v.a. - Ethiopia:Music To Die For [by Nick Wall] [2012]

originally posted at music-to-die-for blog >

Aster Aweke – Kabu

Ethiopian music podcast by Nick Wall

Ethiopian mixtape by Marc Teissier du Cros [2012]

originaly posted : here

       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.”

The Ethiopian Journey - A travel into the Ethio sound of Addis Abeba back in the 70's.[ by Armand de Preseau]

originaly posted here : Dusty African Grooves

       Here is another great mixtape containing some nice ethiopian grooves from 70's.

       Enjoy, and visit Dusty African Grooves for more posts. And of course, thanks and credits goes to Armand de Preseau.

I wanted for a loooong time to do an Ethiopian selection, (but I wouldn't because I think the Ethio sound is too "a la mode"..), so here are 9 tracks taken from several seven inches intended to make you (re)discover the beauty and the deepness of the Ethio sound from the 70's.

Ethio Jazz, Ethio soul, Ethio groove or Ethio funk, nevermind how you can call it, this music sounds like no other, because of the Ethiopian Pentatonic scale, that was a source of inspiration for many musicians of all genre.

Hope you'll like it !

Armand de Preseau - The Ethiopian Journey

Tracklist : 

Mohamud Ahmed - Ambassel
Menelik Wossenachew - Chereka
Bizunesh Bekele - Tigel New
Tilahun Gessesse - Wey Min Tilik
Menelik Wossenachew - Menew Bacher Kere
Bahta Hiwot - Tessassategn Eko
Bizunesh Bekele - Inramed
Negash Tekie - Yewyen Abebaie
Menelik Wossenachew - Mekaberene Liyew

Menelik Wossenachew - mixtape [ethiopia]

Enjoy a mix of 10 of Menelik’s songs in 15 minutes.

01.Wub Nat, 

02.Yachi Lij Qonjo Nat, 

03.Aderech Arada, 

04.Chereqa, 

5.Meqaberen Liyew, 

06.Tebeb Teqami New, 

07.Fiqrachin, 

08.Mambo Sambo,

09.Bati, 

10.Tizita  

Wub Nat:  Written and arranged by Girma Beyene when Menelik was a member of the second Ras Band

Yachi Lij Qonjo Nat: Backed by Haile Selassie Theatre Orchestra–arranged by Nerses Nalbandian

Aderech Arada:  Lyrics by Getachew Debalke arranged by Nerses Nalbandian; backed by Haile Selassie I Theatre Orchestra

Chereqa:  A children’s song-arranged by Girma Beyene backed by All Star Band

Meqaberen Liyew:  Lyrics and music by Menelik Wossenachew arranged by Girma Beyene backed by the All Star Band

Tebeb Teqami New:   arranged by Nerses Nalbandian backed by Haile Selassie Theatre Orchestra

Fiqrachin: Lyrics  by Menelik Wossenachew: music and arrangement  by Mulatu Astatke; backed by the All Star Band

Mambo Sambo:   Lyrics by Menelik Wossenachew; music and arrangement  by Mulatu Astatke; backed by All Star Band

Bati:    Lyrics traditional and Menelik Wossenachew; arranged by Girma Beyene; backed by Marathon Band

Tizita:   Lyrics traditional and Menelik Wossenachew; arranged by Mulatu Astatke

Quantic - Traditional Ethiopian selection by Quantic [2011]

           Quantic is an umbrella name for UK-born, Will Holland : acclaimed producer, musician, and DJ for over 15 years, who’s projects incorporate various influences, from funk & jazz to electronic & folk music, to Latin, reggae, dub and cumbia.  

         He recently put together this mix of rare 45s he found in Ethiopia, calling it ”a mix of folkloric and outer-regional music of Ethiopia, all 45s and some records that I think need to be heard. Less of breaks & wah wah and this time more of krar, claps, howling sounds and organ melodies. For fans of previous mixes Axum to Addis and Addis Sheckla Explosion.”  

        Listen to and download the whole mix by clicking on the link below, and let’s he hope he continues the crate digging!

v.a. - Ethio-Grooves-Mix [2011]

   R  E  U  P  L  O  A  D   

Ethio-Grooves-Mix


01 Mulatu Astatke – Maskaram Setaba (1)
02 Menelik Wossenachew with Mulatu & All-Star Band – Fikratchin (1)
03 Mulatu Astatke – Yekerme Sew (1)
04 Mahmoud Ahmed with Dahlac Band – Yalem Baytewarnegn (3)
05 Tesfa Mariam Kidane – Heywete (1)
06 Alemayehu Eshete – Kochen Messasate (2)
07 Bahta Gebre Hiwot – Gizie (2)
08 Ibrahim Mahmoud – Gual Aboy Reda (5)
09 Mulatu Astatke – Hooha (1)
10 Aselefech Ashine And Getenesh Kebret – Meche New (4)
11 Tilahun Gessesse with Mulatu & All-Star Band – Lanchi Biye (1)
12 Girma Beyene – Yebekagnale (2)
13 Mulatu Astatke – Emnete (1)
14 Getatchew Mekuria – Yegenet Muziqa (6)
15 Menelik Wossenachew with Mulatu & All-Star Band – Beluw Bedubaye (1)
16 Alemayehu Eshete with Girma Beyene & All-Star Band – Addis Ababa Bete (2)
17 Tilahun Gessesse – Tchuheten Bitsemu (4)
18 Menelik Wossenachew – Chereka (2)
19 Walias Band – Musika Silt (2)
20 Mahmoud Ahmoud with Dahlac Band – Yefikir Wuha Temu (3)
21 Mulatu Astatke – Tezeta (1)

Arranged By;

(1) Mulatu Astatke;
(2) Girma Beyene;
(3) Tezera Haile Michael;
(4) Teshome Sissay;
(5) Ghermaie Solomon;
(6) Getatchew Mekuria