Muluken Melesse - The Great Unknown Muluken Melesse [ethiopia]

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       Muluken Melesse was born in 1954 in northern Ethiopia's province of Gojjam. After wandering extensively with his uncle, at the age of six they settled in Addis Ababa. The phenomenally precocious Muluken Melesse was just 12 when he began his singing career in 1966 at the Patric Lumuba night club. Like many vocalists of the period, he started off with the different police bands, and went on to sing with the first non-institutional groups of those founded by nightclub owners (Blue Nile Band, Zula Band, Venus Band, Equators Band...)

       Hedech Alu was the first song he recorded on vinyl at the beginning of 1972.

       In a very short period of time his popularity soared sky-high. Backed by the Dahlak, Roha (as Ibex), and Ethio-Stars bands, Muluken has recorded from 1972 till 1976 a series of successful casettes and records and in 1976 what was to be his last hit, Ney Ney Wodaje.

      Muluken abandoned his career during the 80's to devote himself and his voice to the Pentacostal church and continued singing gospels occasionally. The magic was gone. Wishful thinking among his fans regularly gives rise to rumors of a comeback, but none has materialized ...

    When Muluken Melesse came to the scene, he brought the Balager Sound, the "Ethiopian Roots Music" of the rural villages in Ethiopia to cosmopolitan Addis Ababa , reversing the trend of simply aping the West.

   Muluken captured that essence and the entire feel of the "Real Ethiopia". In Ethiopia's poetic tradition there are the sam-ennawarq (wax and gold) verses , songs that are apparently about love, but subliminally they level serious criticism at the rulers and political or social conditions.

Sam-ennawarq is open to so much interpretation that listeners enjoy arguing all day for their exact meaning.

An example from Muluken's lyrics:

   Tenesh Kelbe Lay   

Please, leave my heart alone. 

Why don't you leave my heart alone? 

I want to be free like other human beings. 

Something which I don't understand. 

What did I see that stung me so?

I have seen beyond beauties, 

but I have been stung still by your love. 

Your love disarms me. 

Everything looks so nice on her.

Her beauty is misleading. 

I love the way you dance seksta,

shaking your lovely neck and shoulders. 

Saddle my horse, 

so that I can ride to her 

and drink deep of the feast of her love.

01. Muluken Mellesse - Tenesh Kelibe Laye (4:24)
02. Muluken Mellesse - Ere Indet Nesh Gedawo (4:12)
03. Muluken Mellesse - Embwa Belew (3:55)
04. Muluken Mellesse - Wetete Mare (3:32)
05. Muluken Mellesse - Yeminjar Shega (2:31)
06. Muluken Mellesse - Hedech Alu (5:13)
08. Muluken Mellesse - Gelayewa Neyney (8:21)
09. Muluken Mellesse - Meche Amakerechign (4:34)
10. Muluken Mellesse - Djemeregne (7:29)

Henok Mehari - Ewnetegna Fikir [2004] [ethiopia]

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Henok Mehari - Tezalegn Yetintu

       Henock Mehari was born 1978, into a very musical family in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and this influence led to his decision to become involved in music himself at an early age. In his youth, Henock participated in his church choir and later entered the renowned Yared Music School, where he studied music performance, piano, and the masinko, a traditional Ethiopian musical instrument. 

     He graduated with high distinction in 2000. After graduation, he continued to serve his church as a keyboard player, as well as performing in the choir. Henock pursued a professional career with various musical groups, including Afro Sound, Express, Zions and the Nile Voice bands. With these bands, he performed at most of the nightclubs in Addis Ababa, notably the Sheraton’s Gas Light, Safari, and The Lion’s Club. Henock operates his own digital studio, where he arranged and recorded his album, as well as those of other up and coming performers such as Tsedenia GebreMarkos.

       Henock has high admiration and respect for fellow artists Tesfaye Gebre and Aster Aweke and cites their accomplishments as inspiration for his own.

01. Henock Mehari - Wub Nesh (5:14)

02. Henock Mehari - Ethiopia (6:24)

03. Henock Mehari - Arada (4:35)

04. Henock Mehari - Ewnetegna Fikir (5:46)

05. Henock Mehari - Endewotah Sitiker (5:43)

06. Henock Mehari - Balekinew (5:29)

07. Henock Mehari - Amlak Esuan Adiluatal (5:25)

08. Henock Mehari - Africa (5:01)

09. Henock Mehari - Hule Anesashalew (5:15)

10. Henock Mehari - Chewataw dera (4:28)

11. Henock Mehari - Geremegne (5:16)

12. Henock Mehari - Honuatal (4:48)

Mulatu Astatke - Mochilla presents timeless Mulatu Astatke [2010] [ethiopia]

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Mulatu Astatke - Timeless (Live)

       Ethiopian composer/arranger/vibraphonist Mulatu Astatke reached a lot of Western ears in the ‘90s when the fourth installment of the Ethiopiques series featured his work. That album presented innovative recordings from the ‘60s and ‘70s that fused jazz and Ethiopian sounds. Astatke got more exposure when some of his pieces were used in the soundtrack for Jim Jarmusch’s Broken Flowers. 

       

       In 2009, Astatke and a fine group of American musicians performed at California State University, Los Angeles, and Timeless captures the concert. Featured players include woodwinds wizard Benny Maupin, former McCoy Tyner sideman Azar Lawrence on tenor sax, and trombonist and Tribe veteran Phil Ranelin. A number of younger players also make contributions, including keyboardist Brandon Coleman, violist Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, and trumpeter Todd Simon, who displays a nice feel for Ethiopian scales. 

     Astatke’s vibraphone solos are always welcome, and if you had to pick a standout track it would be “Mulatu,” where the band finds a deep groove.

1. Mulatu Astatke - Yèkèrmo Sèw (7:32)

2. Mulatu Astatke - The Radcliffe (8:29)

3. Mulatu Astatke - I Faram Gami (7:45)

4. Mulatu Astatke - Yèkatit (7:15)

5. Mulatu Astatke - Kasaléfkut Hulu (8:05)

6. Mulatu Astatke - Mulatu (7:10)

7. Mulatu Astatke - Munayé (7:47)

8. Mulatu Astatke - Yègellé Tezeta (5:24)

9. Mulatu Astatke - Ebo Lala (6:31)

Bass Clarinet, Flute, Soprano Saxophone – Bennie Maupin

Drums – Tony Austin

Drums [Hand], Percussion – Munyungo Jackson

Electric Bass, Acoustic Bass – Trevor Ware

Electric Guitar – Dan Ubick

Electric Piano, Piano, Organ – Brandon Coleman

Percussion – Alan Lightner

Tenor Saxophone – Azar Lawrence

Trombone – Joel Yennior, Phil Ranelin

Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Todd Simon

Viola – Miguel Atwood-Ferguson

Vibraphone, Percussion – Mulatu Astatke

v.a. - Ethio podcast - Begena [2006] [ethiopia]

Alemu Aga - "Besmeab - Abatachin Hoy"

playing the Begenna, the Harp of David from Ethiopia

       The begena (or bèguèna, as in French) is an Eritrean and Ethiopian string instrument with ten strings belonging to the family of the lyre. According to oral tradition, Menelik I brought the instrument to the region from Israel, where David played on it to soothe King Saul's nerves and heal him of insomnia. Its actual origin remains in doubt, though local manuscripts depict the instrument at the beginning of the 15th century (Kimberlin 1978: 13).

      Known as the instrument of noblemen, monks and the upper class and performed by both men and women, the begena was used primarily as an accompaniment during meditation and prayer. Though commonly played in the home, it is sometimes played in the framework of festive occasions. During Lent, the instrument is often heard on the radio and around churches. 

   Begena is accompanied by singing voice only. The singer may compose his or her own texts or they may be taken from the Bible, from the Book of Proverbs, or from the Book of Qine, an anthology of proverbs and love poems. Subject matter includes the futility of life, the inevitability of death, saints, mores, morality, prayer, and praises to God. The song's duration varies according to the text, the audience, and the persistence of the player. Though many texts are of a religious nature, the instrument is not used in the Ethiopian Orthodox church services, even if it is seen occasionally in religious processions outside the church.

     Because of the instrument's relatively intimate and sacred role in society, the begena is not very common to find. Meditation and prayer are very private, personal endeavors, and hearsay suggests that the instrument is played by very few and is a dying art. However, in 1972, the Yared Music School in Addis Ababa began formal instruction in the begena. Since 2004, evening courses are organized and the begena is still played.

    The begena has ten strings. However, different musicians use varying numbers of strings to play the begena. For example, begena teacher Memhr Sisay Demissae uses all ten strings to play the begena, while other players may use five or six of the strings. The left hand is used to pluck the strings.

 When all ten strings are plucked, one method of tuning the begena is to tune each pair of strings to one of the pitches in a pentatonic scale. When using five of the stings, only the first, fourth, sixth, eighth and tenth strings are tuned and plucked to give sound. Finally, while playing the begena using six strings, the left hand plucks strings one, three, four, six, eight, and ten (starting from the left side when facing the instrument). The pointing finger plucks strings three and four while the other fingers are in charge of controlling one string each. The remaining strings are used for the finger rests or stops after the strings have been plucked, allowing the plucked string to vibrate.

          The begena may also be played using a system called girf, wherein a plectrum made of horn or wood is used to pluck the ten strings of the begena. Megabe Sebhat Alemu Aga plays begena both by using his fingertips and girf.

       

      

The begena is characterized by a very specific buzzing sound, due to U-shaped leather pieces placed between each string and the bridge. The thong for each string is adjusted up or down along the bridge so that the string, when plucked, repeatedly vibrates against the edge of the bridge.

01 - unknown - Begena 9 (5:17)
02 - Zerfu Demisie - Tewoledelin (5:23)
03 - Merigeta Fikru Sahelu - Simih Yemesgen (7:34)
04 - Akalu - Bene Tsidk Aydelem (7:11)
05 - Yilma Hailu - Silasie Kesemay (4:14)
06 - Tadiwos Girma - Temesgen (6:05)
07 - Yilam Hailu - Eninesalen (3:55)
08 - Mirtnesh Tilahun - Rehoboth (5:11)
09 - Engidawork Bekele - Alefkugne Dingil (6:00)
10 - Fekadu Amare - Egziabher Hayal New (5:20)

Aron Abraham - Amani'do Yetselem [2002] [eritrea]

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Aron Abraham - Asmara Shikor

       Aron Abraham is an Eritrean Tigrigna singer, who is known for his song "Asmara Shikor" and others.

01. Aron Abraham - Ayresaekuken (5:07)

02. Aron Abraham - Asmara Shikor (6:27)

03. Aron Abraham - Amani'do Yetselem (5:03)

04. Aron Abraham - Aydelen Edmeki (5:20)

05. Aron Abraham - Imuney (5:36)

06. Aron Abraham - Sieliki Ayamenin (3:54)

07. Aron Abraham - Abti Waziemaki (6:32)

08. Aron Abraham - Tshftoy (6:17)

09. Aron Abraham - Yemelales (5:54)

10. Aron Abraham - Jaguar (5:46)

11. Aron Abraham - Liela (5:28)

12. Aron Abraham - Instrumental (0:52)

Sami Berhane - W'lad [2005] [eritrea]

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01. Sami Berhane - Kuluye Zemale (6:52)
02. Sami Berhane - Aytsaweronye Ane (6:38)
03. Sami Berhane - Wulad (8:11)
04. Sami Berhane - Flyeti Btebay (7:14)
05. Sami Berhane - Ayney Blen (7:06)
06. Sami Berhane - Btaemiye Zfetweki (7:10)
07. Sami Berhane - Umrel Senin (8:19)
08. Sami Berhane - Abay Seb (8:07)
09. Sami Berhane - Gamey (7:27)
10. Sami Berhane - Ruhus Gama (7:03)