Blogtrotters

Wednesday, March 13, 2019

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)


Thursday, February 7, 2019

The Music of Ethiopia - [1967] - Azmari Music of the Amharas (Anthology AST 6000, recorded by Ashenafi Kebede (LP)) [ethiopia]




Another extraordinary blog dedicated to world music sound I just found is :


MusicRepublic - World Traditional Music from LPs and Cassettes













This anthology showcases the music of the Azmari bards, or minstrels, from the Amhara Region in Northeastern Ethiopia. Most Amharas, aka as Abyssinians, are Christians, members of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church founded in the 4th century. 







Melaku Gelaw - Misgana (Praise)





The gorgeous program featured here includes Melaku Gelaw playing solo washint wooden flute (A1, A4) and solo krar lyre (A2); and singing and playing krar (B1); Wolde Marriam singing and playing krar (A3); the powerful and inspired interplay between Asegedech Mekonnen’s spellbinding singing and Getamesay Abebe’s masinko, or masenqo, single-stringed bowed lute (A5, A6, B2, B3); and Getamesay Abebe singing and playing masinko (B4).





Melaku Gelaw (medium sized washint) - A1 - Misgana (Praise) (1:25)
Melaku Gelaw (krar) - A2 - YefiKir KeTaima (2:58)
Wolde Marriam (vocal and krar) - A3 - Satina Baburay (Heat-Driven Train of Mine) (3:07)
Melaku Gelaw (long washint) - A4 - Fanno (1:48)
M. Asegedech (vocal) / A. Getamesay (masinko) - A5 - Shilela (4:59)
M. Asegedech (vocal) / A. Getamesay (masinko) - A6 - Ambasel (4:57)




Melaku Gelaw (vocal and krar) - B1 - Shemonmuanaye (My Charming One) (2:51)
Asegedech Mekonnen (vocal) / A. Getamesay (masinko) - B2 - Tizita (5:04)
Asegedech Mekonnen (vocal) / A. Getamesay (masinko) - B3 - Bafi (5:14)
A. Getamesay (vocal and masinko) - B4 - Medina Zelesegna (5:44)










                             FULL BOOKLET INCLUDED   

Wednesday, January 30, 2019

Smizz Mayle - Manew Esu [2018] [ethiopia]














Smizz Mayle - Manew Esu





Smizz Mayle - 01 - Manew Sew (4:01)
Smizz Mayle - 02 - Shelemechigne (4:30)
Smizz Mayle - 03 - Ahun (4:31)
Smizz Mayle - 04 - Semaw Weree (3:07)
Smizz Mayle - 05 - Wesdeshiwal (3:28)
Smizz Mayle - 06 - Konjiye (3:45)
Smizz Mayle - 07 - Hugni Wuste (3:37)
Smizz Mayle - 08 - Banchi Yamral (5:01)
Smizz Mayle - 09 - Atawikewim (4:29)
Smizz Mayle - 10 - Wastina (4:15)
Smizz Mayle - 11 - Bichayen Silefa (4:15)
Smizz Mayle - 12 - Endih New Mamar (4:38)
Smizz Mayle - 13 - Merchaye (4:33)
Smizz Mayle - 14 - Sitawkibet (4:42)
Smizz Mayle - 15 - Anchin Bicha (3:39)
Smizz Mayle - 16 - Semaw Weree (4:03)


Wednesday, January 23, 2019

Tadesse Alemu - missing/unknown album [ethiopia]











Tadesse Alemu (Amharic: ታደሠ ዓለሙ) was an Ethiopian singer from Wollega who sang traditional Ethiopian songs, sometimes Christian-based, in an upbeat pop-music style with the modern-day electronic instrumentation that is characteristic of today's Ethiopian popular music. His sound, comprised primarily of traditional songs, made liberal use of electronic instrumentation.






Tadesse Alemu - Arada




Active since 1997, nothing was known about his origins. However, an interview with Alemu's wife on Voice of Ethiopia radio during fall 2007 confirmed that he had become sick and died that July in Addis Ababa of a short disease, which resulted from an infection that was caused by a stabbing wound from several years previously that had not healed properly, just before he was set to leave the country on a concert tour.



Tadesse Alemu - Partial discography:

Ethiopian Wedding Songs (1997)
Erikum (1998 or 1999)
Mahider Zema (2000)
Mishamisho (2001)
Wedding Songs (2003)











Tadesse Alemu ታደሰ ዓለሙ - 01 - የአውዳመት ቀን (5:20)
Tadesse Alemu ታደሰ ዓለሙ - 02 - ነይ ደማ (5:58)
Tadesse Alemu ታደሰ ዓለሙ - 03 - እሪኩም (6:34)
Tadesse Alemu ታደሰ ዓለሙ - 04 - ተይማነሽ (6:04)
Tadesse Alemu ታደሰ ዓለሙ - 05 - አካል ገላ (5:55)
Tadesse Alemu ታደሰ ዓለሙ - 06 - መላ ነው (6:19)
Tadesse Alemu ታደሰ ዓለሙ - 07 - አያማሩ ገላ (8:46)
Tadesse Alemu ታደሰ ዓለሙ - 08 - ወይ አራዳ (7:11)
Tadesse Alemu ታደሰ ዓለሙ - 09 - አማሌሌ (7:11)


   Amharic to latin transliteration needed   



Monday, January 21, 2019

Teddy Yo & Gentle Man - Arada, Vol. 2 [2018] [ethiopia]












Teddy Yo & Gentleman ft King Kong & Yemaryam - Africa




Teddy Yo & Gentle Man - 01 - Arada (feat. Abraham Shalaye) (0:56)
Teddy Yo & Gentle Man - 02 - Wa (feat. Get Anley) (3:42)
Teddy Yo & Gentle Man - 03 - Africa (feat. King Kong & Yemaryam) (3:18)
Teddy Yo & Gentle Man - 04 - Amalay (3:45)
Teddy Yo & Gentle Man - 05 - Alew Belegn (feat. Lij Eyasu) (3:44)
Teddy Yo & Gentle Man - 06 - Lo'o Lo'o (3:18)
Teddy Yo & Gentle Man - 07 - Werea (feat. Ziggy Zagga) (3:08)
Teddy Yo & Gentle Man - 08 - Chisu (feat. Lij Eyasu) (3:07)
Teddy Yo & Gentle Man - 09 - Esregna (3:13)
Teddy Yo & Gentle Man - 10 - Ketsehay Betach (feat. Jo Lax & Bitanya) (4:01)
Teddy Yo & Gentle Man - 11 - Endezi Endeza (3:06)
Teddy Yo & Gentle Man - 12 - Habesha Hip Hop (feat. Lij Eyasu, Alex & J Matik) (4:27)
Teddy Yo & Gentle Man - 13 - Yene Nesh (4:18)
Teddy Yo & Gentle Man - 14 - Banchiw (4:17)
Teddy Yo & Gentle Man - 15 - Andegna (feat. Jo Lax, Godana & Yemaryam) (3:41)
Teddy Yo & Gentle Man - 16 - Medhanit (feat. Abraham Shalaye) (2:14)






Friday, January 18, 2019

Yeshimebet Dubale and Fasil Demoz - 2 Famous Singers [ethiopia]









Two outstanding singers with their favorite songs.  
The music of Gondar, Wollo, Gojjam, North Shewa.
The Amharic Music of the Amhara Region





Fasil Demoz and Yeshimebet Dubale - Enchewawet




Yeshimebet Dubale and Fasil Demoz - 01 - Yeshiye (አዎ ሰላም) (6:19)
Yeshimebet Dubale የሺመቤት ዱባለ - 02 - Zemezemew (የሺመቤት ዱባለ) (6:04)
Fasil Demoz ፋሲል ደሞዝ - 03 - Lomi Nat (ፋሲል ደሞዝ) (5:38)
Yeshimebet Dubale and Fasil Demoz - 04 - Enchewawet (ኤንቹዋውት) (6:33)
Fasil Demoz ፋሲል ደሞዝ - 05 - Afi (አህ) (6:11)
Yeshimebet Dubale የሺመቤት ዱባለ - 06 - Fikri Mecheresha (ፍቅር መጨረሻ) (5:03)
Fasil Demoz ፋሲል ደሞዝ - 07 - Tebelahu (ተበላሁ) (5:55)
Yeshimebet Dubale የሺመቤት ዱባለ - 08 - Selam Selam (ሰላም ሰላም) (6:07)
Fasil Demoz ፋሲል ደሞዝ - 09 - Anchi sew (አንቺ ሰው) (6:06)
Yeshimebet Dubale የሺመቤት ዱባለ - 10 - Izezibachewi (እዘዝባቸው) (6:59)