Ayalew Mesfin - Mare Nesh [2009] [ethiopia]

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       Ayalew Mesfin, being seemingly one of the underdogs of his time, he was extremly funky. His tunes from the Ethiopiques series can prove that, listening to ‘Feker Aydellem Wey’ or ‘Hasabe’ you might see why. He first started his career in the 70's and is comparable to the style of Alemayehu Eshete. His Fetan Band and The Black Lion Band had definetly an approach to western funk.

       Probably the most fuzzed out track on all of Buda Musique‘s sprawling twenty some odd volumes of their Éthiopiques series, has to be Ayaléw Mèsfin & Black Lion Band’s song Hasabé. That song can be found on the eighth volume, but Mèsfin and his band have been featured on the 13th and 24th volumes, as well as a Rough Guide compilation called The Rough Guide to African Blues.

                                    

 Ayalew Mesfin - Hasabé

       Ayaléw Mèsfin got his start playing with a band called Fetan Band – or Speed Band – at the Patrice Lumumba Bar in Addis Ababa. According to his biography, he has released “about twenty singles and a dozen tapes released since 1974. He also opened the Ayaléw Music Shop in Addis Ababa, that he still owns even after moving to America. 

       In January 2008, he performed with the Dutch band The Ex at the Hager Fekir Theatre in Addis Ababa.

01. Ayalew Mesfin - Mare Nesh Ethiopia (6:15)

02. Ayalew Mesfin - Wukaw (4:49)

03. Ayalew Mesfin - Gelel Bey (6:51)

04. Ayalew Mesfin - Gud New (5:45)

05. Ayalew Mesfin - Midirachin Tetades (5:02)

06. Ayalew Mesfin - Selam Le Ethiopia (5:33)

07. Ayalew Mesfin - Ti ishaleeh Nefise (5:03)

08. Ayalew Mesfin - Talika Atigbu (6:25)

09. Ayalew Mesfin - Yanchin Neger (5:56)

10. Ayalew Mesfin - Amesegnalehu (5:05)