Gashaw Adal - Bemin Awekshibet - Vol 2 [1989] [ethiopia]

       Gashaw Adal was born in Ethiopia’s Wollo region. He stepped in to the music world when he joined the “Black Lion Band” which was owned by the famous singer Ayalew Mesfin. He worked in the band as a dancer. After a time at the “Black Lion Band” Gashaw worked in several night clubs with the famous singer Ali Birra.

      Gashaw has a talent of singing in various languages both local and foreign. Amharic, Oromo and Somali as well as Afar were the local languages he sang in and of the foreign languages. Arabic is the one in which he sang Sudanese songs.

    Apart from singing, artist Gashaw was very good in playing bass guitar. His idol was the famous oromo language singer Ali Birra.

     In 1970 (EC) Gashaw left Addis Ababa headed for Asmara, a city which was then part of Ethiopia. He joined “Bengol Band” that was affiliated to the Nyala Hotel in Asmara. He became famous by singing Ali Birra’s Oromo songs as well as songs of other Amharic singers and Sudanese ones.

     Gashaw was a guest singer in Asmara Police Orchestra for a long time where he forged a strong friendship with singers of the orchestra like Aklilu Seyoum, Seyoum Tilahun also with Yishak Banjaw, who was the music arranger of the orchestra.

     He released his first album when he was later working in Yishak Banjaw’s “Lula Band” in Asmara. Songs like “Kolel Bey” were instant hits and won him immense admiration all over the country. Arguably it was true.

      Gashaw came back to Addis and released his second album “Bemin Awekshibet”. Soon famous band in the city who saw the great talent in the singer began inviting him to work was them.

     Gashaw Adal suffered from Vitiligo, a condition which involves complete loss of melanin - the primary skin pigment, and many speculate his late entrance into music was because he preferred obscurity to escape the harsh judgement of a superstititious society that considered those suffering from this skin condition as wicked and cursed.

        But when he finally and courageously took the stage, parallels with the greatest was made. Some even declared a new Tilahun Gessesse was on the making. Gashaw's second name is not Adal; Adal or Afar is the name of the cushitic people in North East of Ethiopia. He is named Adal because he was from the Afar region - An Amhara who lived there.

        1994 was when he released "Abay, ye bahay". This Afar song rocked Addis, and the Ethiopian TV crew seemed to not get enough of it. The world cup in USA was on and the games made more sense, because Gashaw's incredibly melodious voice was aired for hours before and after the matches.

         Gashaw Adal released a total of four albums, produced or took part in over fifty song lyrics and never parted with music till his early death.

         Besides his immense musical talent he had a very good skill in bakery, as he once said.

Gashaw Adal - 01 - (1) (4:47)

Gashaw Adal - 02 - (2) (7:00)

Gashaw Adal - 03 - Bemin Awoqshibet (7:00)

Gashaw Adal - 04 - Endelib Ayigegn (7:32)

Gashaw Adal - 05 - Endet Konjo Ayche (6:24)

Gashaw Adal - 06 - Gedamay Ney Ney (5:04)

Gashaw Adal - 07 - Gedaye (4:21)

Gashaw Adal - 08 - Jofeamoraw (4:47)

Gashaw Adal - 09 - Maleda (4:48)

Gashaw Adal - 10 - Yene Alem (4:06)

Gashaw Adal - 11 - Yeruk Sew Wodedje (5:06)