Mister Ott - Live at Bohemian Grove [2012] [aus+eth]

       Mister Ott is the alter ego of Matt Ottignon, Sydney based Kiwi saxophonist. In particular, Matt has a keen interest and involvement with the very unique sounds of Ethiopian music. It’s that unique mixture of traditional music with jazz and soul from the 50's and 60's that is the inspiration for Mister Ott - music that washes away the dust of everyday life and gives the soul room to breathe.

MISTER OTT - Gonder [composed by Matthew Ottignon]

     Live at Venue 505, 15th June 2013

Recorded live on Sep 2nd, 2012, at Sydney's underground Sunday music series at Bohemian Grove. 

This was the band's first performance, and features all covers of Ethiopian music. The band name became Mister Ott some time after the artwork was created for this recording.

released 09 February 2012 

01 - Mister Ott - Akale Wube (Getatchew Mekuria) (5:32)

02 - Mister Ott - Yekermo Set (Mulatu Astatke) (7:27)

03 - Mister Ott - Ye Woyen Haregitu (Alemayehu Eshete) (6:13)

04 - Mister Ott - Chik Chikka (Mulatu Astatke) (7:22)

05 - Mister Ott - Kulun Mankwalesh (Mulatu Astatke) (3:53)

06 - Mister Ott - Yekatit (Mulatu Astatke) (8:40)

07 - Mister Ott - Eywat Sentenafegagn (Getatchew Mekuria) (5:12)

08 - Mister Ott - Muziqawi Silt (Wallias Band) (5:42)

Matt Ottignon - tenor sax, flute 

Ellen Kirkwood - trumpet 

Mick Stuart - guitar 

Luke Dubber - keys 

Eden Ottignon - bass 

Dan Kenedy - drums 

Engineer - Mick Stuart (on his portable recording rig) 

Ethioda - Araray [2013] [fra+ethiopia]

       Ethioda (Montpellier) is a group that revisits the Ethiopian jazz through original compositions, improvisations and electro atmospheres. The Ethio-jazz whose golden age is in the 70s (remember Mahmoud Ahmed and his "Ere Mela Mela") leaves reappear east, funk and reggae sounds.

Ethioda - Araray

"Fly to the rhythms, a round and warm, flights of fancy jazz-electro hair-raising ... sudden urge to move your shoulders? No doubt, this is the call of the highlands of Abyssinia, which sounds in music Ethioda! An invitation to travel through an intoxicating music. "

       Inspired by the famous recordings "Ethiopiques' 70s, of the Montpellier Ethioda decide to put their two cents in a musical style that goes well beyond the regions of Addis Ababa. 

Group compositions and arrangements of traditional songs to the jungle sauce, any excuse is good in these addicts trance to drive the audience into the dance, amid endless crazy solos and grooves!

         It was in September 2013 that the group decided to record his first album "Araray." 

The Ethiopian word "araray" (Amharic) denotes a range of five notes you play for big festive occasions. 

This word alone can evoke the process of Ethioda Group:

take the audience to dance, while offering a very instrumental and improvised music in a festive atmosphere.

        Araray is also the name of one of the group's compositions, where the influence of Ethiopian music crosses syncope Jamaican reggae.

01 - Ethioda - En plein dans le Nil (6:00)

02 - Ethioda - Bati (5:46)

03 - Ethioda - Metche new (6:06)

04 - Ethioda - Gedawo (4:24)

05 - Ethioda - Araray (4:54)

06 - Ethioda - Amlak abet abet (6:16)

07 - Ethioda - Musiqawi Silt (4:34)

musicians : 

Daniel Moreau (piano), 

Baptiste Clerc (guitar), 

Armel Courrée (saxophones), 

Pascal Bouvier (trombone), 

Romain Delorme (bass), 

Julien Grégoire (drums). 

Rahel Yohannes & Shambel Belayneh - Bati [198?] [ethiopia]

originaly posted at Likembe blogspot > here

       Here's another long-lost cassette from the "Derg years" in Ethiopia. Bati (Ambassel Music Shop, ca. the early '80s), by Rahel Yohannes & Shambel Belayneh, was apparently quite popular in its day, and perfectly illustrates the confluence of the ancient and modern that is so typical of contemporary Ethiopian music.

     Rahel Yohannes (right) began her career not as a singer but as an entrepreneur. In Addis Ababa she managed a restaurant and often entertained the customers with impromptu a capella vocal performances. This led to her introduction to the late Ketema Mekonnen, a singer and player of traditional musical instruments. A professional career, and ten albums, soon followed. To this day she is both a performer and a restaurateur, entertaining audiences at her Fasika Restaurant & Nightclub in Addis.

     Shambel Belayneh (left) is a master of the masinko, the traditional one-string Ethiopian violin. He has performed with the greats of Ethiopian music, including Aster Aweke, Mahmoud Ahmed and the Roha Band, among many others. He currently lives in the United States.

Rahel Yohannes and Shambel Belayneh both have CDs available from AIT Records.

Shambel Belayneh & Rahel Yohannes - Bati

       As I discussed in my last post on Ethiopian music, music distribution in Ethiopia during the '80s was a "do-it-yourself" affair, cassettes being duplicated one-by-one by various music shops. Bati is no exception, and it shows in the recording quality. The musical quality is another matter. I'm sure you'll agree with me that this is an outstanding work of art.

Our opening tune, "Bati," is one of the standards of the Ethiopian repertoire, and has been recorded by innumerable artists. An exceptional version opened 2001's Éthiopiques 15: Jump to Addis (Buda Musique 82264-2). From the liner notes of that disc I got these lyrics:

Like the road to Bati, deep in the gorge,

I wonder if your love will last,

He ate a fruit in Dèssié and went crazy,

He saw a beauty in Kombolcha and went crazy,

I want to leave him before he gets what he deserves.

Unfortunately I have no idea what the other songs on Bati are about. If anyone out there knows Amharic, I'm sure we'd all like to know.

01 - Rahel Yohannes & Shambel Belayneh - Bati (Bähäbrät) (7:49)

02 - Rahel Yohannes & Shambel Belayneh - Änta Aynama (3:59)

03 - Rahel Yohannes & Shambel Belayneh - Endenäu (Bähäbrät) (6:45)

04 - Rahel Yohannes & Shambel Belayneh - Leqerbwe Leraqwe (4:28)

05 - Rahel Yohannes & Shambel Belayneh - Änaznegahe Hody (7:31)

06 - Rahel Yohannes & Shambel Belayneh - Bale Dere (Bähäbrät) (4:28)

07 - Rahel Yohannes & Shambel Belayneh - Zenay (Bamebele) (5:51)

08 - Rahel Yohannes & Shambel Belayneh - Klelelaye (9:01)

09 - Rahel Yohannes & Shambel Belayneh - Yedaoo (7:26)

       The tracklist on the cassette lists ten tunes in all. The ninth, "Anejetyne Balakewe," is missing. The song titles were transliterated by myself from a photocopy of the cassette inlay card (below) using the Geez syllabary, so I can't vouch for their accuracy. Anyone with a knowledge of Amharic is invited to correct any errors.

v.a. - The Ethiopian Millennium Collection - CD 1 - Dance [2007] [ethiopia]

                EXCELLENT RIP !                 

     When you’re in the mood to move, this energizing album is for you! The blistering rhythms and mesmerizing  melodies make this collection a must-have for any world music lover. Presenting the work of some of Ethiopia’s most talented performers, the Dance collection includes recordings by Mahmoud Ahmed, winner of the 2007 BBC Radio 3 Award for World Music; the James Brown-inspired Alemayehu Eshete; Theodros Tadesse; Kuku Sebsibe; Theodros “Afro” Kassahun and others. Enjoy!

01. Teshome Wolde - Ye-Shewa Alamena (5:14)
02. Mahmoud Ahmed - Alawekishilignim (5:20)
03. Abinet Agonafir - Setaleksh Des Alishign (5:05)
04. Dawit Mllesse - Wetatwan (5:39)
05. Alemayehu Eshete - Be-hilme New Be-ewne (5:29)
06. Theodros Tadesse - Malegna (5:08)
07. Kuku Sebsibe - Indet Neh (5:01)
08. Mahmoud Ahmed - Ashkaro (4:39)
09. Hirut Girma - Alchilim (5:29)
10. Henock Mehari - Hoya-hoye [Guadegnoche] (3:43)
11. Hana Shenkute - Sintun Ayichebih (4:19)
12. Theodros Kassahun - Tsigereda (5:41)
13. Marta Ashagari - Tew Enji (6:56)
14. Dawit Mellesse - Laltelash Kal Alegn (5:32)

Tsehay Teklehaimanot - Kimsha [Ethiopia]

   R   E   U   P   L   O   A   D   

   Cruising over the Soulseek, the best P2P program sometimes gives unexpected results. 

     This album I get by one of my SLSK mate. Besides the name of the author, and the title of album and songs (which I can't verify), I have no more info.

    The only portion of information says that Tsehay Teklehaimanot is After Hours Jazz Sextet with Party Singers.

      Smooth and easy listening music, kind of jazz in an ethiopian way. Enjoy, and write to me, if you know something more about this beautiful record.

01. Tsehay Teklehaimanot - Algebagnim Ene Meskerem Siteba (6:51)
02. Tsehay Teklehaimanot - Yene fikir Hulet (5:21)
03. Tsehay Teklehaimanot - Endiyaw Zerafewa (6:50)
04. Tsehay Teklehaimanot - Shegiye, Bertukane (5:54)
05. Tsehay Teklehaimanot - Kanchi Beker Lela (6:01)
06. Tsehay Teklehaimanot - Enkuan Kome (4:43)
07. Tsehay Teklehaimanot - Endih New Gabicha (6:29)
08. Tsehay Teklehaimanot - Yishalishal (5:16)
09. Tsehay Teklehaimanot - Balegariw (6:15)
10. Tsehay Teklehaimanot - Mushiraye (5:07)
11. Tsehay Teklehaimanot - Yared Muzika Temehert Bet (5:02)
12. Tsehay Teklehaimanot - Kalatashiw Akal (3:52)