Nubian Ark - 3 demo tracks [2010] [usa+ethiopia]

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         Nubian Ark is tremendously experimental and has taken the fusion of jazz and Ethiopian music to new levels.

1. Nubian Ark - Diminished Heaven (4:31)

2. Nubian Ark - Mamite (8:15)

3. Nubian Ark - Nine Lives (7:32)

      A tight 7 piece jazz-funk combo playing a mixture of original compositions mixed with excursions intoEthiopian standards, Nubian Ark is an exciting new addition to the Addis musical scene. 

        Driven by bass, drums and keyboards with the three piece horn section (2 sax and trombone) and percussion adding punch and color, Nubian Ark delivers an exciting live show.

musicians : 

Henock Temesgen (bass), 

Nati Tessema (drums), 

Kirubel Tesfaye (keyboards), 

Yishak Dawit (trombone), 

Misale Legesse (percussion), 

Johnny Aklilu (sax). 

featuring Jorga Mesfin (sax)

Dur Dur - Africa [somalia] [199?]

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originally posted here : Likembe

Dur Dur – Somali Music from the 1980’s

       This is a cassette of Dur Dur, a group from Somalia which was very popular in the 1980’s. When I first listened to it I was amazed by the sound which resembled very much 1970’s funk music. 

       John at Likembe writes about similar experiences. He presents also a lot of more information about Dur Dur in a another posting.

       Because of the civil war in Somalia the group had moved to Ethiopia where they published this cassette in the early 1990’s. As it was the practice at that time the cassette was published by a music shop. In this case it is a shop called Elham Video Electronics. The shop has two branches one in Negele, Borana and one in Addis Ababa. The first branch in Negele seems to be the main one. It is located in an area in southern Ethiopia, which is close to the Ogaden, i.e. the Somali region of Ethiopia.

THE MUSICIANS

       On the cover there are photos of four members of the group written in Latin and Ethiopic script: Zahra,Muktar, Abdinur and Qomal (or Komal). 

As with a lot of Somalian musicians and artists it is difficult to obtain mor e information about them. Therefor I would be happy for further information and comments about the group, its members and its music.

THE SONGS

       The cassette contains twelve songs, six on each side. The titles are given in Latin script on the inside, but listening to the songs it seems that the order of the titles is not correct. Therefore I changed the order of the lables of the 3., 4. and 5. song on the first, and of the 10. and 11. song on the second side. There may be further mistakes in the labeling.

01. Dur Dur - Shered (5:35)

02. Dur Dur - Abasho (5:32)

03. Dur Dur - Shelede (3:47)

04. Dur Dur - Tarik (4:26)

05. Dur Dur - Africa (6:00)

06. Dur Dur - African Music (4:49)

07. Dur Dur - Ethiopian Girl (4:44)

08. Dur Dur - Goromphmca (5:56)

09. Dur Dur - Ledenay (5:08)

10. Dur Dur - Hak Somalk Dumark (3:36)

11. Dur Dur - Kennea (5:20)

12. Dur Dur - Absho (5:41)

v.a. - New Ethio Jazz [dbl cd] [2013]

Merry Christmas to all my friends and blog readers. 

Consider this double compilation cd as Christmas present!

I made it in an effort to introduce recent ethiopian jazz & grooves to wider public.

Enjoy music and send some comments.

   cd 1   

01. Arat Kilo - Aykedashem Lebe (3:57)
02. Tezeta Band - Tey Geryeleshem (Forget It, Don't Worry) (2:55)
03. The Budos Band - Aynotchesh Yererfu (3:50)
04. Imperial Tiger Orchestra - Le Le Le (6:26)
05. Le Tigre (des Platanes) & Etenesh Wassie - Ney-Ney Weleba (4:27)
06. Samuel Yirga - Tiwista (Tinish Mix) (5:57)
07. JAzmaris - Far From Ambasel (6:11)
08. Yared Tefera - Uuta Ayaskefam ° (6:05)
09. Akale Wube - Ragale (5:09)
10. Arat Kilo - Get a Chew (4:48)
11. Imperial Tiger Orchestra - Selam Temagwet (5:36)
12. Ethioda - En plein dans le Nil (4:56)
13. Wudasse - Aba Gerima [Morning Song] (8:20)



   cd 2   


01. Skeletons - Mulatu (2:55)
02. The Shaolin Afronauts - Amhara (5:17)
03. Shawn Lee's Ping Pong Orchestra - Ethio (3:41)
04. Tezeta Band - Hametegnaw (5:18)
05. Ukandanz - Belomi Benna (3:09)
06. Arat Kilo - Lonmewo Lalie feat. Mimi (3:23)
07. Badume's Band & Selamnesh Zemene - Korahu (5:54)
08. Debo Band - Mignoten Man Yawkal (4:06)
09. uKanDanz & Asnake Guebreyes - Aykedeshem Lebe (6:34)
10. Jungle by Night - Ethiopeno (3:28)
11. JAzmaris - Aha Gedawo (6:06)
12. Getatchew Mekuria & The Ex & Friends - Aha Gedawo (5:03)
13. Trio Kazanchis - Ende eyerusalem (5:10)

v.a. - Assiyo Bellema - Golden Years of Modern Ethiopian Music [2013]

             All hits compilation of late 1960s to early 1970s Ethiopian soul and R 'n' B. Very intensely groove oriented material by some of Ethiopia's top musicians. Includes songs by Mulatu Astatke, Seyfou Yohannes, Ayelew Mesfin, Getatchew Kassa, and the mighty Abbebe Tessemma. Nonstop party. Old school 'tip on' sleeve.

         Class side of Ethio R&B hits dating to late ’60s and early ’70s. It comes out of the blocks hard with Astatke’s Assiyo Bellema and Tessemma’s Ashasha Beyew both boasting irresistible polyrhythmic grooves, the former bouncing along with queasy steel drum details, while the latter is driven by organ chords and lovely bright brass.

       While other highlights come courtesy of Yohannes’ lounge jazz-inflected Yekermo Sew with smooth sax, bubbling guitar work and a fascinating cyclic piano line, Mesfin’s bouncy funk-soaked Lene Antchi Bitcha Nesh and the irresistible polyrhythmic call-and-response simplicity of Damtew Ayele’s ‘Wefe Yelala’, the whole LP is a delight, although with these warm exotic shuffle grooves it feels like more of a soiree than a party.

01. Mulatu Astatque - Assiyo Bellema (2:54)

02. Abbebe Tessemma - Ashasha Beyew (3:36)

03. Getatchew Kassa & Soul Ekos Band - Bey Lesnabetesh (4:03)

04. Seyfou Yohannes - Yekermo Sew (4:18)

05. Abbebe Tessemma - Gebru Guratch Gute (2:45)

06. Samuel Belay - Lebene Sheweshew (3:12)

07. Seyfou Yohannes - Metche Dershe (3:58)

08. Ayalew Mesfin - Lene Antchi Bitcha Nesh (4:00)

09. Damtew Ayele - Wefe Yelala (2:57)

10. Tamrat Molla & Venus Band - Ber Anbar Seberelewo (3:26)

Walias Band - [1981] - The Best Of Walias [ethiopia]

         Walias Band (sometimes spelled Wallias Band) were an Ethiopian Jazz and funk band active from the early 1970s until the early 1990s. Formed by members of the Venus Band, Walias backed up many prominent singers with a hard polyrhythmic funk sound influenced by western artists like King Curtis, Junior Walker and Maceo Parker. 

      In 1977 they recorded one of the few albums of Ethiopian instrumental music (Hailu Mergia and The Walias Band – Tche Belew) in collaboration with vibraphonist Mulatu Astatke, whose role as a bandleader and composer was also a major influence on Ethiopian popular music.

     In 1981 Walias became the first modern Ethiopian band to travel to the United States, playing on a tour with singer Mahmoud Ahmed primarily to audiences of Ethiopian refugees.

     Four members Girma Bèyènè, Mogès Habté, Mèlakè Gèbrè and Haylu Mergia stayed in the U.S. and formed a new group called Zula Band in favor of returning to live in Ethiopia under its dictatorship.

     Mergia took work in Washington DC driving a taxi cab and released solo cassette tapes of traditional Ethiopian music played on analog synthesizer, electric piano and accordion.The remaining members, Yohannes Tèkola and Tèmarè Harègou, continued to play together under the Derg dictatorship for another decade.

    In the late 1990s Walias Band found a wider audience in the west when the French label Buda Records reissued much of the group's music on the Ethiopiques series of compact discs. Their instrumental, "Musicawi Silt", became a popular dance number and has been covered by a number of artists.

     The Walias Band's name derives from the walia ibex, an endangered species of the Capra genus native to the mountains of Ethiopia. They share no members with the similarly named Ibex Band who also backed up Mahmoud Ahmed during the same epoch.

1.Walias Band - Malada                        [Woubishet Fisseha]    (5:11)
2.Walias Band - Kalatashew Akal                                                (2:35)
3.Walias Band - Tizzita                         [Getachew Kassa]      (10:25)
4.Walias Band - Ashkaru                        [Mahmoud Ahmed]     (3:06)
5.Walias Band - Ye Kereme Fikir            [Getachew Kassa]     (4:47)
6.Walias Band - Inchi Libbe Echo Naw  [Mahmoud Ahmed]    (6:32)
7.Walias Band - Eyuwat Sitnafikagn                                           (3:41)
8.Walias Band - Wa Hoyye                  [Woubishet Fisseha]     (5:13)

Mulatu Astatke - Mulatu Steps Ahead @ Glatt & Verkehrt [Krems, Austria - 30.7.2011]

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1. Mulatu Astatke - Krems 30.07.2011 - I - Dewel (13:07)
2. Mulatu Astatke - Krems 30.07.2011 - II - Yekermo Sew (11:46)
3. Mulatu Astatke - Krems 30.07.2011 - III - Netsanet (8:17)
4. Mulatu Astatke - Krems 30.07.2011 - IV - Chik Chikka (19:06)
5. Mulatu Astatke - Krems 30.07.2011 - V - Motherland (12:05)
6. Mulatu Astatke - Krems 30.07.2011 - VI - The Way To Nice (7:04)
7. Mulatu Astatke - Krems 30.07.2011 - VII - Yegelle Tezeta (5:07)
8. Mulatu Astatke - Krems 30.07.2011 - VIII - Yekatit (5:42)
9. Mulatu Astatke - Krems 30.07.2011 - IX - Mulatu (12:18)

Mulatu ASTATKE | vibraphone, congas, piano; 
Shabaka HUTCHINGS | saxophone; 
Byron WALLEN | trumpet; 
Richard Olatunde BAKER | percussion; 
Tom SKINNER | drums; 
John EDWARD | double bass; 
Alexander HAWKINS | keyboards; 
Danny KEANE | cello

Woima Collective - Tezeta [germany+ethiopia] [2010]

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       "...The Brass unit from Germany's Poets of Rhythm bring the Ethio-funk on this recent release entitled, Tezeta. Clearly inspired by Mulatu Astatke, the band takes its cue from the golden age of Ethiopian music. Spacey organ, reeds o' plenty, snapping drums, low end bass all create some seriously snaking grooves..."

                                                              Woima Collective - Marz

       "...Infectious album of Ethiopian and Afro-jazz inspired grooves from members of lauded German funk unit Poets Of Rhythm. 'Tezeta' came about after group leader and tenor sax player Johannes Schleiermacher was smitten with the sounds he soaked up on trips to Morocco and the feelings of celebration and healing in Gnawan trance performances. Further meetings with the legendary Ethio-jazz master, Mulatu Astatke, prompted him to set up a ten piece unit and after a three day rehearsal and a pair of two day recording session, this album was created. The result is brilliantly diverse album, ranging from fiery funk arrangements akin to the Heliocentrics, to super-cool and dubby workouts imbued with a skilled freedom and sublime groove which will surely impress any fans of the Ethiopiques series..."

Interview with Woima Collective :

               The Woima Collective has produced a remarkable set of Ethiopian-styled grooves with its debut record, Tezeta, released on the Netherlands-based record label Kindred Spirts. Including the brass-section members of the internationally respected German funk outfit Poets of Rhythm, the Collective channels the sweet funk and jazz rhythms of Mulatu Astatke, with a sound that matches his legendary 1960s and '70s recordings.

         Led by tenor saxophonist Johannes Schleiermacher, who was inspired by the African rhythms found during his travels through Morocco, the 10-musician collective has one of the tightest rhythm sections in the contemporary scene. Though originally brought together to record a single at the Lovelite Facility in Berlin, the Collective soon turned the one-time session in a full-blown album, rehearsing and recording Tezeta in only five days.

                                             Woima Collective - Puno

         Creating a cohesive record in five days with disciplined arrangements and complex instrumental dynamics calls for an extremely talented group of musicians, and it’s quite clear the Collective knows its North African music. Tezeta is filled with bottom-heavy percussion brought to life with horn-driven grooves decorated by guitar-plucked rhythms.

                   Ethiopian music takes presence from dark, pentatonic scales, giving the music a hypnotic and smooth nature. The Collective takes this approach and leaves it open-ended, allowing ample room for instrumental spotlights and extended solos. Album opener “Marz” is a fitting introduction to the group, with groovy organ and brass solos that can only be described as snake-like. It is reminiscent of the work of Sun Ra, but with very distinct African horn phrases.

       Tracks such as “Woima” and “Puno” have an intrinsically sinister quality, partly due to the forboding horn lines that threaten to go atonal at a moment’s notice, but also because of the fuzzy drone organ that keeps it all together. Underlying it all, however, is a slight tinge of funk, heard best on "Wayna" and "Illusions," tracks that swing hard with a wide array of reed solos and funky guitar licks.

       Tezeta is an album with an excellent tonal texture that is matched by world-class musicianship. The Woima Collective has combined funk aesthetics with otherworldly melodic modes. The outcome is a beautiful blend of relentless breakbeat rhythms typical of the European funk scene with the unique melodic pulse of North Africa.

[Yanna] Badume's Band & Aklilu Zewdie - [2005] - Live à Glomel [ethiopia+france]

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recorded live @ 17ème Rencontre Internationale de la Clarinette Populaire, Glomel, France, may 7, 2005.

       A musical meeting between Yanna Badume's Band and virtuoso clarinetist of Ethiopia Aklilu Zewdie (director of Yared School, National School of Music at the University of Addis Ababa). 

Aklilu Zewdie

     Want to find Poullaouen Glomel and the atmosphere of warm nights in Addis Ababa 70's, when fantastic crooners bewitched girls with languid melodies

Aklilu ZEWDIE : clarinette
Stéphane LE DRO : clarinette basse, saxophone
Antonin VOLSON : batterie
Rudy BLAS : guitare
Olivier GUENEGO : claviers
Stéphane RAMA : basse
Xavier PUSSET : saxophone
Julien BECHEN : saxophone
Eric MENNETEAU : chant

12 tracks, excellent sound, great performance ... Enjoy !!!

Wudasse - Selam [Peace] [2006]

                           

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       Wudasse was born out of the desire of three Ethiopian musicians to express the beauty and grace of Ethiopian music through the language of Jazz. This first offering is unique in several ways. For one, the all the songs on the album were recorded in front of a live audience, which is a rarity in Ethiopian music circles. And then there is the make up of the band, three Ethiopians and two American musicians, brought together by circumstance and their love of music, doing their best to create music they love even under the roughest of circumstances. 

       So how did it all begin? Well, four years ago Teferi (drums) visits Jorga (saxophone) in Atlanta to attend Fasilâs (bass) wedding. While staying at Jorgaâs house, the two rent a drum set and start experimenting and jamming on Ethiopian rhythms and scales. In fact, it turned out that both Jorga and Teferi had similar ideas on how to respectfully adapt Ethiopian scales and rhythms to fit into a Jazz context. Teferi goes back to California, and Fasil and Jorga start performing together in local clubs. Two years later, Teferi joins them in Atlanta and Wudasse was born.

       Much can also be said about the music creation process. Each band member was equally responsible for the final sound and feel of each song. In fact, most of the songs were arranged with minimal conversation and direction, and all the songs evolved while being repeatedly performed around several Atlanta jazz clubs. Although a lot can be said about each piece on the album, we think the Tigrinya based âaba gerima"deserves special attention. The song starts with Jorga on the keyboard imitating the sounds of the Embilta, a long thin horn that can only produce a few notes. In the Tigray region of Ethiopia, the Embilta is played in an ensemble format by three or more players. Each player is responsible for two or three notes, and therefore has to really listen to his partners to create on cohesive melodic idea. What you hear at the beginning of the song is the keyboard trying to create that infectious Embilta vibe. This vibe is present through out the music true to the original Embilta playing style of the Tigray people. The rhythm played by Teferi on the drums demonstrates the kind of respect and study he has dedicated to Ethiopian rhythms. Teferi respectfully transfers the Guayla rhythm to the modern drum set while at the same time keeping a killer grove underneath the Embilta. And then there is Fasil who is anchoring the whole thing down with his deep grooves. However the song is not complete without Dale Saunders playing the mournful yet meditative melody on his guitar, and Asa (the fish) adding the finishing touches to the rhythm on percussion. Now imagine the song being developed without any conversation or direction from anyone. It is true! It can be said that the song was waiting to be born and all it needed was for the five Wudasse members to be midwives.

       The other songs are as equally fascinating. "Ete mete" represents the children song which naturally modulates rhythmically from 6/8 to 7/4. âmegemeriaâ starts with a slow grove that builds to represent the best of Ethiopian jazz-rock-fusion. âdeleqaâ is an experiment in approaching the 6/8 Chikchika rhythm in 7/4 time. But this might not mean much to all the non-musician music lovers who wouldnât care less is the song was in 6/2 or 7/8 as long as it grooves hard the touches the soul. 

      We hope you enjoy listening to the music as much as we enjoyed creating it. We thank the Master Creator for the universe and all that is in it. We would like to thank all our families for the love and sacrifice they paid for our love (and sometimes obsession) for music. We thank Queen of Sheba Restaurant in Atlanta, Georgia for supporting the band and its music for an entire year, even when the band members on stage out numbered the number of people in the audience. We thank the Five Spots Club in Little Five Points, Atlanta for offering us such a great performing space and for giving us these priceless recordings of our bands sound. And we thank you for buying this CD and supporting Ethiopian musicians and Ethiopian music.

Hailu Mergia & The Walias [with Mulatu Astatke] - Tche Belew [1977]

     Hailu Mergia and the Walias “Tche Belew” Out 14/10/14

Awesome Tapes From Africa release this legendary album on October 14th.

You can buy it here : Amazon.com pre-order

       Did you know that during the 1970s — a span of ten years! — there were only three instrumental Ethiopian albums recorded and released on vinyl? It’s true. Well, if the Internet says it’s true, then it’s true. I trust the Afro-pop websites way more than I trust my instincts. More than that, even, I trust Francis Falcetto, the mastermind behind the Ethiopiques series. He describes Ethiopia as a vastly misunderstood country. It is unique in regards to its topography (green landscape, highlands that act as a natural fortress), religion (Catholic since the early 4th century, long before Catholicism took over Europe or the Americas), and language (Ge’ez, a Semitic language whose derivations are related to it in the same was French, Spanish, and Italian are related to Latin). It took until the late 1960s for independent bands to form, but by that time the musicians of Ethiopia had decades to practice and understand theory. After learning of Western music from peace corp volunteers and military radio stations, the state run radio stations decided to slowly liberate the airwaves, so to speak, and allow more popular Western music to reach Ethiopians. Combine that with the natural generational divides we see in the history of every other country in the world, and you’ve got a powder keg of ridiculously great music waiting to explode.

       Mulatu Astatke was the first musician of his generation to study abroad. He attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. He brought his fondness for jazz and Latin music back to Africa, and — even before renowned musicians like Fela Kuti — was recording “modern” African music. He continued to compose and produce records into the ’70s, which is when Hailu Mergia recorded Tche Belew. The album was released in 1977, and features Mulatu on the track “Musical Silt.” Many Ethiojazz and Ethiopian pop fans consider it to be one of his greatest contributions to Ethiopian music. I’m not that well versed, so I couldn’t say definitively, but I think it’s great.

      Tche Belew is a fairly unknown album by most fans’ standards. Which, naturally, makes it supremely hard to find. And original copies are quite valuable. Just two days ago the LP sold for $4,250 on eBay. Take a listen and you’ll realize why it’s such a sought after gem from an amazing period in the history of recorded music.