This is a great CD of Alemayehu's (the Ethiopian Elvis) greatest works of his seasoned musical career. The old authentic Ethiopian melodies are composed with mixed symphonyish, jazzy, rich musical extrvaganza. With his powerful bass voice, his vibrant and jubliant immersion in his performance is apparent in his songs.
He offers his beatuful versions of Tizita and Ambassel (classis Ethiopian melodies). My favorite is however, Marign Biyeshalo with poetic rhymes ('Kodaye tegefo yihunilish chama'- peel my skin off and make a shoe out it for her). I recommend it to anyone who loves the original Ethiopian melodies and appreciates its composition with 21st century instruments.
Dur Dur's songs are almost always drenched in love. To the best of my knowledge, they didn't address social or political issues during the military dictatorship and that's why their lyrics didn't make a lasting impression on me or flare up my interest in the band; hence my sketchy knowledge about their work and background. I was really delighted with the post-Siad Barre cassette Andreas posted at Kezira, in which they've several socially engaged tracks.
These songs are mainly in southern vernacular languages. I hail from about 1100 kms further up North and, though I understand the basics fairly well, I don't have the required baggage to fathom the linguistic and literary subtleties inherent to these dialects. Neither can I contextualize the songs since I don't know if, as was common during the military dictatorship, some of the songs were meant as protest double entendres, were adopted as such by the general public, if events were associated with them etc. That's why I'd rather not venture into summarizing, let alone publicly interpreting, the lyrics.
Nevertheless, all the songs are conspicuously about love and I've tried to translate the tracktitles. Corrections are, of course, most welcome!
The following six songs are from the soundtrack of "Rafaad iyo Raaxo" ("Misfortune and Comfort"),a 1986 tragicomedy that was also filmed a couple of years later.
01 - Dur Dur - Duruuf Maa Laygu Diidee
"Duruuf Maa Laygu Diidee" means "Rejected Due to My Circumstances." The vocals are by Muktar "Idi" Ramadan.
02 - Dur Dur - Saafiyeey Makaa Samraayee!
In this song vocalistShimaali Axmed Shimaalipleads, "Oh, Saafi! I Won't let You Go" (Saafi is a female name).
03 - Dur Dur - Waanada Waxtarkayga Waaye
"Waanada Waxtarkayga Waaye"means "This Advice Does me Good/I'm Well Advised". Vocals by Cabdullaahi Shariif Baastow & Maryan Naasir.
04 - Dur Dur - Muraadkay Waa Helee
"Muraadkay Waa Hellee" means "We've Reached Our Goal." Vocals by Muktar "Idi" Ramadan & Sahra Dawo.
05 - Dur Dur - Ma Hurdee
"Ma Hurdee"("I Can't Sleep"). Vocals by Sahra Dawo & Muktar "Idi" Ramadan.
These next songs are from two tapes without album or song titles. The track names are thus the popular titles under which the songs were dubbed by the public (see the post on Iftin).
07 - Dur Dur - Waxan Sugi Ma Helayaa?
"Waxan Sugi Ma Helayaa?" ("Shall I Get What I'm Waiting For?") is also known as "Saqda Dhexe Riyadiyo Sariir Maran" ("Midnight Dream in an Empty Bed"). Vocals bySahra Dawo.
08 - Dur Dur - Shaacaan Ka Qaadaa
"Shaacaan Ka Qaadaa" ("I'm Revealing all of it") is also known as "Shallay Ma Roonee" ("Remorse Is Pointless"). Vocals by Sahra Dawo & Cabdullaahi Shariif Baastow.
09 - Dur Dur - Rag Kaleeto Maa Kuu Riyaaqayee?
"Rag Kaleeto Maa Kuu Riyaaqayee?" ("Are Other Men Admiring You?"), aka "Reerkaagaa Joogee" ("Stay With Your Family"). Vocals by Cabdullaahi Shariif Baastow.
10 - Dur Dur - Boodhari Sidiisii
Cilmi Ismaaciil Liibaan (better known as Boodhari) is the main protagonist in a true love story that took place in in the 1930s in Berbera, a town in the current Somaliland. He was in his thirties when he fell head over heels in love with Hodon, a teenage girl whose parents were opposed to a relationship between the two due to the difference in age and social class; he worked in a bakery and she belonged to one of the richest families in the area. Hugely burdened and dismayed by the unrequited love, Boodhari composed numerous poems and songs about this forbidden love. Hodon eventually got married to another man and, though this is not corroborated by watertight evidence, Boodhari became so disconsolate that he finally committed suicide. It's not established beyond doubt that all the poems and songs attributed to Boodhari were indeed written by him, but his legend and compositions have certainly been part and parcel of Somali love stories ever since. The song "Boodhari Sidiisii" ("In Boodhari's Footsteps") is also known as "Maruun ii Bishaarey!" ("Surprise Me Once With Good News!"). The vocals are by Cabdullaahi Shariif Baastow.
11 - Dur Dur - Doobnimaadey Maka Dogoownee
"Doobnimaadey Maka Dogoownee" ("Getting Old Single") is also known as "Dersi Anaa Lahaa" ("I Need A Lesson [In Love]"). Vocals by Sahra Dawo.
12 - Dur Dur - Ilwaad Quruxeey!
"Oh, Angelic Beauty!"Vocals by Cabdullaahi Shariif Baastow.
13 - Dur Dur - Jaajuumoow Jees
The title of this song means "A Joking Madman." Vocals by Cabdullaahi Shariif Baastow & Sahra Dawo.
14 - Dur Dur - Waxla Aaminaan Jirin
"Waxla Aaminaan Jirin" ("Nobody To Confide In/NothingTo Trust"), aka "Is Yeelyeel" ("Simulation, Pretense"). Vocals by Sahra Dawo.
Most people are familiar with the Ethiopian music of the ‘golden seventies’. The great CD-series of ‘Ethiopiques’ focuses on this remarkable period of truly amazing and rich music. The era of the big brass bands came to an end in the period of the ‘Derg’, the military government in Ethiopia from 1975 till 1991. After that, the scene seemed confused.
Many great musicians were forced into exile or passed away. The horns mostly disappeared and were replaced by cheap keyboards everywhere. Awful bombastic overproduced ‘plastic’ pop productions flooded the market. Synthesisers, vocoders, drummachines and hasty productions that all sound alike.
But in the last few years something new is emerging. Young producers have started combining traditional rhythms and strong dance beat production. The result is very original, uplifting and very danceable music. The gurage, wollo, gondar, oromo and other traditional rhythms work wonders for this new dance music. And the Ethiopian youth loves it. It can be heard not only in the hip areas like Bole, but all over Addis and other Ethiopian urban areas. Blasting from restaurants, taxi’s, coffeeplaces, grocerystores and Addis’ giant market, the Mercato.
The ‘Ililta’ CD is a compilation of this new Ethiopian dance music, recorded with a new generation of singers over the last decade. A cross-selection of the production work of Mesele Asmamaw and some of his close colleges.
Tlahoun Gésséssé is widely regarded as the "Voice" of Ethiopia. Born in 1940, his singing and recording career began in the 1950's until his recent death earlier in 2009. As many followers of the Ethiopiques series will know, the incredible 17th installment is dedicated to Tlahoun, largely featuring arrangements by Mulatu Astatke and a selection of the country's finest ensembles. This record is essentially another "Best Of..", featuring a selection of tracks taken from the 60's & 70's golden period of Ethiopian music, when Tlahoun's tenor was recognised as the best around, playing to Haile Selassie I on numerous occasions.
It's standard practice in any country for the most celebrated singers to receive backing from the best players they can offer and Tlahoun worked with the top musicians in Ethiopia. His powerful vocals are well matched by blazing funk, heartfelt soul and superb Ethiopian rhythms, that still sound as fiery and impassioned today as we can only imagine they did back then. The hot and hazy swing of 'Kulun Mankwalesh' or the steaming funk of 'Aykedashem Lebé' show Tlahoun's diversity and range perfectly and are worth the price of admission alone. If you dig any of the Ethiopiques series or Sublime Frequencies Group Doueh this is an absolute must.
Absolutely killer compilation of Ethiopian R&B from the golden age of Ethiopian music.
Classic performances by Lemma Demissew, Tilahoun Gessesse, Seifu Yohannes, Bahta Gebre Heywet, Teshome Meteku, Mahmoud Ahmed & Alemeyahu Eshete.
All songs never reissued on vinyl before. A nonstop party record that we can recommend without any reservations. The 3rd LP in continuing series of releases culled from the monumental Ethiopiques series.
Marc Teissier du Cros, one half of the brains behind Paris label The Record Makers, home to some of Paris’ strongest music acts the likes of Sébastien Tellier lent his talents this past July to summer festival Les Siestes Electroniques.
Mining the music archive of the Left Bank’s Musée du Quai Branly, Teissier du Cros complies Ethiopia! an Ethio Jazz & modern music mixtape featuring some of the genres biggest names Mahmoud Ahmed, Bahta Gebre-Heywet, Tilahoun Gessesse, Mulatu Astatke, Mohammed Jimmy Mohammed and more.
Without a doubt the inclusion of tracks like ‘Tezeta’ by Mahmoud Ahmed makes this mixtape tug hard on nostalgic strings for any listener familiar with the Addis Ababa music scene of the 50′s, 60′s and 70′s.
Marc tells that he delved into the genre when music label Buda Musique began releasing the ‘Ethiopiques‘ series curated by Francis Falceto in the late 90′s. A fan of Pharaoh Sanders in his student days, he mentions that "listening to Ethiopian music was like discovering where Pharoah Sanders found some of his inspiration from. Ethiopia was the heartbeat of the American free jazz scene of the late 60′s, Coltrane, Pharoah! A bit the same way seeing Fela Kuti live in Lagos gave James Brown enough guts to move from soul to funk music.”
Ethiopia has long been a land of exceptional musicianship and innovative hybrid styles, infusing influences from all four corners of the globe. Nine-piece Ethio-Jazz ensemble, The JAzmaris pay tribute to this music, unique in its sound, skill and scale structure, through combining a mix of original compositions with those of the great Ethiopian composers who have come before them.
The group was established by pianist Daniel Atlaw Seifu, a professionally trained Ethiopian jazz, traditional and contemporary musician who graduated from the Yared School of Music in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa. Before arriving in Australia in 2007, Daniel was a resident musician, composer, arranger and teacher at the Ethiopian National Theatre.
JAzmaris are fronted by energetic dancer & singer Seble Girma, representing the varying regional costumes & dances of Ethiopia. She is backed by a horn & rhythm section made up a mix of Australian and Ethiopian musicians based in Melbourne.
01 - JAzmaris - Far From Ambasel (6:11) 02 - JAzmaris - Birtukane (6:10) 03 - JAzmaris - Aha Gedawo (6:06) 04 - JAzmaris - Lantchi Biye (1:57) 05 - Seble Girma & JAzmaris - Tawsha Enure [Live Art centre Melbourne] (5:09) 06 - Seble Girma & JAzmaris - Far from Ambasel [Live Art centre Melbourne] (8:21) 07 - JAzmaris - Yemaleda Wof (6:26) 08 - JAzmaris feat. Ting - Jasmine (6:13)
Daniel Atlaw Seifu 1. Daniel Danny Seifu - 01 [My Beauty] (6:41) 2. Daniel Danny Seifu - 02 (7:16) 3. Daniel Danny Seifu - 03 (4:43) 4. Daniel Danny Seifu - 04 (4:58) 5. Daniel Danny Seifu - 05 (7:04)
