Tezeta Band is the sound of memory, of nostalgia, of sweaty soulful dance music, part jazz, part motown, part Ethiopian folk music, inspired by and arranged from the Golden Age of Ethiopian music, the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. Imagine James Brown, Elvis Presley, and John Coltrane merged into one sound, one source, melting together in the clubs and lounges of Ethiopia.
Tezeta Bandis a musical reunion of The Five Fingers of Funk (Talbott Guthrie-drums, Ted Hille - Saxophone, Tim Cook - Keyboards, Curt Bieker - Trombone & Josh Prewitt - Trumpet) formed in 1992 with rapper Pete Miser. For nearly ten years, the Five Fingers were the premier 100% Live Northwest Hip-Hop experience that rocked stages from Portland, Oregon to Portland, Maine and opened for such acts as De La Soul, The Roots, Maceo Parker, Fishbone,Run DMC, Digital Underground, Bootsy Collins and The Greyboy Allstars.
Now, with the help of Brent Martens (From Asylum Street Spankers and currently the Escapists, Royal Motel Orchestra, and Duo Royale) and Bassist/Composer John Teagle. In 2006 the idea for the band came after a few members came across the Ethiopiques CD series and were inspired to put together a weekly session based on this music. Quickly realizing that they were on to a new challenge that was both exciting and unique, the band was formed and has evolved since.
Ever since its creation, the band Le Tigre des Platanes (the ‘Sycamore Tiger’) has been into travelling, in the image of the insect it draws its name from —the Corythucha ciliata, better known as the sycamore lace bug, which accidentally arrived in Europe in the early 1970s.
Hailing from Toulouse in Southern France, this acoustic quartet has always proudly proclaimed its disorderly musical borrowings, blendings and appropriation of influences from other cultures.
In 2001, Le Tigre des Platanes discovered the Ethiopiques series, and they soon included some chosen Ethiopian pieces in their eclectic repertoire, interpreting them in their own personal fashion. During a trip to Addis Abeba, they met Etenesh Wassie, a singer with a husky voice, a kind of Abyssinian sister of Edith Piaf and Billie Holiday . They undertook the challenge of playing together with beautiful Ethiopian standards, really exploring in a reciprocal way the new musical territories open to the five musicians and a world made of the true sum of their personalities.
This wonderful collaboration of the French jazz group Le Tigre and Ethiopian singer Etenesh Wassie results in music that is visceral, infectious, and culminates with some of the most progressive world music in recent memory.
"The group is named after the sycamore lace bug (Corythucha ciliata), the nasty little tree-killing insect that was imported to Europe by accident from North America in the early 1970s. In the spirit of its namesake, the Toulouse quartet is all about crossing borders, import, export, invasion, retreat..."
And that's a fitting description of what's in store; an authentic multi-colored quilt with the sounds of Ethiopia and other locales, free jazz, hard pounding rock, all spiced and enticed by the voice and lyrics of Wassie's earthy ethnic tongue.
A guttural incantation of growling baritone sax and evocative Ethiopian dialect commences the recording with "Medinanna Zelessegna" yet the mood quickly shifts into the jumping "Muziqawi Silt" where the two-horn affront of Marc Demereau's sax and Piero Pepin's trumpet is ignited by the pulsating heartbeat of bassist Mathieu Sourisseau and drummer Fabien Duscombs.
A truly eclectic mix of sounds is experienced: the koto-like banjo on "Ambassel Fantay," the feverish ancestral dance on "Tche Belew" (one of many highlights), where Sourisseau's bass is strummed like a chorded guitar (or vice versa) and the horns interact in agreement and discord—totally and hypnotic.
These excellent musicians play with abandon that at times has the intensity of a Nirvana performance of "Smells Like Teen like Spirit." Distorted strings and cyclonic horns carry "Yezemed Yebaed" and a throbbing drum and bass on "Ney-Ney Weleba" as Demereau's baritone and voice both scream. Oliver Cussac's toy-like organ intonations color the tempered "Awash" a piece where the group finds respite.
Wassie's haunting voice (which has also been heard in Buda's Ethiopiques series) adds mystery and non-translated meaning on tunes such as "Man Yehon Telleq Sew" where her interaction with the music is perfect. With gentleness and a coarse vibrato she exudes a timeless quality on "Ambassel" that is undeniable and when combined with Le Tigre,Ethiosonic is a journey like no other.
The first home grown Reggae artist Jonny Ragga (Yohannes Bekele) was born in 1977 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. From a very young age Jonny was passionate about reading and writing poetry. His teachers, who spotted his talents very early on, would persuade him to read his poetry in front of the whole elementary school. His love affair with music began taking shape while Jonny was attending Bole high school. Initially, he loved all kinds of music, but what inflamed his passion started to become clear after some time. He fell in love with Reggae. Jonny got the opportunity to practice his reggae singing and Dj (sinje) style at a place called Ram Jam which was the most popular reggae club in Addis at the time. When he reached the age of 17, he decided to join Medina Band and start performing live.
In 2005, Jonny released his and Ethiopia’s first critically acclaimed Reggae album ‘Kulfun Sechign’ (Give me the Key). This album was widely heard and received massive attention. It also introduced him to the international music scene.
In 2005, Jonny won the ‘Best Music Video Award’ at the Ethiopian Music Awards. He was nominated in the ‘Best African Reggae Artist’ category, and brought home the first and only Channel O’s All African Music Award after winning the category ‘Best East African Artist’ in 2006 at a ceremony held in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Jonny has collaborated with many well known local and international artists. Chachi Tadesse, Teddy Afro, Lafontain, Shewandagn Hailu, Haile Roots, Michael Belayneh , Nyomi Grey (Ny, a young talented artist from UK), Kenny Allen (an African American R&B artist) and Zola (a South African rapper and actor) are some of the artists that he has worked with so far.
Jonny went on to co found, produce and host the popular weekly radio program ‘Jam Jam’ on Ethiopica Link on 98.1 FM, and was a guest host on DSTV’s ‘Urban Massive’ TV show. He also directed and produced music videos for many Ethiopian Artists.
Jonny has been touring the world and entertaining his fans for over 15 years. He has traveled to North America, Europe, Middle East and other parts of Africa performing his music to his fans abroad.
Jonny is involved in every aspect of his music, from writing his lyrics and melodies to musical arrangement. He is currently working on his new album project and has set up his own music production company called JR Music Production. He established JR Music Production in 2006, in an effort to create opportunities for upcoming talented artists. He also involves himself in many awareness creating projects alongside other international organizations, on issues affecting the youth and women.
01. Jonny Raga - Gimmy The Key4:02 02. Jonny Raga - My Pocket And Your Purse4:15 03. Jonny Raga - Hello Addis Ababa4:44 04. Jonny Raga - Shuck And Tuss4:08 05. Jonny Raga - One Way Ticket4:32 06. Jonny Raga - Attractive Girl4:31 07. Jonny Raga - Pick It Up3:55 08. Jonny Raga - Shashamane4:00 09. Jonny Raga - Abeshawy4:09 10. Jonny Raga - You, Ethiopia4:32 11. Jonny Raga - Get The Devil Out4:29 12. Jonny Raga - Matured4:59 13. Jonny Raga - Mama4:49 14. Jonny Raga - Your Love Is Fire4:10 15. Jonny Raga - Love Of Music5:28 16. Jonny Raga - Your Love Is Fire (Remix)1:29
Mohammed Jimmy Mohammed (1958) is a phenomenal blind singer from the bar-circuit in Addis Abeba, born in Mersa, Wollo. Jimmy specializes in the songs of Tlahoun Gessesse, the greatest singer of Ethiopia. Still Jimmy always remains true to himself and sings with both depth and passion, but his style is also improvised and swinging. The songs are about love, politics, and the social life of the poor.
But there is also wit and charm and plenty of ‘Wax & Gold’, the typical Ethiopian double meaning. He knows hundreds and hundreds of songs by heart and it is hard to guess which one will come next. Jimmy appears on the Ethiopiques 2 CD, but this is his first full-length CD: ‘Takkabel!’. Recorded last year while in Europe for the Moers Jazz Festival. He is accompanied by Mesele Asmamaw on the krar, a 5 string harp and Asnake Gebreyes on the traditional drums.
They are often accompanied by Dutch jazz drummer Han Bennink, who also plays a star-role on the CD.
1. - Aykedashem lebe (8:55)
2. - Sethed Seketelat (6:25)
3. - Sewetchi Men Yilalu / Tezalegn Yilalu Tezalegn (11:13)
With a mesmerizing stage performance and a huge smile that’s always intact, Nhatty lacks anything but energy. As an upcoming talent, he managed to crack into the Ethiopian music industry working with an infamous band called “Express” which he later left to join another band called “Sweet”. Known far and wide by his fans as Nhatty Man, he became a household name after his first single “Amrogne” hit the Ethiopian market. In the early stage of his music career, Nhatty started doing featuring works with Netsanet Melesse’s “fertuna” and Dawit Frew’s “Ethiopia” while later working with other renowned Ethiopian artists such as Henok Abebe for “Cheferaw dera”, the KORA award winning Tsedeniya Gebremarkos’ “Yeker Beyalehu”, Jossy’s upbeat track “zigi zaga” and many more.
Nhatty’s life has gone in a million ways he never anticipated. After dropping out from a civil engineering school in his second year in college, he started a new journey as a disc jockey (DJ), a thought that has never dared to cross his mind. But it wasn’t long before Nhatty wanted more in on the fun and excitement of the new life that was unfolding before him. After making an appearance in a couple of featuring works, he officially made his debut album “Man” on February16, 2011.
“Out with the old and in with the new” was Nhatty’s Moto at the time as he quickly learned his ways in the Ethiopian music industry and never looked back. “Man”, Nhatty’s first album dropped in the market on February16, 2011 was widely acclaimed by his fans. The album which contains 14 tracks including his smash singles “Amerogne” and “Addis ken” has different types of genres like R&B, Reggae, rock and local rhythms. The album incorporates collaborations with some Ethiopian singers like Hade Haile and Betty.
Through his music, Nhatty wishes to change the bad image and stereotype that the world has towards his country, Ethiopia.
What is Nhatty doing currently?
Nhatty who re-launched his latest album on April 05, 2012, has recently signed an agreement with Adika Communication and events so the company can manage him professionally. Adika re-launched the singer’s latest album “Man” with six brand new songs added. “Kanchi Aybeletem”, “Ghetto youth”, “Brand New day remix”, “Sunday”, “Tefa Amesgagn” and “Where you at?” are the new songs that are featured in the new CD. The singer had his own concert on April 21, 2012 which was also organized by Adika Communication and Events. Apart from the concert and the re-launching of his album, it looks like Nhatty’s got his hands full as a new album, possibly in English is also in the pipe line.
What is unique about Nhatty’s works?
Nhatty throws himself wholeheartedly into whatever it is he is doing and he believes giving it all you have got is the only way to success. The singer aspires to win a Grammy award and achieve worldwide stardom all the way from east Africa. His performance is a witness that this is a no farfetched dream. Natnael Ayalew’s works transcend boundaries. His recent collaboration with the very popular Nigerian musician Ras Kimono has been released recently. The singer, who mentions the Ethiopian music mogul Mohammed Ahmud as one of his inspirations, believes that if it isn’t original, it’s really not worth a shot. Widely acclaimed for being a great stage performer, he showed an amazing performance on the big brother amplified in 2011 receiving a standing ovation from the audience. A Jack of all trades, Nhatty often pens the lyrics of his songs and also writes melodies.
What more do we need to know about Nhatty?
A cartoon film fanatic, Natnael Ayalew, a.k.a. Nhatty Man, enjoys spending his free time in the company of his closest friends. The singer who has presented his performances in different countries like South Africa, Dubai and Kenya mentions his mother as a huge source of inspiration for whatever he does.
