in eastern Ethiopia while fighting the government army. Ali Birra mourned deeply and sang metaphorically,
Yaa Hundee Bareeda
Yaa Finxee Midhaga
(Hundee was another name for Ahmad Taqi.)
Ali Birra continued his career both as a musician and a composer. He produced his first album in 1971, the first in the history of Oromo music. He then recorded successful hits such as "Hin Yaadin", "Asabalee", "Ammalelee", and "Gamachu". His albums included Sudanese songs such as "Al-Habib Ween" and Harari songs such as "Yidenqal".
A Swedish admirer of Ali Birra, who had been a vice-secretary at the Swedish Embassy in Addis Ababa, asked him for marriage. Ali agreed and married her in 1985, her name was Birgitta Åström born in Stockholm, Sweden (21 July 1942 – 13 September 2009).[citation needed] In 1986, Ali's wife was transferred to Saudi Arabia, and Ali accompanied her to the country. But Ali faced difficulties in Saudi Arabia, and proceeded to Sweden, where he lived for two years. In 1988, he went to the United States to attend the Los Angeles Arts Academy. He graduated in 1990, and by 1992, he had released his first two albums outside of Ethiopia amid increasing international fame. He also conducted many concerts and festivals in many countries, including the 2005 Enkutatash (Ethiopian New Year) celebration at the Addis Sheraton.
As of August 2009, Ali Birra reported that he had recently been treated for colon cancer, but planned to continue performing music, in spite of reports that his most recent album would be his last.
