A lively and captivating album by Ethiopian writer and performer Gabriella Ghermandi.
The project takes as their symbol Emperor Tewodros II of Ethiopia (1818 - 1868), who was not of royal lineage but took the throne by sheer charisma and will power and united the country.
With a mix of Ethiopian traditional and modern instruments the group presents a unique and interesting sound based on traditional Ethiopian pentatonic scales.
Fantahun Shewankochew is a Toronto-based musician (vocalist, song writer, instrumentalist, arranger and composer). His new release Adera (An Undertaking) is a rediscovery of Ethio-jazz, traditional and popular Ethiopian music with a modern twist. Fantahun Shewankochew has crafted an album that harkens back to the golden era of Ethiopian music.
Born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Fantahun hails from a country with a diverse mix of rich culture, tradition and music. Affectionately called “Fantish” by his friends and fans, Fantahun discovered his talent for music at a very young age when he participated in school performances as a singer, often imitating famous Ethiopian vocalists like Muluken Melese and his idol the late Tilahun Gessesse, undoubtedly the most revered and iconic figure who dominated Ethiopia’s modern music for almost half-a-century. To develop his talent, Fantahun joined the Yared School of Music in Addis Ababa, where he studied for four years and graduated in the early 80’s with a diploma in trumpet and the Ethiopian traditional instrument called krar, a harp-like five-or six-string lyre played using the fingers or in combination with a pick. His stint in the school not only provided him with the necessary academic credential and a better understanding of what underlies his music, but also created the historic opportunity of producing the Amharic hit song “Kiraren Biqagnew”, his signature song that introduced him to the public. Fresh from school, he was hired by the renowned Ethiopian National Theatre as a trumpet player and worked as a vocalist on the side with the Mahiran Band that he co-founded.
Fantahun Shewankochew - Yeberetuma
He released his first album - Kiraren in 1986 with the Mahiran band. He released three more albums: “Min Yelelesh Ale”, “Shegnichesh Semeles”, and “BeYikirta”. Besides his artistic and administrative responsibilities at the Ethiopian National theatre where he worked for over 20 years in various capacities including Coordinator of the music department, Fantahun formed one more music band –the Medina Band, collaborated with famous musicians and also went on international music tours in Africa, North America, South America, Europe, China and the Middle East.
Fantahun Shewankochew - Kiraren Bikagnew
While in tour in Paris, France, Fantahun collaborated with the famous and now US-based Ejigayehu Shibabaw, a.k.a. Gigi., and released the “Ethiopian Love Songs” album. His tour with a group of musicians that included four German instrumentalists (Jochen Engel, Patrick Langer, Jörg Pfeil and Michael Ehret) and four Ethiopian vocalists (Abonesh Adnew, Tigist Bekele, Wondwossen Kassa and Binyam Kindya), organized under a band called “Sounds of Saba” offered Fantahun the opportunity to fulfill his dream of introducing Ethiopian music to the rest of the world and also to participate in the group’s 1998 “Tizita” album in which he participated as a vocalist, kirar player and percussionist. Representing Ethiopia with the Cultural Orchestra of the ENT, Fantahun has participated at some of the biggest international musical events including the Ravera festival in Italy and the Houston International festival in Texas, USA.
Fantahun made Toronto his new home in 2011 and he has since collaborated with fellow Ethiopian and other Canadian musicians and performed at such venues as the Glenn Gould Studio, Lula Lounge, Harbourfront Centre, the Music Gallery, the Gladstone Hotel and the Luminato Festival. No less important is his contribution to the Ethiopian Community in Toronto. In the same year he arrived in Toronto, for example, he got himself busy serving as artistic director of a spiritual concert & drama organized by fellow artists in collaboration with the choir of the Toronto Membere Birhan Saint Mary Ethiopian Orthodox Cathedral to raise fund for the construction of the Church’s new cathedral. The show was a complete sell-out and a phenomenal success.
Regarding his plans in music, Fantahun has a keen interest to introduce Ethiopian traditional music, which he says has gained more and more popularity in many European countries but not so much here in Canada. In addition to his many personal projects in the pipeline, he plans to introduce to Canadians Ethiopia’s distinct modal system that is pentatonic called qenet, of which there are four main modes: tezeta, bati, ambassel, and anchihoye and other additional modes which are basically variants of the four modes.
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.
Saluting the greatest Ethiopian “Masinko” man and dissident artist Shambel Belayneh
by Getahune Bekele | South Africa
“Enlighten the people generally, and tyranny and oppressions of body and mind will vanish like evil spirits at the dawn of the day.” -TJ
Behold, he is daring, he is a rebel and the fearsome black lion is roaring.
“Endyaw zerafewa endeyaw zerafewa,
Ye Gondern meret ye humeran meda,
Tedanegbet enji mech dagnebet bada.
Wede temari bet temeleshi kine,
Wendoch kewalubet ewelalhu ene.”
Millions of his fans often say Shambel Belayneh is the undisputed successor to the late legendary entertainer Assefa Abate of “Yematibela Wef” fame. But some go a bit further and compared this larger- than- life character to US patriotic songs and country music icon Lee Greenwood, the man who sang the timeless and the most recognizable “God bless the USA”.
Back home in Ethiopia where his songs are totally banned, even the most unpatriotic snobs will agree that Shambel Belayneh’s latest patriotic hit titled “BEKA” with its lively melody and widespread appeal, is as rabble rousing as the 1865 hit “Marching through Georgia” by Henry Clay work.
Rebel artist Shambel Belayneh is no Demimondaine. Patriotism is his peculiarity. His natural milieu is that of patriotic artists. As we Ethiopians begin to see a whiff of freedom in the air, only Shamble’s miscellaneous hits are going to unshackle the minds of millions of undemonstrative citizens and propel them towards freedom, liberty and fraternity.
This courageous crowed puller and Masinko genius, Shambel Belayneh, always gets enthusiastic support from his passionate fans hungry for mesmerising and delightful folk music feast. Homesick Ethiopian exiles and refugees, who complain of weariness from labour, love the manner in which he renders his music to them, with great majesty and amazing fluency. Cheering them up by the soothing dreamlike sweet melody.
As the godfather of traditional patriotic songs of Ethiopia, Shambel’s ambient music is easy to connect with. It has the power to uplift the soul, awakening in us the spirit of compassion and love, independence, rebellion and even anger. It also vanishes our blues or conjures up memories of our great past in anti-colonial struggle. Shambel’s song awakens the hero in us to surmount all obstacles and Marches us off to war. – To a just war of liberation.
One die-hard fan who danced to “Tekebresh Yenorshew” hit later described the experience by stating “the brooding melancholy that had settled over my mind was charmed away by the power of Shambel Belayneh’s Masinko and when my adrenaline peaked, my torment was lifted after which i saw my beloved Ethiopia in flesh.”
Selam Haile, 29, an Ethiopian student in Pretoria-South Africa, calls Shambel Belayneh a singing Nightingale who pours out a thrilling melody that leaves a lasting joy in the heart.
Although some “Azmaries” inadvertently get the credit, Shambel Belayneh is the only patriotic singer who never tried to wheedle Ethiopians in to accepting brutal repression and slavery in the past 24 years.
A born revolutionary and selfless patriot, Shambel is not a tiresome pedagogue, singing about yester year Ethiopia and yester year greats only. He fearlessly magnifies our current magnificent sons and daughters, immortalises those who watered the trees of freedom with their precious blood.
We all know that music powerfully touches our lives. It moves, enchants energizes and heals us. But it can also jar and twist us, filling the heart and the mind with gloomy thoughts, distracting us and saturating our thinking with undesirable propaganda. I remember how a certain singer we Ethiopians have unutterable love for, recently gave us an immoral song called “Gomen Betena”. The unforgettable trash was a direct call on ordinary Ethiopians to just eat cabbage in peace rather than fight the ruling elite to get some nutritious luxuries. As cadre singer, the man was clearly trying to press upon our consciousness that the regime currently ruling Ethiopia is undefeatable. He further advocated through his song that we should not rebel against the system but settle into depressed complacency.
In the past 24 years, we have seen a plethora of Ethiopian artists, who wholeheartedly fought tyranny through their music giving up and surrendering to the rulers. They flew home after striking dodgy deals with feared TPLF agents.
However, shortly after landing in Addis, they were deplorably used as well- oiled ethnocentric propaganda machinery which guerrilla- markets hatred and ethnic disharmony in the Ethiopian society. –A deserved job for being led by their avarice and betraying their principles.
No wonder some so-called “traitor-artists” incurred the wrath of this sunshine patriot Shambel Belayneh. During his recent fundraising concert in the US, Shambel mocked and belittled singer-turned cadre, Solomon Tekalign, calling him the dog of TPLF shadow propaganda minister Bereket Simeon; – “ Solomon Tekalign ye Bereket wusha.”
As much as he is meek, convivial or as those close to him say, an Angel with temperance and humility virtues, no one stands before Shambel Belayneh when he is pissed off. Once this writer was at the receiving end of his red-hot rage for not delivering the Masinko to his hotel room on time. The next day he accepted my sincere apology with mischievous smile but kept drivelling on about it for hours. “Respect the folk music magnate and he will respect you back” am told by his producer, Daniel.
Nonetheless, given how he has been treated by the Diaspora for the past two decades, the hardship he had to endure in the name of Ethiopiawenet, at times struggling to keep the wolf from the door, the man who seems betrothed to his beloved Ethiopia for eternity, doesn’t rage at the injustice of life in exile. Even when i pressed him to say more, he was outwardly calm and betrayed no sign of discomposure; an unparalleled hero in almost every aspect with unmatched resilience and courage.
When below-average, mammon worshiping singers got their reward for praising tyranny and ethnic apartheid, Shambel Belayneh, the rock, refused to sell his soul and chose to suffer for the sake of Ethiopia. He rejected the millions dangled before him to join the club of immoral millionaires with the contempt it deserved.
Hence life in the US hasn’t been rags to riches for Shambel Belayneh as in the writings of novelist Horatio Alger Jr. Instead, it was a transition from relative obscurity to an instant fame as symbol of resistance, with his star shining hundred times brighter than any other artist of our time.
We Ethiopians fondly remember how Shambel Belayneh burst onto the scene several moons ago, straight from the mountain- top Eden of northern highlands. Who will forget how his folk music masterpiece titled “ye Zenaye” came cascading down like the mighty waters of Geon from the majestic mountains of Abyssinia. In that memorable song of two melodies of one tapestry, the young shepherd likened a certain drop-dead gorgeous girl (probably his boyhood sweetheart) to the sweet-smelling tropical plant called Demakese, a natural remedy for cold and frostbite.
“Ende Demakese medhanit neberch”… was a jewel among Shambel’s other lilting and rhythmic songs that would never fade away from our memory. What a blessing was that he picked Masinko rather than the flute, normally associated with the romantic names of Abyssinian shepherds.
However, currently, Ethiopians are imploring him for more patriotic songs as the struggle for freedom moves to another level.
“Tekebresh yenorshew babatochachin dem,
Enat Ethiopia yedefereh yewdem.”-
Is on everyone’s lips from New York and Johannesburg all the way to the Eritrean desert, our new home. We have got our war and the freedom train is in motion. We are heading north to join PG-7 and our commander-in-chief, his Excellency Prof Berhanu Nega, whom we affectionately call the “desert fox”.
We salute you Shambel Belayneh and kings to you. We shall never forget you and the battle cry is reverberating……
