Gashaw Adal was born in Ethiopia’s Wollo region. He stepped in to the music world when he joined the “Black Lion Band” which was owned by the famous singer Ayalew Mesfin. He worked in the band as a dancer. After a time at the “Black Lion Band” Gashaw worked in several night clubs with the famous singer Ali Birra.
Gashaw has a talent of singing in various languages both local and foreign. Amharic, Oromo and Somali as well as Afar were the local languages he sang in and of the foreign languages. Arabic is the one in which he sang Sudanese songs.
Apart from singing, artist Gashaw was very good in playing bass guitar. His idol was the famous oromo language singer Ali Birra.
In 1970 (EC) Gashaw left Addis Ababa headed for Asmara, a city which was then part of Ethiopia. He joined “Bengol Band” that was affiliated to the Nyala Hotel in Asmara. He became famous by singing Ali Birra’s Oromo songs as well as songs of other Amharic singers and Sudanese ones.
Gashaw was a guest singer in Asmara Police Orchestra for a long time where he forged a strong friendship with singers of the orchestra like Aklilu Seyoum, Seyoum Tilahun also with Yishak Banjaw, who was the music arranger of the orchestra.
He released his first album when he was later working in Yishak Banjaw’s “Lula Band” in Asmara. Songs like “Kolel Bey” were instant hits and won him immense admiration all over the country. Arguably it was true.
Gashaw came back to Addis and released his second album “Bemin Awekshibet”. Soon famous band in the city who saw the great talent in the singer began inviting him to work was them.
Gashaw Adal suffered from Vitiligo, a condition which involves complete loss of melanin - the primary skin pigment, and many speculate his late entrance into music was because he preferred obscurity to escape the harsh judgement of a superstititious society that considered those suffering from this skin condition as wicked and cursed.
But when he finally and courageously took the stage, parallels with the greatest was made. Some even declared a new Tilahun Gessesse was on the making. Gashaw's second name is not Adal; Adal or Afar is the name of the cushitic people in North East of Ethiopia. He is named Adal because he was from the Afar region - An Amhara who lived there.
1994 was when he released "Abay, ye bahay". This Afar song rocked Addis, and the Ethiopian TV crew seemed to not get enough of it. The world cup in USA was on and the games made more sense, because Gashaw's incredibly melodious voice was aired for hours before and after the matches.
Gashaw Adal released a total of four albums, produced or took part in over fifty song lyrics and never parted with music till his early death.
Besides his immense musical talent he had a very good skill in bakery, as he once said.
Shewandagne Hailu was born in Addis Ababa. He attended his elementary school at ‘Meskaye Hezunan’ and his high school at St. Joseph. He also had joined Addis Ababa University and was a third year management student when he decided to drop out and pursue his music career.
Shewandagne was nurturing his music talent at early age singing to his classmates and friends in school and at his neighborhood. During his high school stay at St. Joseph, he joined the school band as singer.
The school administration used to encourage music as an extra curricula activity and support the members of the school band. Administration then also bought music instrument for the band and recruited a music instructor. Thought Shewandagn's stay in St. Joseph's music band didn't not exceed more then two years, the support he had got in the school had laid the strongestfoundation for the level where he reached today. At St. Joseph, Shewandagne was highly recognized for his english songs but he also used to sing amharic ones, esspecially those of Getachew Kassa.
When Shewandagne joind university, he did not quit of playing music. He rather joind Ethio-Star Band where he used to sing twice a week. Getting the opportunity to perform on various stages Shewandagne grew his professional skills and proved himself as an accomplished musician. As his fame grew bigger, he moved to the then top bands "Sevance" and "Express"and performed on big stages.
Shewandagne Hailu - Sik Alegn (Full Album)
During his stay in two bands, Shewandagne had got the chance to play along with renowned singers such as Tewodros Kassahun aka Teddy Afro, Tigist Belachew, Abdu Kiar, Shimeles Ararso, Tsedenya Gebre Markos and many others. Shewandagn and Teddy Afro was not only share stagesbut also grew close friendship through time. Along with the well respected guitarist Girum Mezmur they form "Afro Sound Band". The tree worked together for years and managed to gain more fame with the band. The remake of Girma Beyene's "Tsigereda"was Shewandagne's firs single. The clip of the song, which was recorded live on the Ethiopian Television Studio, was a hit. The popularity of the single brought him the opportunity to perform in Djibouti, Kenya, Italy and Dubai. The positive response of the audience for his first single was serving as gauge of the success of his first album "Sik Alegn".
Following to the success of his album, he toured in Egypt, South Africa, Bahrain, UAE, Israel, Sweden, Norway, Netherlands, England and above 12 states of USA. Eight years after the release of hs album, Shewadagn still invited to perform in local and international stages.
For three years, Shewandagne spend good times with "Zion band". With various bands, he performed on the popular local stages of Buffet De Lagare, Illusion, Hilton, Sheraton Gas Light and Harelm Jazz. His unique way of performnig able to attracted a number of fans. In 2004, Shewandagne together with Tsadenya Gebre Markos and Hadey Haile represented Ethiopia and competed Kora, South Africa based music award competition.
Beside his profession, Shewandagne grew his interest of managing night clubs since the release of his first album. As they did on "Afro Sound Band", Shewandagne and Teddy Afro ventured on bussines of managing night clubs after the success of "Sik Alegn". They rented the then popular hangout place "Lion Club", and turned in to the number one music destination of the city.
The six month short lived but most successful trial of the night club bussiness encouraged Shewandagne to fully engage on this area. Along with his three friends, he opened the well known "Fahrenheit"club, located adjacent to Bole Medhanialem, six years ago. Beyonfd his managerial position in the night club, every week he is performing twice. Shewandagne is a keen participant of concerts, social and fundraising events.
For major part of his music career Shewandagne used to play English music and his original works also consists modern styles, he has also popular local touch.
Shewandagne is often mentioned among the singers who are credited on their creation and influence on the modern styles of the Ethiopian music industry.
Melaku Belay is an Ethiopian traditional dancer born in Addis Abeba in 1980. He showed interest in learning the different kind of dances that punctuates the everyday life of Ethiopian people early in life.
Melaku is above all a free spirit who has refused to restrain himself in an imposed and academic “traditional” style. As a self-taught dancer, he has taken his inspiration inside the Ethiopian society itself, and among the bearers of the tradition. Throughout his career, he has tried to create and develop his own style according to his own experiences and research through his country, with a touch of improvisation and fantasy.
Melaku is not only a dancer, he is also "a cultural entrepreneur" trying to support and develop the cultural and musical wealth of his country.
Since 2008, he is managing one of the most famous Azmari place in Addis Abeba, the Fendika by introducing an innovative idea to his traditional setting. Indeed, during the special events which regularly occur in Fendika, he has invited many guests, from both Ethiopian and foreign spheres, creating a place which offers a symbiosis between tradition and modernity.
Melaku Belay - Sora Sora
Fendika, a troupe of the most accomplished azmari musicians and dancers from Addis Ababa, draws deeply from the well of Ethiopia’s bardic tradition while adding creative movements and sounds that revitalize their ancient artistic forms. Passionately committed to the preservation and development of traditional culture, group leader and dancer Melaku Belay has established two traditional performing groups – the smaller elite group Fendika and the 12-member Ethiocolor. Fendika features seven performers – two dancers, two singers, and instruments including kebero drums, masenko (a one-stringed bowed fiddle), and krar (a five- or six-stringed lyre). Founded in 2009 by Melaku Belay, Ethiopia’s leading dancer and a respected cultural ambassador, the ensemble is based at Melaku’s renowned music club Fendika Azmari Bet in the Kazanchis neighborhood of Addis Ababa. In Ethiopian culture, an azmari bet is a traditional house of music where people come to be entertained, informed, and sometimes playfully insulted by the azmari who serve as current events commentators while they dance, sing, and play for tips.
Melaku is a virtuoso interpreter of eskista, a traditional Ethiopian trance dance of athletic shoulder movements that presage hip hop movements of breaking and popping. Now a highly respected cultural ambassador, Melaku grew up as a street kid, learning many regional dances of Ethiopia through participation in religious festivals such as Timqat, folk ceremonies, and everyday activities in Addis Ababa and the countryside where music and dance are a vital part of cultural and spiritual expression. Melaku has traveled throughout Ethiopia to learn the dance traditions of the country’s 80 tribal groups. The musicians and dancers of Fendika present a cultural journey starting in the highlands of Tigray, Wollo, Gonder, and Gojam, also including dances from the Somali and Afar regions and southern Ethiopian dance forms from the Gurage, Wolaita, and Konso traditions.
In 2011 Melaku won the Alliance Ethio-Francaise (Addis Ababa) award for dance excellence. On May 5 2015 he was named as a Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres , in recognition of his exceptional artistic career, by the French Ministry of Culture and Communications - an extremely prestigious honor.
Melaku and Fendika also extend their base of tradition to new areas of musical exploration, developing strong performance partnerships with Ethiopian jazz bands Addis Acoustic Project and the US-based Debo Band, as well as international groups such as Le Baroque Nomade, Ukandanz, Akalé Wubé, Arat Kilo, and especially European punk band The Ex. The group has performed with legendary Ethiopian singer Mahmoud Ahmed and begena player Alemu Aga, while Melaku has collaborated with Éthiopiques founder Francis Falceto, Italian singer Saba Anglana, and Italian saxophonist Enzo Favata, among many others. Fendika has appeared in Scandinavia, France, Spain, Mali, Zanzibar, Holland, Belgium, Germany, Italy, and the Czech Republic; they rocked the Roskilde Festival in Denmark in July 2014, earning a rave review. Members of the group toured the US in 2011, 2012, and 2013 with stops at the Lowell and Richmond Folk Festivals, the International Festival of Arts and Ideas, and Kennedy Center as well as Lincoln Center where their performance received great acclaim from the New York Times . Ethiocolor performed as a showcase band at the prestigious Womex Festival in October 2014 and toured Europe twice during 2015 with The Ex, returning to Germany and Scandinavia in August 2015. Melaku traveled to Italy to perform at a fundraising concert for a school in Addis. Fendika/Ethiocolor performed in Israel for the Jerusalem Sacred Music festival in September 2015. The group was a highlight at globalFEST, the premier world music showcase in New York, on January 17, 2016.
Fendika has compiled two CDs of their music: Addis Tradition (2013)andEthiocolor, the 2014 disc produced by Selam Sounds. The video Ethiocolor 360◦ was selected as one of the top 15 of 2015 by OkayAfrica.
Fendika performances run from 45 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes, depending on the venue requirements. Their show builds in sonic and dance intensity, often culminating in an exciting interaction as Fendika members join the audience to invite dance participation. Fendika workshops (usually one hour) engage students of all ages in learning and experiencing Ethiopian rhythms and movements.
Fendika is deeply committed to engagement and interaction between audience and performer. They love to offer workshops for all ages before or after performances, to teach their dance steps, musical notes, rhythms, and the history and background of Ethiopian traditional music and dance. Fendika has experience from the folk festivals of the US and in educational programs in France in participating in “World Sounds” or “World Dance” workshops on stage, featuring musicians from several cultures who demonstrate their art and then exchange and collaborate resulting in a group performance on stage. They are also very skilled at participating in panel discussions on topics such as the role of tradition in contemporary culture, also inviting questions and observations from the audience.
"The rhythmic virtuosity of Melaku was often astounding. He can turn either the upper or lower body into an electrifying vehicle of rapid pulsation...Simply to see him sway his body to the music was a marvel: the angle of his out-held elbows, the pliancy of his spine, the rhythmic point of those shoulders all made their sensuous contributions. A happily superlative artist."
