Dereje Mekonnen began his career in the early 1980's as a keyboard player in the Ibex band, which accompanied the singer Mahmoud Ahmed on three albums. Then He founded the formation Dallol, a reggae band with which he concerted in Chicago. He also accompanied Ziggy Marley on his albums Conscious Party (1988) and One Bright Day (1989), which were awarded the Grammy. After numerous tours with Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, he founded band Gizzae in 1991, with which he appeared mainly in Chicago and the Midwest of the USA. He also worked with Ethiopian musicians like Tilahun Gessesse and Ephrem Tamiru. Dereje also produced the first album of Ejigayehu Shibabaw, One Ethiopia (1998).
Dereje Makonnen died young, at the age of 49 years.
Ibex Band - Yezemed Yebada
To most of his adoring fans that got close to knowing him by first name, he was just simply known to them as "DJ" and more importantly to his own family and ours, we called him Dereje. The 5th one down from a family of eleven (also his favorite chord progression...) and in my humble opinion: the most gifted keyboard player there is among Ethiopian Musicians.
Dereje "DJ" Makonnen was not one to drop names nor pre-occupy his time and energy with whom he has worked with and/or help bring them to stardom, he wanted to play music since he can actually see the blueprint of what the song should be each time the singer/artist bring the lyrics and the "Zema" (pronounced Zay_MAH: a word in amharic which means melody).
Dereje Makonnen was one of the key element in revolutionizing modern Ethiopian Music (meaning using non-traditional musical instruments) He was always playing the guitar [his favorite instrument] the keys and also the bass at the forefront of trying new sounds and arrangement styles that no one was attempting. Many of the current Ethiopian musicians refer to him as a mentor.
Dereje Mekonnen - 01 - Che belew (3:49)
Dereje Mekonnen - 02 - Anchi Hoye (5:28)
Dereje Mekonnen - 03 - Ethiopia (5:00)
Dereje Mekonnen - 04 - Yekermo sew (4:52)
Dereje Mekonnen - 05 - Mamaye (3:51)
Dereje Mekonnen - 06 - Yidenekal (5:16)
Dereje Mekonnen - 07 - Ambassel (4:18)
Dereje Mekonnen - 08 - Sileyat (4:21)
Dereje Mekonnen - 09 - Tarik (3:06)
Dereje Mekonnen - 10 - Eyuat sitinafikegn (4:52)
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