v.a. - Ernesto Chahoud presents TAITU - Soul-fuelled Stompers from 1960s-1970s Ethiopia [2018] [ethiopia]

       Ernesto Chahoud’s Taitu is a collection of soul-fuelled stompers straight from the dancefloors of 1970s Addis Ababa. A breathless journey through the unique Ethio sound that bands were forging at the time, the 24-track compilation is the result of the Lebanese DJ and crate digger’s decade long love affair with the ‘golden age’ of Ethiopian music.

Tilahun Gessesse - Aykedashim Libe

        Among the musical gems featured are 7″s by some of the heavyweights of the scene including Mulatu Astatke and Alemayehu Eshete, the vocalist dubbed the ‘Ethiopian Elvis’, alongside tracks by more obscure artists such as Merawi Yohannis and Birkineh Wurga.

           For Taitu, Chahoud has selected 24 of his essential Ethio-Soul 7″s, that never leave his DJ box, and together they capture this opportune moment in Ethiopian music history that saw bands experiment with an armful of influences: gliding through R&B, rock & roll, jazz, funk, soul and boogaloo. What came out was a distinctly Ethiopian interpretation: pentatonic scales, horn-driven melodies and soul-shattering vocals sung in Amharic.

           The songs are difficult to box in to one genre but they share a simplicity and rawness, added to by their lo-fi quality – with many recordings made in rudimentary studios with only a couple of mics for the entire band.

         From the R&B stomper ‘Honey Baby’ by Alemayehu Eshete to Astatke’s swaggering ethnic-jazz instrumental ‘Emnete’ and the bluesy melancholic vocals of Hirut Bekele on ‘Ewnetegna Feker’, ‘Taitu’ is a window in on the exciting records being made in Ethiopia in the 1970s.

Menelik Wossenatchew - 01 - Fikratchin (3:05)

Mulatu Astatke - 02 - Emnete (3:28)

Tèshomè Meteku - 03 - Hasabe (4:00)

Birkineh Wurga - 04 - Alkedashim (3:16)

Selomon Shibeshi - 05 - Endiet Zenegashiw (4:06)

Alemayehu Eshete - 06 - Chiro Adarie Negne (4:27)

Hirut Bekele - 07 - Ewnetegna Feker (3:15)

Bezunesh Bekele - 08 - Felagote (2:56)

Alemayehu Eshete - 09 - Mekeyershene Salawke (1:48)

Tilahun Gessesse - 10 - Aykedashim Libe (4:57)

Merawi Yohannis - 11 - Teleyeshign (2:27)

Alemayehu Eshete, Hirut Bekele, Hirut Bekele & Alemayehu Eshete - 12 - Temelese (3:19)

Alemayehu Eshete - 13 - Honey Baby (2:37)

Seifu Yohannes - 14 - Ebo Lala (3:34)

Bezunesh Bekele - 15 - Aha Gedawo (3:52)

Alemayehu Borobor - 16 - Yeshebelewa (3:35)

Seifu Yohannes - 17 - Mela Mela (4:09)

Tilahun Gessesse - 18 - Sigibgib Joroye (3:28)

Alemayehu Eshete - 19 - Gizew Honeshyna (2:39)

Bahta G. Hiwot - 20 - Tessassategn Eko (4:02)

Gétatchèw Kassa - 21 - Fikrishin Eshaleyu (3:22)

Hirut Bekele - 22 - Almokerkum Nebere (3:21)

Muluken Melesse - 23 - Alagegnhwatem (4:07)

Ménélik Wossenachew - 24 - Tezeta (4:28)

Tamrat Molla - 25 - Ene Yewodedquat (4:14)

Melaku Tegene - Ambassel Tewesta Instrumental, Vol.1 [2017] [ethiopia]

Melaku Tegene - 01 - Wub Aynama (7:11)

Melaku Tegene - 02 - Tidar Yastelash (5:33)

Melaku Tegene - 03 - Wedejeshalew (6:55)

Melaku Tegene - 04 - Akal Ayneshen (5:00)

Melaku Tegene - 05 - Setenafeqegn (5:42)

Melaku Tegene - 06 - Min Tadergiwalesh (6:42)

Melaku Tegene - 07 - Wedejesh (8:04)

Melaku Tegene - 08 - Sayunora (4:58)

Melaku Tegene - 09- Yekerta (5:35)

Melaku Tegene - 10 - Sebebegna (5:56)

Melaku Tegene - 11 - Yager Lij (5:18)

Mahmoud Ahmed - Ere Mela Mela [1976] vinyl version [ethiopia]

    R  E  U  P  L  O  A  D   

        Mahmoud Ahmed sang at weddings and family gatherings from a very early age, but while he was still a child, his family became homeless when his father lost his job. Forced to work as a shoeshine boy, the young Ahmed’s education inevitably suffered and he was expelled from school for poor attendance. Following his headmaster’s advice that his only possible salvation lay in music, Ahmed soon became known locally for his powerful voice as well as his skills as a dancer of the twist and calypso. He worked as a painter’s assistant and kitchen porter at the Arizona Club, a fashionable Addis Ababa nightspot. One evening, he begged his way into performing a song with a band at the club, receiving rapturous applause and launching his musical career. He became the vocalist with the Imperial Bodyguard Band in the early 60s, subsequently remaining with them for 11 years.

        Ahmed’s first album was released in 1972 and he has since made numerous recordings for the local market as well as performing with many of Ethiopia’s top bands and musicians. In 1986, the Belgian record label Crammed Discs released Erè Mèla Mèla, a compilation of Ahmed’s recordings from the 70s and one of the first albums of modern Ethiopian music available in the west. Critical response was highly favourable and a European tour followed a year later. Soul Of Addis was originally released in Ethiopia in 1985 and, while not as intense as the 70s recordings, nevertheless offered a fine showcase for Ahmed’s spellbinding voice. The Paris, France-based label Buda Musique has also released several Ahmed albums in their Éthiopiques series.

       Something of a local institution, Ahmed still performs regularly in Addis Ababa, as well as owning and running a record label and a nightclub. He sings in a variety of local and international styles but consistently returns to the tizita (a slow and intense local form of the blues). His multi-octave voice is similar to that of Pakistani singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (who died in 1997), a veritable force of nature that combines the ecstatic devotional pleading of qawwali with the precise tone and phrasing of Western jazz singers.

Mahmoud Ahmed  - Ere Mela Mela (Full)

1 - Mahmoud Ahmed - Sidetegnash Negn/Samiraye

2 - Mahmoud Ahmed - Indenesh Gedawo

3 - Mahmoud Ahmed - Bemin Sebeb Litlash

4 - Mahmoud Ahmed - Abay Mado/Imbwa Belew

5 - Mahmoud Ahmed - Atawurulogn Lela

6 - Mahmoud Ahmed - Ohoho Gedama

7 - Mahmoud Ahmed - Ere Mela Mela/Metche New

8 - Mahmoud Ahmed - Fetsum Dink Lidj Nesh

Samson Berhanu - Ambassel Tewesta Instrumental, Vol. 3 [2017] [ethiopia]

Samson Berhanu - 01 - Awaash (6:11)
Samson Berhanu - 02 - Dafiidafii (6:40)
Samson Berhanu - 03 - Hedd Na Darartee (5:11)
Samson Berhanu - 04 - Hiiq-As (5:38)
Samson Berhanu - 05 - Abbichuu (5:28)
Samson Berhanu - 06 - Ayyaana La Latu (5:28)
Samson Berhanu - 07 - Loobola (5:42)
Samson Berhanu - 08 - Galaanni Gibee (7:06)
Samson Berhanu - 09 - Tessoon (6:35)
Samson Berhanu - 10 - Aadaakeenya (4:29)
Samson Berhanu - 11 - Dumbushee (7:11)

v.a. - ETH [2017] [ethiopia]

Aselefech Ashine & Getenesh Kebret - Metche New

Tsehay Hailu - 01 - Eshururu [Ethiopian Lullaby] (0:55)

Argaw Bedaso - 02 - Alem Birre Ney Ney (4:34)

Selamawit Gabre Selassie - 03 - Ahun Dekemesk Agebaye (2:41)

Telela Kebede - 04 - Kelemawa (3:11)

Teferi Feleqe - 05 - Kelkiyilgne (4:12)

Issatu Tessema - 06 - Ayamaru Eshete (4:00)

Alemayehu Borobor - 07 - Tez Aleng Hagere (3:29)

Besrat Hailu & Itiyopia Girma Mariam  - 08 - Ashagedaw (4:22)

Mulugeta Tlahun & Negash Tekie - 09 - Yewyen Abebaie (2:56)

Negash Tekie - 10 - Atibreie (3:51)

Assegedetch Kassa - 11 - Marewa (4:16)

Belaynesh Wubante and Assegedetch Asfaw - 12 - Alemiye (2:37)

Aselefech Ashine & Getenesh Kebret - 13 - Metche New (3:32)

Teferra Kassa - 14 - no info (3:47)

Bezuayene Zegeye - 15 - Woinai (3:59)

Tadele Bekele - 16 - Enafiqishalew (2:53)

Wubshaw Sileshi - 17 - Yih New Getinet (3:24)

Tamrat Ferengi - 18 - Anchin Yagegnulet (4:03)

Selomon Shibeshi - 19 - Endet Zenegashiw (4:06)

Wubeshet Fisseha - 20 - Maleda (3:13)

Munaye Menberu - 21 - Gublie (4:31)

Telela Kebede - 22 - YeTizita Roro (4:00)

Tigist Shibabaw - 23 - Eshururu (3:20)

Ephrem Tamiru - 3 old albums [ethiopia]

   P  O  O  R     R  I  P  S     (but who cares)   

         Ephrem Tamiru is one of the best Ethiopian musician since 70's. In fact he is still successful Artist in Ethiopia.

Ephrem Tamiru - Geday Nesh Geday

01. Ephrem Tamiru - Monmuane nesh (5:38)

02. Ephrem Tamiru - Geday nesh geday (7:55)

03. Ephrem Tamiru - Gojosh Yeshalal (7:02)

04. Ephrem Tamiru - Erefew Lebe (9:29)

05. Ephrem Tamiru - Ken sitel (8:40)

06. Ephrem Tamiru - Wey lebe (6:58)

07. Ephrem Tamiru - Yecheger yelem wey (6:21)

08. Ephrem Tamiru - Yetibebun neger (4:59)

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Ephrem Tamiru - Neyelegn

01. Ephrem Tamiru - a 01 - Neyelegn (5:13)
02. Ephrem Tamiru - a 02 - Akale (6:37)
03. Ephrem Tamiru - a 03 - Azerash Alugn (4:33)
04. Ephrem Tamiru - a 04 - Tew Lebe (5:15)
05. Ephrem Tamiru - a 05 - Tizetayen Semi (5:04)
06. Ephrem Tamiru - b 01 - Merakeshin Eyayu (8:49)
07. Ephrem Tamiru - b 01 - Tazebesh hode (5:22)
08. Ephrem Tamiru - b 02 - Yagere Lej (5:28)
09. Ephrem Tamiru - b 04 - Yachi Melke Kena (5:04)
10. Ephrem Tamiru - b 05 - Yene Adey Abeba (7:25)

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Ephrem Tamiru - Selam Lebelesh

01. Ephrem Tamiru - Telakegn lebe (8:21)

02. Ephrem Tamiru - Emnete aderash new (7:43)

03. Ephrem Tamiru - Yegeter fikrachen (6:45)

04. Ephrem Tamiru - Enkelfen atahu (6:33)

05. Ephrem Tamiru - Anchiw nesh hememe (7:14)

06. Ephrem Tamiru - Alchel belual hode (8:48)

07. Ephrem Tamiru - Kegaraw bashager (4:39)

08. Ephrem Tamiru - Abre negn (4:05)

09. Ephrem Tamiru - Yene tafache (5:42)

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