R E U P L O A D Tesfa Mariam Kidane / Tesfa-Maryam Kidane / Tesfamariam Kidane / Tèsfa-Maryam Kidané
A well seasoned Eritrean-American artist who has made the WashingtonD.C. area his home for the last three decades is embarking on a mission. Tesfamariam is one of the pioneer Eritrean saxophonists who had left a musical footprint in the sixties and early seventies at the advent of "modern" music in Asmara and Addis Ababa.
Essentially Tesfamariam was amongst the number of Eritrean artists who were key contributors to the development of modern music in Ethiopia. A league of creative greats such as, Saxophonist/bass guitarist Fekaddu Andemeskel, lead guitarist Tekle Adhanom, lead guitarist/vocalist Tewolde Reda, composer Abubakar Ashaker ( Kbur Zebegna Band), Composer/Teacher Colonel Girmay Abdu (Kbur Zebegna Band), and vocalist & percussionist Tekle Tesfazghi. And later, the Roha band that consisted of mostly Eritrean members lead by the creative and entrepreneurial minded guitarist Selam Seyoum.
Finally, after several years of self imposed hiatus, Tesfamariam has put a long awaited CD together that chronicles his life in music aptly entitled My Life in Music.
Tesfamariam's CD stands out in more ways than one. In fact one would be hard-pressed to find another Eritrean "instrumental" album to compare it with. Eritrean musicians produced music in the past daubed "instrumental", by and large nothing considered distinctive or groundbreaking. As far as I can tell none attempted to produce an original composition however mediocre it may have sounded. All were an instrumental version of older songs sang by one vocalist or another.
R E U P L O A D Jean L. Jenkins – Ethiopie - Musique Traditionelle Format: Vinyl, LP, Album Country: France Released: 1967 Genre: Folk, World, & Country Style: Folk
Musique Traditionelle D'Ethiopie / Traditional Music Of Ethiopia A1 La "Harpe De David" / The "Harp Of David" Vocals, Lyre – Unknown Artist A2Office Chretien / Christmas Service Vocals, Percussion – Unknown Artist A3Office Du Sabbat / Sabbath Service Vocals – Falasha A4Priere Quotidienne / Daily Prayers Vocals – Falasha A5Chant D'Amour / Love Song Vocals – Adaré A6Musique De Danse / Dance Music Vocals, Percussion – Kunama A7Solo De Toum / Toum Solo Mbira [Toum] – Anuak A8Ambassel / Ambassel Vocals, Violin [Masenqo] – Amhara A9Foukara / Fukara Vocals – Amhara B1Ensemble De Flutes / Flute Ensemble Ensemble [Flute] – Gidole B2Chilota / Shilota Vocals, Handclaps – Gidole B3Chant De Chamelier / Camel Driver's Song Vocals – Unknown Artist B4Chant De Circoncision / Circumcision Song Vocals – Unknown Artist B5Chant Pour Plaisanter (À Quatre Parties) / Joking Song (Four-Part) Vocals – Dorzé* B6Ouachint / Washint Flute – Kullo B7Musique De Danse / Danse Music Vocals – Qottu B8Chant De Travail / Work Song Vocals, Percussion – Borana Credits : Directed By [Published Under The Direction Of] – G. Rouget Edited By [Technical Editor] – J. Schwarz Recorded By, Liner Notes – Jean L. Jenkins Notes : Recorded 1964 and 1966 in Ethiopia (Horniman Museum, London) Track A1 recorded in Addis Alem Track A2 recorded at the Ethipian Christian Church at Lalibela Track A3 and A4 recorded in Ambobar Track A5 recorded in Adaré, Harar City Track A6 recorded in Barentu, Eritrea Prov. Track A7 recorded in Gambela Track A8 is a classic Amharic Folk song recorded in Dessie Track A9 is a Amharic war song recorded in Gondar Track B1 and B2 recorded in Gidole, Gemu-Gofa Prov. Track B3 recorded in Batié, Aussa (Northern Danakil) Track B4 recorded in Gheouani, Adal (Southern Danakil) Track B5 recorded in Tchentcha, Gemu-Gofa Prov. Track B6 recorded in Bonga, Kaffa Prov. Track B7 recorded in Asbe Teferi, Harar Prov. Track B8 recorded in Arero, Sidamo Prov.
Christianity came to Ethiopia in the 4th century and received no outside influence for many years due to its geographic isolation. Its musical and gesture practices thus appear to reflect ancestral Christian rites. The Ethiopian Orthodox Christian Church is a Monophysite Church. It considers that Christ has only one nature, the divine nature which absorbs the human nature. It shares these Christological theses with the Coptic Church under whose supervision it remained until 1959. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church has been autocephalous since 1959 and is now led by the Patriarch ’Abuna Õawølos.
Orthodox Christianity is the majority religion in present day Ethiopia, including slightly more than half of the population. Orthodox Christians are found mostly in the north of the country, on the northern high plateaus,the historical heart of Ethiopia. Christianity was introduced via the kingdom of Axum,which corresponds to the northern part ofEthiopia and Eritrea.
The religious music of the Ethiopian Church is designated by the generic term zemæ. According to legend, Saint Yæred discovered and established zemæ in the 6th century with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Three birds from the Garden of Eden guided Saint Yæred to the heavenly Jerusalem where zemæ was revealed to him. He saw twenty-four priests of Heaven dancing, accompanied by the instrumentsthat the Ethiopian Church still uses today. For Ethiopian Christians, ’aqwaqwam, which is a part of zemæ, is an accurate reproduction of the dance and music of heaven taught to people by Saint Yæred. Saint Yæred is an important saint for Ethiopian priests and cantors.The entire Ethiopian liturgy is sung, in unison, with the exception of the Scriptures,
which are read. The chants are sung in Gueze, a Semitic language from Axum which is now used only in the Ethiopian Christian Church. Three modes are used: gø‘øz (hemitonic pentatonic), ‘øzøl and ‘ÄrÄrÄyø (anhemitonic pentatonic). The formulism on which this music is based brings it homogeneity.
The liturgical chant of the Ethiopian Church involves long prayers. The pieces are built on the principle of text repetition, often sung very slowly and with rich ornamentation. We must take the time to listen to the pieces all the way through in order to hear the whole text and to follow the development of the chant, which becomes more intense and fervent as it goes on. The ’aqwaqwam principle, pieces of which are presented in these recordings, is above all one of endurance in prayer: ’aqwaqwam means literally “the (right) way to stand”. This word refers to the long services during which the cantors must remain standing. When God is praised using ’aqwaqwam, this is always during important ceremonies where a beautiful and dignified posture is called for, which means standing for the Ethiopians. ’Aqwaqwam, is not so much a dance in the strict sense, but above all an idea of stature in the etymological sense of the word – from the Latin stare, “to stand”. While the movements of ’aqwaqwam can appear as choreographies during which the participants change places, they are often relatively simple and “static”: the cantors move the top halves of their bodies back and forth in a rocking motion, moving their arms from right to left or playing a musical instrument so that it becomes a “dance instrument” while the lower half of the body remains immobile. Beyond its etymology, ’aqwaqwam is a generic term that covers chants accompanied by instruments and movements. The instruments used are the sistrum, the drum and the prayer stick, which provide purely rhythmic accompaniment. Mäqwamøya, or prayer stick, is an Amharic term with the same etymology as the word ’aqwaqwam. It serves as a support for the cantors who remain standing throughout the ceremonies. Holding it is part of the noble appearance sought for the ’aqwaqwam services. It is made of wood with a head of ivory, wood or metal – iron, copper, silver or gold –, which represents, with its horn shapes, the head of a lamb, the symbol of Christ. The overall shape of the mäqwamøya evokes Christ’s Cross. This is the only instrument allowed during Lent. The sistrum, or ñänañøl, has a wood, horn or metal handle topped by a trapezoidal frame made of ornately worked iron, copper, silver or gold. Two thin metal bars horizontally connect the two lateral uprights; they each support metal loops or squares which strike each other and bump against the sides of the trapezoid when the cantors shake the ñänañøl. There are five small metal loops or squares representing the five mysteries of the Ethiopian orthodox religion: the Holy Trinity, the Holy Incarnation, the Holy Baptism, the Holy Eucharist and the Holy Resurrection. Each cantor holds a ñänañøl in his right hand and moves it back and forth. According to some informants, the sound of the ñänañøl symbolizes the sound of the wings of the seraphim and cherubim that Saint Yæred heard in heaven. The symbolism attached to the instruments often seems to be a later interpretation however: the Ethiopians interpret the shape and the sonority of the sistrum from a Christian standpoint, although the instrument existed in Egypt at the time of the pharaohs
The kabaro is a membranophone. It is a conical wooden drum with two cowhide membranes. It is wrapped in a cloth covered with strips of cowhide which tie the two membranes together and hold them against the body of the drum. The small membrane is struck with the left hand (bare handed), the large one with the right hand. There are two playing positions: sitting or standing. The number of players varies as a function of the space in the church, the ideal number being two. The ’aqwaqwam is sung during festive services: annual and monthly celebrations and on Sundays. Outside of these occasions, i.e. outside of ’aqwaqwam, the chants are a cappella,
with no movements and no instrumental accompaniment. The cantors (mazamrÄn) take places according to their hierarchy in a space reserved for them within the church, the qøne mæÉølet.
Only men are allowed to perform the services. They are dressed in white. Some are professionals, others are students of liturgical chanting (see diagram next page). The ’aqwaqwam takes the form of chants that can be antiphons (’angargæri, ’øsma la‘ælam…), poems (malk) or improvised texts (qøne). Depending on the particular celebration, the ’angargæri type antiphon, for example, may have a different text but with formal and musical constants. The musical principle of ’aqwaqwam is as follows: the cantors sing a given text in several successive versions that correspond to the same number of musical categories. The melody, rhythm, instrumental accompaniment and gestures vary from one category to another. While the various versions of a given malk, for example, are related, the links to be found are more those between two identical musical categories from two different malk. There are seven categories: zømame, qum ñänañøl, märägd, óøfat, wäräb, ’amälaläs and ÜäbÜäbo. Not all of the chants are sung in the seven versions, for some there are only two or four…
The recordings illustrate each of these categories at least once. ’Aqwaqwam is taught within churches by a master cantor known as märi geta. Each church follows a certain school of chanting, which defines, for certain pieces and certain categories, musical and movement performance elements that distinguish it from other schools. Depending on the church in which the cantor learned ’aqwaqwam, he will perform it in a certain manner, different from that of churches that follow others schools of chanting. There are four different schools of chant: taÜ bet, layø bet, sankwa and täkle. While belonging to a given school of chanting influences the musical execution of a piece, it does not modify the basic principle of ’aqwaqwam, i.e. the successive performance of several musical versions of the same text. The four schools use the same musical categories.
We have indicated below the schools to which the cantors who sing the various pieces belong.
Between ethiogroove and modern music you find a musical hybrid called Ukandanz. Intense and powerful songs, mixed with energetic rock, jazz improvisation and Ethiopic soul.
Asnake Guebreyes originates from the vibrant music scene in Addis Abeba where he’s worked with traditional vocal- and drum styles. He appears on the Ethiopiques vol. 18 compilation and has worked with Han Bennik amongst others.
The members of Ukandanz willingly cross different musical borders, at the same time they also maintain the musical identity and origin.
Ethiopia is a world unto itself; European colonists never got a grip on the inaccessible country; not even the Italians. Ethiopian music reflects its’ history; the conspiratorial, oriental melodies and elusive rhythms have little in common with any other form of music. The members of the Ethiopian/French formation uKanDanZ – being heard for the first time in The Netherlands! – play a staggeringly potent blend of traditional melodies, groovy lines from Addis Abeba and hardcore rock. The intensity of their music makes many punk formations seem pale in comparison.
I N C L U D I N G N E W , B E T T E R R I P The Life and Times of Menelik Wossenachew December 24, 2009 marked the one year anniversary of the passing of the wonderful, incredibly talented singer, music writer and lyricist, Menelik Wossenachew. Below is a piece I wrote for Horizon Ethiopia’s November issue. What makes one artist a legend and another with equal or more talent obscure? That was the question that popped in my head when I saw the reaction to Tilahun Gessesse’s passing. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the man. He was an incredible performer and had one of the best voices I’ve come across. And I believe the reaction he received was well deserved. The question for me was, how come I didn’t see 1% of the same reaction when the veteran and amazing talent, Menelik Wossenachew passed away four months prior? A scan in the life and times of the gentle crooner might answer the question.
Early Years
Menelik Wossenachew was born in 1940 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; although he grew up in the city of Harar where he went to a French school. Later on, he dropped out of high school and joined Alliance Ethio-Française in Addis Ababa for five years. In 1960 he joined the Haile Selassie I Theatre Orchestra. He was fist hired as a backup vocalist but quickly became a favorite of the director of the Orchestra, the grandfather of all arrangers; Nerses Nalbandian.
The first two songs he sang on stage were Almaz Eyasebkush and Fiqer Lemn Yiqer. Other hits continued including Afer Atinfegign, Fiker Bastergwami, Yachi Lij Konjo Nat, Teyaqiyew Biaschegregn (Ene Wushetenew,) YeHarerwa WeTat, Fiker Ayarjim, and Sukar Sukar. The last two were written by clarinet player, Merawi Sitot and their music was taken from two popular Sudanese tunes. Nerses Nalbandian was so impressed with Menelik’s vocal range that he had him sing opera as well.
Coming Of Age
In 1965, while still at the orchestra, Menelik joined the second Ras Band which had been assembled by Girma Beyene when the first band left to play at the newly built Ghion Hotel. The second Ras Band consisted of Girma Beyene (piano & English vocals), Tesfamariam Kidane (saxophone), Hailu “Zehon” Kebede (bass), Girma Zemariam (drums), Menelik Wossenachew and Seyfu Yohannes (vocalists). The songs Wub Natand Tikura were performed by Menelik Wossenachew while he was at the Ras Band. Menelik Wossenachew and Girma Beyene continued their friendship and collaboration after the Ras Band disbanded in the late 1960’s.
In the early 1970s Menelik recorded several tracks for Phillips Ethiopia including Fikrachin, Mambo Sambo, Aderch Arada and Tebeb Teqami New. The first two were recorded with the All Star Band and arranged by Mulatu Astatqe while the last two were recorded with the Haile Selassie I Theatre Orchestra and arranged by Nerses Nalbandian.
Tebeb Teqami New was very famous as it was used as the opening to an education program on Ethiopian Radio. Around the same time period he recorded: Nefes Eko Nat (Sele Wubetwa Sadenq,) Asha Gedawo, Menew Bacher Qere, Eshet Eshet, Chereqa, Meqabren Liyew, Tizeta, Belew Bedubaye, Bati and Min Nekash. With the exception of Bati> and Min Nekash (Phillips Ethiopia) all of these tracks were recorded by Amha Eshete (Amha Records). By this time, Menelik’s smooth as silk voice was gaining recognition and his ballads invariably left listeners wanting to hear more.
Menelik was not only vocally talented but a wonderful lyricist as well. Apart from what he wrote for himself (Fikrachin, Mambo Sambo, Nefes Eko Nat, Asha Gedawo, Menew Bacher Qere, Eshet Eshet, Chereqa, Meqabren Liyew, Tizeta, Belew Bedubaye, and Bati) he wrote two incredible songs: Tilahun Gessesse’s Lanchi Biye (he also composed the music for this) and Mahmoud Ahmed’s Fitsum Dinq Lij Nesh.
Parts of Lanchi Biye were recently sampled by the Somalian hip hop artist, K’Naan for his song America. Chereqa(Moon) is a song based on the children song Chereqa Dembulboqa. The beautiful Meqabren Liyew (Let me see my grave) is an eerie song about Menelik’s wish to see his resting place before his death, an unimaginable thought to a majority of Ethiopians.
In the mid 70’s Menelik joined the Walias Band where his friend and old colleague, Girma Beyene was a member. At that time the Walias Band was performing at the Hilton Hotel and Menelik was welcomed as a seasoned performer, regularly performing in Italian and Sudanese as well as Amharic. By that time though, the political climate brought about by the Derg’s revolution in 1974, had begun to make Menelik feel acutely uncomfortable.
Though he stayed several years after the revolution his unwavering independence made him a target from all sides of the political spectrum. He decided to end his collaboration with the Haile Selassie I Theatre Orchestra and the Walias Band and go on a self-imposed exile, first to Sudan and later to Egypt. Though he became a distant figure to his fans in Ethiopia, he became a sought after performer both in Sudan and Egypt.
Late Years
After a total of 14 years in exile Menelik returned to Ethiopia in 1993 with the help of Mohammed Al-Amoudi, the Ethiopian-Saudi businessman. In 1995 Menelik Wossenachew released a CD entitled, Gash Jembere on Ethio-Grooves record. The CD was a compilation of his best hits including the title track which Menelik sang as an ode to Mohammed Al-Amoudi for his kindness and assistance shown to him. It should be noted that Gash Jemebere was a taxi driver near the Itege Hotel (named Awraris Hotel during the Derg) who was known for his kindness.
Apart from special occasions Menelik didn’t perform. I was very fortunate to see him perform one song, Teyaqiyew Biaschegregn (Ene Wushetenew,) in Addis Ababa for the Millennium (GC) festivities. The man still had the voice. One of the last shows he performed was at the 50th Anniversary celebrating the creation of the Haile Selassie Theatre in December 2005.
Menelik Wossenachew’s private life was just that, private! Getachew Debalqe, his friend and old colleague remembers Menelik as a very discreet and shy person but a very talented soul. He shares a story how one of Menelik’s brother was surprised to see Menelik perform live at the theatre as he was not aware of his sibling’s musical career at that time.
Menelik remained a bachelor up until his death and was known to have fathered several children. Menelik died on December 24, 2008 from pneumonia. He was contemplating a comeback and had gone to South Africa to fix an ear problem. Girma Beyene, upon learning of Menelik’s passing, paid the ultimate tribute to his fallen friend.
“He was a one man show. Not only was he one of the most talented singers I came across but also one of the smartest [Menelik could speak Amharic, Tigrigna, English, French, Italian and Arabic]. I’ll miss his kindness, his voice and above all I’ll miss his friendship.”
So coming back to the question I raised on the onset of this piece. Why fame for one and obscurity for another? I guess there are no clear answers. Maybe its luck or because he had stayed away from music during his exile or that he didn’t have quite the discography as others (Tilahun Gessesse, Mahmoud Ahmed, and Alemayehu Eshete) or that he didn’t jump start his career upon his return. Whatever the reason in the end what is important is that his contribution to the development of contemporary Ethiopian music should be recognized and not forgotten.
