Mulatu Astatkemight be most known to international audiences through his tracks on the excellent Ethiopiques CD anthology series of Ethiopian music. Long before those tracks were compiled for that series, however, he had an American release with this 1972 instrumental album, on which he's billed as"Mulatu of Ethiopia."
Like much of the best of the circa-early-'70s contemporary Ethiopian music on Ethiopiques, it's a fine, at times captivating blend of late-'60s American soul and jazz with Ethiopian music, resulting in something not quite comparable to anything else.
It is undeniably funky, with wah-wah guitar and organ aplenty. There's plenty of contemporary jazz in the arrangements, too, the sax runs sometimes showing the influence of the likes of John Coltrane. Yet there's a melancholy minor cast to the melodies that marks this off as something quite different, and the rhythms likewise have irregularities that are more African than American. The only major strike against the LP is its short running time, with the seven tracks adding up to a mere 26-and-a-half minutes or so.
Dereje Mekonnen began his career in the early 1980s as a keyboardist in the Ibex band, who accompanied the R&B singer Mahmoud Ahmed on three albums. He then founded the formation Dallol, a reggae band with whom he played in Chicago and accompanied Ziggy Marley on his albums Conscious Party (1988) and One Bright Day (1989), which were awarded the Grammy.
After numerous tours with Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, he founded the band Gizzae in 1991, with whom he performed primarily in Chicago and the Midwest of the USA. He also worked with Ethiopian musicians such as Tilahun Gessesse and Ephrem Tamiru. He also produced the first album of Ejigayehu Shibabaw, One Ethiopia (1998).
Dereje Mekonnen died at the age of 49.
Dereje DJ Makonnen - Alemen Zorialehu [ደረጄ መኮንን አለምን ዞሪያለሁ]
Dereje Mekonen with Shebele Band - 01 - Etitu Beredegn (6:13)
Dereje Mekonen with Shebele Band - 02 - Yagere Lidje (6:34)
Dereje Mekonen with Shebele Band - 03 - Selewebetu Sadenk (5:02)
Dereje Mekonen with Shebele Band - 04 - Atawerulegn Lela (4:33)
Dereje Mekonen with Shebele Band - 05 - Laley Laley (Tegregna (6:14)
Dereje Mekonen with Shebele Band - 06 - Temar Lidje (5:49)
Dereje Mekonen with Shebele Band - 07 -Emu Eadigere (Guragegna) (4:23)
Dereje Mekonen with Shebele Band - 08 - Besebara Fole (6:23)
Dereje Mekonen with Shebele Band - 09 - Shilela (3:52)
Dereje Mekonen with Shebele Band - 10 - Hagerua Wasa Megera (4:43)
Dereje Mekonen with Shebele Band - 11 - Yaleselesea (Oromegna) (4:27)
This Ethiopian beauty's Aster and Kabu albums show why she’s sometimes been dubbed the “African Aretha Franklin.”
Aster Aweke - Tchewata
There’s no mistaking Aster Aweke’s primary influences. Listen, for example, to her early ’90s albums Aster and Kabu, with their Memphis-style horn section, soulful keyboards and crackling drums, and it’s immediately apparent why she’s sometimes been dubbed the “African Aretha Franklin.” Lady Soul, along with the Godfather, James Brown, and vocally versatile jazz singers such as Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan, loom largely in her roots, her deep R&B/funk groove a reminder that bridges are meant to be crossed. Aweke doesn’t leave the traditional behind by any means; she respects it, she draws from it, but she’s never beholden to it.
And then there’s that voice, as supple and mystifying an instrument as has ever been. Simultaneously tamed and wild, its flights of fancy are wondrous things. You can’t help but be awed.
Aweke was born in Gondar, Ethiopia, some time between the late ’50s and 1961, depending on which account you believe. She grew up in the capital city of Addis Ababa and began singing as a teen, working with several groups, most notably the Roha Band. As Ethiopia entered a period of unrest following the death of iconic leader Haile Selassie, Aweke left for the United States. She became increasingly popular within the Ethiopian community in the States, performing in restaurants and clubs, particularly in her adopted home of Washington, D.C., one of the largest Ethiopian expat communities in the country.
Aweke signed to the small Triple Earth label in 1989, and the two aforementioned albums were then picked up by Columbia Records, which had high hopes for her commercial potential in the West. The sales didn’t pan out but Aweke has continued to record and tour—her 1995 Live In London CD is an excellent primer that displays her charismatic appeal to the fullest.
Seleshe Damesse was born and grew-up in Jan-Meda, an area between Sedest Kilo and Ferensay Sefer.
Seleshe remebers that he was initially captivated by the music world while attending, during his childhood, the frequent musical performances of Guard Musical Band with such celebrated singers as Tilahun Gessesse and Bizunesh Bekele.
Seleshe who recalls that he was coached how to play kirar ( an Ethiopian equivalent to Guitar) by his father, was enrolled by higher musical education institutions in Vermont, Goddard College, Burllington College and worked with Michigan State University Masters program on African and Asian music research.
During his stay abroad, Seleshe had presented a number of solo and group concerts with world renowned musicians. Moreover, he had published a total of 11 albums in Djibouti, the United states of America and Germany respectively.
Gash Abera Molla - Yameral Hagere [ያምራል-ሀገሬ]
The artist whose musical works were widely covered by international televisions and radio stations, had also secured the esteem and The Boston Globe, Washington post and many other known journals.
Furthermore, Seleshe had also won, among others, the UN Environmentalist award, as well as the London Green Award for his volunteer contribution.
Seleshe an artist with his own unique skills in the presentation of the culture and history of Ethiopia by means if folkloric first-ever Ethiopian music album arrange and conducted by a fully-fledged orchestra.
The artist has taken his time to dramatically, penitently or orally incorporate, as usual, his outlook on natural mysteries and traditional music in his new album.
Le-alem Acoustic is, as the name suggests, an acoustic band from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia formed in 2014 G.C. It consists of friends with varied musical backgrounds. This band is reviving the powerful and melodic sound of classic Ethiopian music with a fusion of diverse foreign influences such as alternative, jazz and reggae.
The varied musical tastes of the members gives the band a unique sound that is hard to classify into one genre. Their playlist mostly consists of songs from the “Swinging Addis” Era of Ethiopia from the 60’s to 70’s rearranged and modified to their own unique sound.
Our sound is a combination of Scandinavian and Ethiopian tradition and carried out by showy instruments such as double bass, jouhikko, violins, acoustic guitar, kantele, masinko, bongo drums and Cajon box.
Le-alem Band - Ambassel Jam
Le-alem Band - 01 - Metch Dershae by Seifu Yohannes (4:18)
Le-alem Band - 02 - Fikir Ende Kirar Ethio Groove acoustic cover by Le alem acoustic (2:34)
Le-alem Band - 03 - Fikir Ende Kirar by Girma Beyene (3:27)
Le-alem Band - 03 - Woub Nat by Girma Beyene and Menilik Wessnachew (3:49)
Le-alem Band - 05 - Anchi Yene by Sami Dan (4:05)
Le-alem Band - 06 - Tsigereda by Seifu Yohannes (3:06)
Le-alem Band - 07 - Yekereme Fikir by Getachew Kassa (3:51)
Le-alem Band - 08 - Kalatashiw Akal by Teshome Assegid (3:52)
Le-alem Band - 09 - Vem Kan Segla and Ambassel Jam (5:57)
