Teshome Mitiku - Gara Ser New Betish [1997] [ethiopia]

         This post has been longer in the making than I intended. Instead of a rare Hirut Bekele album, which I am saving for next time, i present to you a rare edition of the third album by Teshome Mitiku, Gara Ser New Betish released in 1997. 

         As usual, when it comes to rarely available albums from Ethiopia, I cannot offer you lots of information. I have searched the relevant internet pages to find any information about this release of legendary singer, but without success. Not only is the cover missing, but the song titles as well. I have found the rip of the album under a wrong name and without song titles, but I have managed to reconstruct some of them. Thanks to Yonas for this finding!

       I need your help again. Please email me the cover pictures and song titles.

Teshome Mitiku by Teshome Mitiku

            Teshome Mitiku's career stretches back to Addis Ababa, where he began performing at local schools and nightclubs when he was just a teenager. 

        In the late 60's, Teshome (singer/keyboard), Theodros "Teddy" Mitiku (alto saxophone), Tamrat Ferendji (trumpet), Fekade Amde-Meskel (bass), Tesfaye Mekonnen (drums), Alula Yohannes (guitar) and Seifu Yohannes (singer) joined to form the influential Soul Ekos Band. The band released numerous songs, including 4 tracks written by Teshome like Gara Ser New Betesh, Yezemed Yebada, Mot Adeladlogn and Hasabe. 

         Teshome fled to Sweden at the peak of his musical career in 1969 after the government endorsed a strict, mandatory night curfew, which prevented him from performing at local venues. A few years later, Emperor Haile Selassie was overthrown in a coup d'etat by the Dergue regime. 

        Teshome permanently moved to Sweden and enrolled at the Music Conservatory in Malmo and later received his Masters of Arts in Sociology, and later pursued a PhD in Sociology from Lund University. 

     During a brief visit in the 80's to the United States, Teshome collaborated with the Admas Band and released "Teshome Mitiku and His Experience," an album full of jazzy tracks like Mengezem Hulgezem and Almazeye. In 1995, Teshome relocated to the United States and released the critically acclaimed album "Yegna Neger" with favorite tracks like Photoyen Ayechew and Che Belew. In 1994, Mitiku also collaborated with Mulatu Astatke. Mitiku wrote the Wello Song (Pearl of Ethiopia) on Mulatu Astatke's "Assiyo Bellama" album. In 1996, he coordinated with various Ethiopian artists and formed the first Ethiopian Music Association, where they teamed up and performed at various fundraisers to raise money for orphanages in Ethiopia. 

      His third album "Gara Ser New Betish" was released in 1997 with splendid tracks like Satenow and Bechegnaw. 

     In 1998, four of the songs that were originally recorded with the Soul Ekos Band and Teshome were released on "Ethiopiques Vol. 1". 

     In 1999, Teshome released his fourth album, "Yesterday & Today" with saxophonist and brother, Teddy Mitiku with remastered hits like Alemazeye and Che Belew . 

     In 2002, Either/Orchestra released "Afro-Cubism," a six track album that contained Teshome Mitiku's Yezemed Yebada. Teshome's fifth album, "Topia's Deluge" was released on May 9th, 2006.

Teshome Mitiku - 01 - Gara Sir New Betish (4:23)

Teshome Mitiku - 02 - Shagiye (6:00)

Teshome Mitiku - 03 - track 3 - (6:53)

Teshome Mitiku - 04 - track 4 - (5:19)

Teshome Mitiku - 05 - Hasabe (5:54)

Teshome Mitiku - 06 - Shemanmane (4:55)

Teshome Mitiku - 07 - track 7 - (3:19)

Teshome Mitiku - 08 - track 8 - (5:02)

Teshome Mitiku - 09 - track 9 - (5:24)

Teshome Mitiku - 10 - Bechegnaw (5:00)

Teshome Mitiku - 11 - track 11 - (4:50)

Teshome Mitiku - 12 - track 12 - (5:38)

Teshome Mitiku - 13 - Satenow (5:53)