An utterly fascinating compilation drawn from 1971 field recordings made in various parts of Ethiopia. While a version of the album was originally issued on Lyrichord, this version amounts to a complete restoration and overhaul of the project, with digital equipment used throughout the editing and mastering chain. The material on the album is only a tiny sample of Ethopia's musical treasure -- certainly, because of literacy issues that have resulted in oral transmission of songs from generation to generation, there is a distinct possibility that the roots of much modern Ethiopian music go back thousands of years, a form of living history. The album also provides a strong hint of a different kind of musical sensibility, one that does not deny the formalized Western system but works with and around it; this kind of exposure to alternate musical systems is a valuable educational tool. Whatever way you wish to look at it, this album (and the continuing series) should have a place in any really good music library, if only as a reference point. ~ Steven McDonald, Rovi
Haile Selassie was still Emperor of Ethiopia when these recordings were made during the summer of 1971. They serve as a small sample of both time and place from a region noted for its unique and complex natural setting. Ethiopia absorbed cultural influences from inner Africa (north to the Sahara and south to Kenya) and also from the Red Sea and Arabia. Perhaps most unique for a country from the Horn of Africa, its king in the mid-4th century converted to a Coptic version of Christianity that believed in the monophysite nature of the Christian deity. The rise of Islam isolated Ethiopian Christians, creating an entirely unique body of liturgical music. Latter 19th-century expansion brought in up to a hundred languages and ethnic groups. The consequence is a nation with a music of extraordinary scope and diversity. A simple drum dirge, followed by the song "Wub Allem" ("Beautiful World") that for a moment sounds almost Cajun, provides a hint that this music features some distinct regional flavors. These thirteen tracks demonstrate the sounds of Ethiopian folk instruments like the masenko (a one-string fiddle), the craar (a gut-string lyre), several washint (flutes), kabaros (single- or double-headed drums), and the bagana (a large 8- to 10-stringed plucked lyre. Butterfly-like melodies are produced on "Two Afar Flutes" and similarly on "Galla Song" which features the washint. One track illustrates the use of a toum (thumb piano)-a nod to the mbira's wide influence across the continent. An Afar divination chant represents the nominally Muslim Cushites in a session with an oracle seer. The plucked strings of the Nuer harp and craar captured my ear, and by the time I listened carefully to the Nuer and Konso dances that close out this collection I just wanted more. A very wonderful and brief introduction to the urban and tribal music of Ethiopia, with an emphasis on "tribal"; these are not the "urban" pop music tunes of the '70s. - Richard Dorsett
Comprised of Addis Ababa's greatest acoustic musicians, the Addis Acoustic Renaissance Group brings forth Ethiopia's popular tunes from the 1950's and 1960's in a new light.
Ethiopia’s pop music of this era predominantly featured acoustic instruments such as the mandolin, accordion, clarinet, and double bass, played alongside traditional instruments such as the Kirar, Kebero, Washint and Massinko.
Directed and arranged by guitarist Girum Mezmur, the Addis Acoustic Renaissance Group unfolds Ethiopian music from the past in a modern and jazzy way.
The band, composed of veteran musicians such as Ayele Mamo (Mandolin), Shaleka Melaku Tegegn (Accordion) as well as contemporary musicians such as Girum Mezmur (Guitar/Arrangement), Henock Temesgen (Double Bass), Natnael Tessema (Drums/Percussions), Dawit Ferew (Clarinet), and Mesale Legesse (Kebero/Percussions), produces unique sounds dear to most Ethiopians and that undoubtedly appeal to a greater world music audience.
1. Addis Acoustic Renaissance Group - Ambassel (5:12) 2. Addis Acoustic Renaissance Group - Anchim Endelela (4:34) 3. Addis Acoustic Renaissance Group - Ante Temeta ene (4:37) 4. Addis Acoustic Renaissance Group - Ambassel [Girma Beyene] (7:47) 5. Addis Acoustic Renaissance Group - Feker kegna endayleyen [Girma Beyene] (4:18) 6. Addis Acoustic Renaissance Group - Yefiker Megeb (6:04) 7. Addis Acoustic Renaissance Group - Fiker Ayaregim (4:23)
Helen Meles' biography is the story one of the biggest African stars of the early 21st century. She established herself as a talented singer, song writer and bona fide diva during her two decade long musical career. She has become one of the biggest selling Eritrean artists of all time, and has captured the hearts and minds of Eritreans and neighboring African countries alike.
In her early years, Helen Meles joined the EPLF (Eritrean Peoples Liberation Front) at the age of 13. Like many Eritreans, both her parents were also fighters of the Eritrean liberation struggle. Helen was brought up in ‘Biet tmhrti sewra’ (EPLF’s revolutionary school). Her friends describe her as a free-spirited and rebellious individual who was not afraid to show her ‘other’ sides of her personalities. During those revolutionary years, a fighter who showed other inclinations, including his/her artistic sides, could easily be misunderstood.
Helen has two sisters named Aster and Senait, and an older brother named Mikael (better known as "wedi Meles"). Like Helen, her older brother Mikael was also a fighter and a singer, who was one of the first students of biet tmhrti (shool of) sewra of the EPLF. He would end up being heavily wounded in the pitched battles of the 6th Offensive in 1982, he was almost given up for dead and his comrades were ready to bury him when another comrade insisted that they first take him to the frontline’s hospital, where he was saved and through the excellent medical care fully recovered his wounds and returned to frontline duty after four months. Many of Mikael Meles’s comrades recall his exceptional intelligence and amazing heroic feats and describe him in glowing terms not only as a brave warrior, but also as a gifted and sensitive artist who composed many songs and acted in several skits on stage. One of his memorable songs, “abiet SnAt abiet qoraSnet,” whose lyrics have hidden meanings of the heroism and martyrdom of his comrades on the HalHal Front, was later redone by his younger sister Helen Meles in her first CD release. A few days after meeting his sister Helen in 1990, Mikael, who by this time had risen to be the leader of a bren (heavy) machinegun platoon, was wounded in the battle to liberate Massawa, and martyred from enemy’s aerial bombardment while on his way to the hospital.
In 1998 BBC interview, Helen recalled the reaction of many Eritrean women from traditional communities when they first joined the battlefields. Helen Stated: "It was very difficult for them; even wearing trousers was strange and they were shocked when they had to share a blanket or bed with the men". However, By the end of the war in 1991 the lives of Eritrean women had changed so much they were determined not to go back to their traditional old roles.
In 2007, Helen married an Eritrean saxophonist named Issac Asefaw. Their wedding was held in Asmara, Eritrea and many Eritrean musicians such as Bereket Mengisteab and others performed at her highly anticipated wedding. In early 2008, Helen gave birth to her first child, a boy. The following year, she gave birth to her second child, whom also is a boy. It is generally believed Helen is now in her late thirties or exactly 40 years of age.
Helen is a highly passionate artist who reads and is responsive to her own feelings, a trait which is not clearly exhibited in many artists, especially those from the fighter community. One can feel the throbbing of her soulful voice which sends strong vibes all over. Her beauty is mesmerising and it can be described by her proud and majestic posture and her profile can be sketched by her captivating facial expressions while doing her dance routines. Strangely, if one is not familiar with her history, she does not exhibit any indication of the harsh life she led in the battlefields of Eritrea in her looks. Indeed, she was a combatant with a strong touch of music in her. Although somewhat camouflaged, perhaps carefully depicted, she seems to elegantly include her past experiences in her some of her songs. One can’t help but wonder how she really dealt with the bloody past that miraculously generated a strong sense of love amongst the fighters. That interesting but contradictory personal struggle that took place in the battlefields of Eritrea is demonstrated in the voice and bursting and sensuous movements, not necessarily in her lyrics.
Helen's expertise lies in popular music which encompasses a wide range of styles of both local and international origins. She takes Tigrinya music to a different level by mixing traditional and modern music which is influenced by European, Arabic and African music. For instance, (only junior to the Creator) can be described as one of the most interesting songs from the ‘ResAni’ CD because of its new style which Ms Helen introduces in the song – a mixture of South African beat accompanied by a gospel-like sound.
Helen can easily be compared to the diva of the Eritrean music scene of the sixties and seventies, Mrs Tberh Tesfahunegn, who instilled a strong patriotic feeling in many young Eritreans of the time. Both Mrs Tberh and Mrs Helen sing from the heart and their musical styles, although separated by decades of events and technological developments, are interestingly similar. It is vague how deep Mrs Helen’s knowledge of Mrs Tberh is, as there exists a generational divide between them. But they both share a precious experience in the liberation struggle within the EPLF camp.
One can feel that there is a controversy in her style, as opposed to her lyricists’ and composer/producers’ input in her songs. It is bit confusing to tell whether they compliment each other or simply tear each other apart beautifully. Whether they are at odds or compliment each other, the end product is highly interesting. On the other hand, Mr MuKtar Saleh’s smooth composition and Mr Solomon Drar, Mr Solomon Berhane, and Mr Samuel Almede’s lyrics find an excellent niche in Helen’s remarkable talents. This applies to Mrs Tberh’s songs as well, as many would question whether she was representing the feelings of the great musical master, Mr Asres Tessema, or she was equally powerful in her presentation.
Soul Echos singer Seyfu Yohannes, who died at age 26 recoreded only 6 songs on vinyl.
The Soul Ekos were the first independent band to be recorded in Ethiopia. When Mulatu Astatqe returned from the United States in 1968, the two bands he had an opportunity to work with were the Ras Band and Soul Ekos. It was during this time that Mulatu introduced the Soul Ekos band to Amha Eshete.
Amha Eshete was taken by the bands sound and agreed to record them in 1969. The Soul Ekos arranged and played the music to Seyfu Yohannes’ popular songs, Tizita and Mela Mela.
The band was comprised of Teshome Mitiku (Keyboards/Vocals), later Messele Gesesse took over the Keyboards, Tewodros Mitiku (Saxophone), Tamrat Ferenji (Trumpet), Fekade Amdemesqel later Hailu “Zehon” Kebede (Bass), Tesfaye “Hodo” Mekonnen (Drums), Alula Yohannes later Andrew Wilson (Guitar) and Seyfu Yohannes (Vocals).
The Soul Ekos Band was later renamed the Ibex Band which later became The Roha Band.
Girma Beyene was one of the arrangers who made the Ethiopian music of the Golden Era different than the music of today. He was a lyricist, a music writer, an arranger, a vocalist, an accomplished pianist and finally a bandleader. To most, if any name comes to mind with the word arranger, it is probably that of Mulatu Astatke. Yet, according to Ethiopiques Series producer Francis Falceto*, in the heyday of vinyl records, Girma Beyene is credited to having arranged close to 65 titles, compared to Mulatu's 40.
The 7th edition of the Ethiopian Music Festival held from the 7th to 17 May 2008 in Addis Ababa. Organized by the Alliance Ethio-Francise as a part of its centenary celebration and as a tribute to the Ethiopian pianist, composer and arranger Girma Beyene, the festival bring renowned and young musicians.
Francis Falceto in his book Abyssinia Swing, a pictorial history of modern ethiopian music describes Girma as one of a pioneering generation of artists that has a huge influence on the current ethiopian music. From the very beginning of the 1960’s and for some twenty years, he ranked among the ethiopian musical scene’s most creative and prolific artists. He left precious few recordings behind him as a vocalist: it was above all as a pianist, organist, composer and arranger that Girma made his mark on what is today agreed to be the golden age of ethiopian music. Throughout the heyday of Vinyl record production (1969-1978), the figure of Girma Beyene dominated the recording sessions. The then-privileged partner of Alemayehu Eshete, Girma innovated, through his simple and to-the-point playing, melding the lightness of pop into the ethos of a changing Ethiopia. Admired for his musical elegance, Girma none the less met one of the saddest fates in ethiopian music. Though his countrymen still remember his charming voice and his knack for pop, they have totally forgotten his role and importance as an innovator.
Going into exile in the USA in 1981, Girma departed the ethiopian music scene, sinking into the anonymous “Little Ethiopia’ of America’s East Coast. According the Alliance booklet, there has been a renewed interest of late in the work and personality of Girma Beyene. International groups such as the Either/ Orchestra, The Daktaris, Le Tigre (Platanes), The Ex, Badume's Band and Antibalas have added some of Girma’s major compositions to their repertoires.
Hibist Tiruneh, The Siren of Ethiopia, who stepped to the limelight with her rendering of Bizunesh Bekele's 'Yemiyaslekis Fiqir' a few years ago makes her debut to the forefront of Ethiopian pop music with her almost perfect recent CD release 'Yeqerta!". "Qoy-bicha', 'Befetereh", and "Akkam Akkam" are some of the notable pieces in this well-received CD.
