The Black Jesus Experience - Yeluinta [2010] [aus+ethiopia]

The Black Jesus Experience and Mulatu Astatke

       2010 release, a superb Funk/Hip-Hop album from the Australian band Black Jesus Experience - Yelluinta fuses an irresistible blend of traditional Ethiopian song and 21st Century groove. The rhymes and chimes of the band deliver the musical strength and beauty of Africa through the vocal prism of Hip-Hop and freedom of Jazz.

01 - The Black Jesus Experience - Arada (3:49)

02 - The Black Jesus Experience - Guraginya (4:18)

03 - The Black Jesus Experience - Don't Cry For The Fallen (4:41)

04 - The Black Jesus Experience - Yeluinta (5:05)

05 - The Black Jesus Experience - Lonnie's Lament-Dawitt Abatachew (5:15)

06 - The Black Jesus Experience - Let's Call Her (2:46)

07 - The Black Jesus Experience - Bohemia (5:38)

        Black Jesus Experience (BJX) is an 8 piece band playing an irresistibly danceable blend of traditional Ethiopian song and 21st Century groove. As diverse as the 5 continents the members of 'BJX' hail from, their music reflects the multicultural vibrancy of the band's hometown, Melbourne, Australia. 

       When not touring BJX run a weekly session at cultural hub The Horn where BJX create new songs live on stage. The comfort BJX has with this practice lies in the improvising traditions of that feed BJX including Hip Hop, Jazz, Azmari and Rutu Pa'u. 

        The music is also fed quite literally before each performance by the ritual of a group meal prepared by singer Enushu and MD Peter Harper in the Ethiopian tradition, "those who eat from the same plate will not betray each other". This inspires and reinforces bonds musical, social and spiritual, bonds BJX invite their audiences to join. 

      Enushu began entertaining her local community as a child in Addis Ababa. Forced to leave Ethiopia, Enushu migrated to Australia bringing hauntingly beautiful compositions inspired by her remarkable life story and the unique vocal traditions of Ethiopia. Enushu is joined on vocals by poetic giant and lyrical miracle The Monk, Zimbabwe born and Outback bred. 

     Highlights for BJX include two tours of "the Motherland" Ethiopia, performing with Ethiojazz legend Mulatu Astatke in Europe and Australia (an association which won BJX and Mulatu "The Age Best Tour" award) Glastonbury and other great festivals. 

    The rhymes and chimes of Black Jesus Experience deliver the power and beauty of Africa through the vocal prism of Hip-Hop and freedom of Funk.

members  :

Enushu Taye

Peter Harper

Ian Dixon

Liam Monkhouse

Chris Frangou

Matt Head

Zac Lister

Emilia Mitiku - Live In London [EP] [eth+swe]

Emilia Mitiku - Ooh La La @ The Roof Gardens, Kensington

       Emilia Rydberg, also known as Emilia Mitiku or more simply Emilia (born 5 January 1978, Stockholm, Sweden) is a Swedish pop music and soul singer, mostly known for her worldwide hit single, "Big Big World".

       As a student Rydberg attended the Adolf Fredrik's Music School in Stockholm.

     Rydberg was discovered in 1996 by Lars Anderson, son of ABBA's manager, Stig Anderson.

    Rydberg's father is the Ethiopian singer Teshome Mitiku, and her mother is Swedish. She used an alias of Emilia in the first years of her career, but more recently she has started to perform under the name of Emilia Mitiku, using her father's surname.

    In 2009 she competed in Melodifestivalen, the Swedish national selection for Eurovision Song Contest, with the song "You're My World". She advanced directly from her heat; however, she placed ninth in the final. She released her album My World in 2009. Her single "Teardrops" was released to radio stations on 2 June 2009. Her duet with Ákos Dobrády, "Side By Side" (Szerelemre hangolva), was recorded in both Hungarian and English languages and issued the same year.

     Emilia recorded a cover version of Rihanna's "We Found Love" for a studio session in Stockholm which was published on YouTube. On June 25, 2012, she released the single "Lost Inside".

                                                                             Albums :

Big Big World (1998)

Emilia (2000)

Små ord av kärlek (2007)

My World (2009)

I Belong to You (2013)

01 - Emilia Mitiku - Oh La La (Live in London) (3:12)

02 - Emilia Mitiku - Dream A Little Dream (Live in London) (2:59)

03 - Emilia Mitiku - So Wonderful (Live in London) (3:36)

04 - Emilia Mitiku - Lost Inside (Live in London) (4:58)

Robel Musika - Nesa [2011] [usa+ethiopia]

Robel Musika - Gelila

Robel Musika - Tey Manesh (5:31)

Robel Musika - Ethio Swag (4:58)

Robel Musika - Gelila (3:01)

Robel Musika - Liben Tiche Metaw (3:00)

Robel Musika - Ase Tedros (3:21)

Robel Musika - Ebedubet (3:50)

Robel Musika - Sebebena (4:00)

Robel Musika - Hold ya (4:12)

Robel Musika - Nesanet (4:54)

Robel Musika - Abesha Party (3:45)

Robel Musika - Ene na my girlfriend (2:51)

Dereje Degefaw - Limejilgne [ethiopia]

   R   E   U   P   L   O   A   D   

       Dereje Degefaw is an Ethiopian born Amharic singer currently residing in Washington, USA - whose songs include "Sima Yebekashal", "Literater" and "Yelijinet Hilme" familiar to many Ethiopian in the diaspora and at home.

01. Dereje Degefaw - Balewuleta (5:59)

02. Dereje Degefaw - Kene New Keanchi (4:14)

03. Dereje Degefaw - Alesh Woy Beager (6:15)

04. Dereje Degefaw - Shir Belesh (6:16)

05. Dereje Degefaw - Fikirna Jember (6:30)

06. Dereje Degefaw - Limejilign (6:30)

07. Dereje Degefaw - Leyu (5:39)

08. Dereje Degefaw - Beadebabay (7:03)

09. Dereje Degefaw - Kal Kidan (6:54)

10. Dereje Degefaw - Yachat (6:20)

11. Dereje Degefaw - Bayew Bayew (6:14)

Ayoe Angelica - I'm Amazed [2008] [denmark+ethiopia]

Ayoe Angelica - Sugar

       Ayoe Angelica (b. 1988), is a Danish-Ethiopian female jazz / soul singer. She débuted with her ”I’m Amazed” album, in co-operation with producer / composer Mads B. B. Krog (aka Plateaux Techniques). Ayoe delivers an exciting combination of soulful vocals, acoustic elements and crunchy electronics, complemented by a touch of lo-fi jazz.

      Ayoe is one of those young talents you unsuccessfully could travel around the world looking for. And then it turns out that she walks around in Scandinavia in the small country of Denmark. The 20-year-old Danish/Ethiopian singers’ debut I’m amazed is an album that sets new standards for what modern pop, jazz/soul can, and wants to do. Ayoe Angelica wants to do quite a lot. Besides presenting us to some of the most intelligent music with hit guarantee heard in a long time, she is also a young woman with great social and human indignation. Ayoe 

Angelica is determined that 10 percent of the profit from I’m Amazed goes to relieve poor children in her second home country of Ethiopia.

     Ayoe Angelica is a natural talent, who started singing before she could speak. She grew up in the countryside of Denmark, and from her parents she received musical input stretching from Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald to Spice Girls. To her parents free musical and creative upbringing and large record collection was added singing and music teaching, all though many of her song teachers had to - after first being overwhelmed - recognize that a talent of Ayoe Angelicas calibre was difficult to combine with an ordinary Scandinavian song teaching tradition. In school she became interested in jazz music, formed her own jazz band, while at the same time becoming lead singer in the local big band. This brought her to a traditional Riverboat jazz festival, where she during a jam session met the Danish producer Mads B. B. Krog. He was completely thrilled by Ayoe Angelicas voice and stage performance and immediately suggested that they worked together.

       The producer, musician and composer Mads B. B. Krog had, through a 10 year period with more than 100 releases behind him, finally developed his completely personal musical sound and musical language called Plateaux Techniques. The meeting between them sparkled. Immediately after ending high school Ayoe Angelica left home and moved to Copenhagen. Here she and Mads B.B. Krog began the work on what later would become the album I’m Amazed.

This is the result. 11 completely irresistible songs that all move around in a musical borderland, one can attempt to characterize as a mixture of crunchy electronics, lo-fi jazz and melodic soul. But one should be careful to label Ayoe Angelica and I’m Amazed with too many designations. Because this is first and last a musical mix of creative genre defining and refreshing character, that leaves one speechless - and you really just have to listen, sense and experience it with an open mind. 

01 - Ayoe Angelica - Dr. Jekyll (4:00)
02 - Ayoe Angelica - Left Side (3:08)
03 - Ayoe Angelica - Get A Hold (4:07)
04 - Ayoe Angelica - Everybody Loves You (4:15)
05 - Ayoe Angelica - Sugar (3:48)
06 - Ayoe Angelica - God Bless The Child (3:39)
07 - Ayoe Angelica - Also On A Tuesday (3:03)
08 - Ayoe Angelica - Face With Nobody (4:40)
09 - Ayoe Angelica - I Want You (4:07)
10 - Ayoe Angelica - Never Drown (4:43)

11 - Ayoe Angelica - I'm Your Piano (6:18)

   Danish press reviews:   

Woman 5/6 (Record of the month)

“Wow! You are overwhelmed by how beautifully, atmospherically, and tastefully this debutant singer melts together with the sound picture.”

Costume 5/6

“…An ultra charming version of Billie Holiday mixed with Portishead on a happy day.”

Q 4/5

“Great Sunday music! Denmark’s new jazz diva”

Bazar 4/6

“…A delicious mixture of pop, soul and jazz, which is the perfect sound tapestry for a quiet Sunday.”

Copenhagen Magazine 4/6 

“…A great offer for this summers warmest and crispest soundtrack.”

Chili 4/6 

“The only 20year old Ayoe’s vocal is eminently delicious, soft, natural and pleasant.”

Sirene 

“Rarely does a debut sound more seductive and inviting than on Ayoe Angelicas new CD, I’m Amazed”

Teshome Mitiku - [2006] - Topia's Deluge [ethiopia]

   R   E   U   P   L   O   A   D   

          Teshome Mitiku has had a legendary 40-year career at the heart of Ethiopian music, forming the massively popular Soul Ekos Band in Addis Ababa in the 1960s. The Soul Ekos Band was the first to combine traditional Ethiopian music with the sounds of electric soul and popular music from the West. They were absolute superstars, playing regularly in front of crowds of 60,000 in Ethiopia, Sudan & Kenya.

          Teshome Mitiku is featured on volumes 1, 4 and 10 of the celebrated Ethiopiques series from Buda Records, featuring thrilling discoveries from the vibrant Ethiopian music scene of the 1970s. His songs have also appeared on the popular Rough Guide series of world music compilations.

         In 2002, Boston's popular Either/Orchestra released Afro-Cubism, a six-track album that contained Teshome Mitiku's "Yezemed Yebaed." 

     Teshome Mitiku's 1995 release Yegna Neger was voted the Best Ethiopian Album Recorded Since 1990 in a recent poll by Netsanet, Le Ethiopian Radio, of Ethiopians living worldwide. 

        Now based in Washington DC, Mitiku formed the first Ethiopian Music Association in 1996. About forty artists from the association performed in front of 3,000 people at the Kennedy Center for a benefit concert that raised money for two orphanages in Addis Ababa and Debra Berhane.

 Topia's Deluge is essentially a mainstream pop recording. Its synth lines and other melodic instrumentation, its orchestrations and beats -- both danceable and smooth -- will sound familiar to any listener of contemporary radio, and Mitiku's robust yet subtle vocals and rounded-edges production is easily accessible. English translations are provided, allowing the listener more of an opportunity to understand that these songs of love and spirituality, equality and freedom from hate and war, are universal, language barriers be damned. Mitiku's clear and strong voice, and these uncomplicated songs, would no doubt translate beautifully to a live situation as well.

01. Teshome Mitiku - Ambati (Ere Ney, Ere Ney) (5:12)
02. Teshome Mitiku - Topia's Deluge (Egzio) (8:11)
03. Teshome Mitiku - Love Me As I Am (6:23)
04. Teshome Mitiku - Song of Songs ("Wubnesh Mahaleye Mahaleye Ze Solomon") (7:57)
05. Teshome Mitiku - Senseless War (Badme Shiraro) (6:57)
06. Teshome Mitiku - Hallelujah (Hallelujah) (5:44)
07. Teshome Mitiku - Song for Alem (Alemeye) (6:20)
08. Teshome Mitiku - Lies (Mot Yalesh Manew) (5:40)
09. Teshome Mitiku - Ballad of Amariah (Menew Zem A (5:38)
10. Teshome Mitiku - Leader-Less People (Ande Sew) (6:10)
11. Teshome Mitiku - Far Away But Near (5:52)
12. Teshome Mitiku - Why (Ere Menew) (6:41)

The Black Jesus Experience - Arada/Brand New World [2011] [EP] [australia+ethiopia]

The Black Jesus Experience - Arada

       Black Jesus Experience is an 8-10 piece band playing an irresistibly danceable blend of traditional Ethiopian song and 21st century groove. With backgrounds as diverse as the 5 continents the members of 'BJX' hail from, their music reflects the multicultural vibrancy of the band's hometown, Melbourne, Australia.

         When not touring BJX run a weekly session at cultural hub The Horn where BJX create new songs live on stage. The comfort BJX has with this practice lies in the improvising traditions of that feed BJX including hip hop, jazz, azmari and rutu pa'u.

           The music is also fed quite literally before each performance by the ritual of a group meal prepared by singer Enushu and MD Peter Harper in the Ethiopian tradition, "those who eat from the same plate will not betray each other". This inspires and reinforces bonds musical, social and spiritual, bonds BJX invite their audiences to join.

         Enushu began entertaining her local community as a child in Addis Ababa. Forced to leave Ethiopia, Enushu migrated to Australia bringing hauntingly beautiful compositions inspired by her remarkable life story and the unique vocal traditions of Ethiopia. Enushu is joined on vocals by poetic giant and lyrical miracle The Monk, Zimbabwe born and Outback bred.

      Highlights for BJX include two tours of "the Motherland" Ethiopia, performing sellout shows with Ethiojazz legend Mulatu Astatke in Europe and Australia (an association which won BJX and Mulatu "The Age Best Tour" award) Glastonbury, Big Chill, City Of London Festival, WOMADdelaide, the Big Day Out, Golden Plains and Melbourne International Jazz Festival and supporting Tony Allen among other great festivals.

        The rhymes and chimes of Black Jesus Experience deliver the power and beauty of Africa through the vocal prism of Hip-Hop and freedom of Funk.

   Discography :    

Dark Light (2009)

Yeluinta (2010)

Migration (2014)

    band members are :    

Enushu Taye - vocals
Peter Harper - tenor saxophone, composer
Ian Dixon - trumpet, flugelhorn, composer
Liam Monkhouse - mc/vocal
Chris Frangou - electric bass
Matt Head - drums
Hue Blanes - keyboards
Nashua Lee - electric guitar

                 listen Black Jesus Experience live stream here                

Gabriel Teodros - GT's Ethiopium: A Jitter Generation Mixtape [2009] [usa+ethiopia]

Gabriel Teodros - Cycles

       Gabriel Teodros (born 1981), is a hip hop artist and a member of the groups Abyssinian Creole and CopperWire. He is of Ethiopian, Scottish, Irish and Native American descent,and was raised on Beacon Hill, Seattle, Washington. Teodros' music often features socially conscious themes, and he was a catalyst in the surge of dynamic underground rap acts from the Pacific Northwest during the first decade of the 2000s.

       Born and raised in Seattle, Washington to an Ethiopian mother and a father of Scottish, Irish and Native American descent. His parents met through anti-war organizing in the 1970s, and they split up around the time Gabriel was born. He stayed with his mother, where he met grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins as they first emigrated to the United States and all stayed in the same house.

His relationship with hip hop culture began at a young age within the South Seattle neighborhood of Beacon Hill. “A lot of kids in my neighborhood were affected by gang culture. And I kind of had a death wish. I felt like, at an early age, that I wasn’t going to live to 21” he said in an interview with Sheeko Magazine. He spent his high school years in Las Vegas, Nevada where as one out of approximately 30 students of color in a predominantly white school, something within him changed. “It was the first time I understood that there was a system in place that wanted kids like me to want to die. And understanding that in high school made me want to live.” he says in the same interview. 

The former breakdancer, graffiti writer and closet-emcee finally began to take his career path seriously at age 16, using hip hop to both understand and explain his world.

       In December 2009, Teodros released GT's Ethiopium: A Jitter Generation Mixtape. This release shined a light on the realities of Ethiopia, touched on America’s own imperfections & stressed the importance of exploring one's own intelligence and spirituality. It was made completely using instrumentals from Oh No's Ethiopium, which was made completely using old-school and rare samples of Ethiopian music.

Discography

   Albums   

Sun To A Recycled Soul - Gabriel Teodros (independent, 2001)

Sexy Beast - Abyssinian Creole (Khingz & Gabriel Teodros) (MADK/Pangea, 2005)

Westlake: Class of 1999 - Gabriel Teodros (independent, September 11, 2006)

Lovework - Gabriel Teodros (MassLine, 2007)

Crow Hill - Air 2 A Bird (Amos Miller & Gabriel Teodros) (independent, 2010)

Colored People's Time Machine - Gabriel Teodros (Fresh Chopped Beats/MADK Productions, 2012)

Earthbound - CopperWire (Meklit Hadero, Burntface & Gabriel Teodros) (Porto Franco Records,  2012)

Children Of The Dragon - Gabriel Teodros & AirMe (independent, 2014)

   EPs   

Sexy Beast - Abyssinian Creole (Khingz & Gabriel Teodros) (MADK/Pangea, 2005)

No Label - Gabriel Teodros (MassLine, 2007)

The Lentil Soup EP - Gabriel Teodros & DJ Ian Head (Everyday Beats, 2011)

   Mixtapes   

GT's Ethiopium: A Jitter Generation Mixtape - Gabriel Teodros (independent, 2009)

Rasselas [canada+ethiopia]

Rasselas

[Rasselas Alemayehu Asfaw, born 1982]

       Born in the land of heritage and culture, Rasselas has been fortunate to grow up familiarized with tradition. He was the only son out of three children. His father traveled very often on business. When he returned home from his business trips, he would always bring along many souvenirs from the country he has visited. 

Rasselas - Abesha Party

      Rasselas was most interested in the records that his father would bring. These records grew into a considerable collection of a variety of music from around the world. As a result, he was familiarized with many genres of music and he enjoyed all of them very much. Among the records he used to listen to as a child were The Beatles, Stevie Wonder, Lionel Ritchie, Marvin Gaye, Michael Jackson and many other Ethiopian and African artists like Tilahun Gessesse, Mahmoud Ahmed, Ephraim Tamiru, Aster Aweke, Mariam Makeba. Some of his favorite Hip-Hop artists include Tupac, Snoop Dogg, KRS-One, Rakim.

       During his school years, he grew up exposed to different cultures and languages other than his mother tongue Amharic. He had the opportunity to learn English and French. In high school, he was known as the class musician, always entertaining his friends with a new rap verse he has learned. His English teacher was very impressed by his rap and often called him to the front of the class to demonstrate his art.

       In December of 1997, Rasselas moved to Canada with his family. They first landed in Montreal, where he had his first chance to record his independent album, Pure Science. He also joined a local Ethiopian band called the Tis Abay Band. They played in many community events, entertaining with traditional songs from Ethiopia. This gave him the idea of blending hip-hop with traditional Ethiopian music.

     Even though the band separated, Rasselas did not give up on his dream of making music. Since he is the type who is actually fueled by challenge, he worked very hard to make his dream come true. He moved to Toronto, where he became well known performing at the Ethiopian night club, then known as Cottage. At this club, he was able to sell-out his second independent CD, Here I Come, which included the title track, well accepted by his community.

    On his newly released album, Injera Music, he has teamed up with producer Gezahegn Mamo, a well-known producer and keyboardist in his community. Also featuring is many authentic Ethiopian traditional musicians who add a unique flavor to the Hip-Hop style of Rasselas.

1. Rasselas - Abesha Party (4:39)
2. Rasselas - Clap Your Handz (3:32)
3. Rasselas - Doro Wot (4:50)
4. Rasselas - Ride (4:31)
5. Rasselas - Tizita / Memories (4:11)