Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Friday, August 2, 2013
Ukandanz - Yetchalal [2013] [france + ethiopia]
NEW ALBUM
uKanDanZ - Yetchalal
The French quintet uKanDanZ , a self-described "Ethiopian Crunch Music" ensemble, is a multi-national group playing high-energy ethnic jazz/noise rock with melodies inspired by Ethiopian folk and pop music. They are fronted by the considerable vocal prowess of Asnake GUEBREYES, and sport a very lively ensemble sound, often danceable, sometimes dissonant, always rhythmic.
Their music is inspired by traditional and popular Ethiopian songs. uKanDanZ has a real crunch energy.
Between rock, jazz, noise... With impertinence, they rock it wildly. Without compromise. Guitar, saxophone, keyboards, drums and vocals shuffle our bearings. What a pleasure! The stage presence of uKanDanZ swings alternatelybetween energy and emotion... then the public, transcended, dances and shivers.
.jpg)
Lionel MARTIN provides a very visible tenor sax presence, tying in a jazz element, and Damien CLUZEL contributes guitar (as baritone guitar) with strong evidence of Rock-In-Opposition-like stylings. Fred ESCOUFFIER handles keyboard duties, and Guilhem MEIER keeps the drums busy yet funky.
Their first album, "Yetchalal", was released in early 2013, produced by the band.
UKANDANZ are :
Asnaké Gèbrèyès (vocals)
Damien Cluzel (guitar and baritone guitar)
Lionel Martin (tenor saxophone)
Fred Escoffier (keyboards)
Guilhem Meier (drums)
Arat Kilo - A Night In Abyssinia [2011]
R E U P L O A D
Ever since the Ethiopiques CD releases reminded the west about the extraordinary music that could be heard in Addis Ababa in the golden era of the 1960s and early 70s, there has been a flurry of very different fusion bands making use of Ethiopian influences, including this young French five-piece who take their name from an Addis monument.
They are good players who mix funky guitar with bass, drums and horns – brass was often a crucial ingredient in the Addis sound – and they have mastered the distinctive, at times Arabic-sounding Ethiopian style. All that's lacking is a sense of energy and fun, especially in their instrumental treatment of a piece by the country's best-loved singer, the late Tlahoun Gèssèssè.
Their own Ethiopian-influenced tracks include a jazzy collaboration with the rapper Socalled, but they are at their best when joined by African celebrities. Mulatu Astatke, the veteran "father of Ethio jazz" plays vibes on his own Dewel, while the best track, Get a Chew, is transformed by the exquisite, drifting, Ethiopian-edged vocals from Mali's Rokia Traore. With more help like this, they would sound very good indeed.
01. Aykedashem Lebe 3:57
02. Babur Part. 1 (Feat. Socalled) 5:04
03. Babur Part. 2 4:13
04. Lelit 3:41
05. Get A Chew (Feat. Rokia Traore) 6:39
06. Fit Le Fit 5:59
07. Dewel (Feat. Mulatu Astatke) 5:55
08. Addis Polis 4:12
09. Enie Konjo (Intro) 1:42
10. Enie Konjo 5:26
11. Ewnetegna Feqer 4:37
12. Wanz 7:25
13. Minew Jal (Intro) 2:07
14. Minew Jal 7:06
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Le Tigre [des Platanes] - Avec les dentes [france+ethiopia] [2007]
R E U P L O A D
The story
In 2001, Le Tigre des Platanes discovers the Ethiopique Collection and includes in its eclectic song book some chosen pieces by Mulatu Astatqé, Théshomé Metéku, amongst other, that it interprets in its own somewhat insolent way. In 2005, Francis Falceto, brilliant designer of the Ethiopic series, received a pirate recording of the Tigre des Platanes and got in touch with the quartet. In January 2006 Francis Falceto invited the Tigre des Platanes to participate to the Festival International of Ethiopian music. That's when the story begins…
2007 creation
Etenèsh Wassié / Le Tigre des Platanes ethio-jazz-experience
The challenge of this creation is - on the groundwork of the magnificent Ethiopian "standards", the Ambassel, the Tezeta… - to explore completely, in total integrity, the new and unknown territory laid ahead of the 5 musicians. A world made of the real grand total of their strong personalities.
Beside the tribute and the accompaniment of a great Azmari singer by four European musicians, it is an authentic Journey, with all the questioning implied, we're taken along at each gig. So let's go!
Since its very beginning, the Tigre des Platanes has been concerned with Journey. Such as the pathetic insect from which it gets its name, imported by accident for North America in the early 70's, the music of the quartet from Toulouse stigmatizes the intermarrying, the importation, the impurity of cultural intermingling, the invasion, the embezzlement. All this in a muddle highly claimed!
Le Tigre des Platanes retied with one of his multiple sources of inspiration and flew off to Addis Ababa in January 2006 to participate to the International Festival of Ethiopian music. He came back refilled with a brand new energy, enriched by the journey and the encounters. The songbook of Ethiopian origin's pieces reinterpreted by the Tigre (…des platanes) made a leap and generated a new artistic drive, infusing some Ethiopian musicians with the desire of a deep-rooted collaboration, ready to play the game of real confrontation. In 2007, Etenèsh Wassié took up the challenge.
"Eyes half shut, Eténèsh lets her voice guide her where it takes her (takes us), thrilling, digging, colossal little sister of such a Piaf and a Billie Holiday. But the register of tears wouldn't be enough for her, and she might as well, without warning, hasten the tempo after a ballade we would have wished endless."
"Eyes half shut, Eténèsh lets her voice guide her where it takes her (takes us), thrilling, digging, colossal little sister of such a Piaf and a Billie Holiday. But the register of tears wouldn't be enough for her, and she might as well, without warning, hasten the tempo after a ballade we would have wished endless."
Francis Falceto
01 - Yékatit (Mulatu Astaqté) 10:42
02 - Keep Your Laws / Off My Body (Dog Faced Hermans) 6:02
03 - Yézémèd Yébaèd (Téshomé Météku) 7:50
04 - Roland Alfonso (Roland Alfonso) 7:56
05 - You Wastin' My Time (Roscoe Mitchell) 5:26
06 - Zombie (Fela Anikulapo Kuti) 9:04
07 - BubbleHouse (Medesky, Martin, Wood) 7:14
08 - Clever White Youth (Marc Ribot) 6:17
09 - Walk On The Wild Side (Lou Reed) 7:13
10 - Untitled 3:05
Marc Démereau : saxophones, melodica and screamophone
Fabien Duscombs : Drums
Piero Pépin : trumpet, bugle, melodica
Mathieu Sourisseau : acoustic bass and sousaphone
1 to 6 : Live in "La Mounède" (Toulouse) 27/11/2006.
7 to 9 : Live in Calvi (Corse) 11/2007
Mixed By – Piero Pepin (tracks: 7 to 9)
Recorded By – Hugues Marmet (tracks: 1 to 6),
Jeff Manuel (tracks: 7 to 9)
Woretaw Wubet - [2003] - Ethiopia
R E U P L O A D
Woretaw Wubet, phenomenal Ethiopian singer and fabulous traditional instrument player, Woretaw Wubet, has been performing music since he was fourteen years old. While in Ethiopia he played with many traditional Ethiopian ensembles such as The Hager Fikir Theater.
Woretaw has traveled extensively outside Ethiopia including Kenya, Libya, Zimbabwe, Abu Dhabi, Dubai and North America.
In this recording Woretaw blends the Masinko, a traditional instrument, with keyboards to give it a contemporary flavor.
1. Woretaw Wubet - Sendel Gelaye (5:50)
2. Woretaw Wubet - Loga Nesh (7:36)
3. Woretaw Wubet - Woy Dire (7:54)
4. Woretaw Wubet - Tey Minew (7:38)
5. Woretaw Wubet - Ethiopia (5:55)
6. Woretaw Wubet - Gud Aregshign (6:13)
7. Woretaw Wubet - Teyim Konjo (5:26)
8. Woretaw Wubet - Marewa (6:26)
9. Woretaw Wubet - Mewded (6:01)
Band members: Woretaw Wubet/Vocals, Masinko
Mitiku Teffera/Keyboards
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)