Teshome Mitiku - Yegna Neger [2005] [ethiopia]

           Teshome Mitiku's career stretches back to Addis Ababa, where he began performing at local schools and nightclubs when he was just a teenager.

             In the late 60's, Teshome (singer/keyboard), Theodros "Teddy" Mitiku (alto saxophone), Tamrat Ferendji (trumpet), Fekade Amde-Meskel (bass), Tesfaye Mekonnen (drums), Alula Yohannes (guitar) and Seifu Yohannes (singer) joined to form the influential Soul Ekos Band. The band released numerous songs, including 4 tracks written by Teshome like Gara Ser New Betesh, Yezemed Yebada, Mot Adeladlogn and Hasabe.

Teshome Mitiku - Yegna Neger

             Teshome fled to Sweden at the peak of his musical career in 1969 after the government endorsed a strict, mandatory night curfew, which prevented him from performing at local venues. A few years later, Emperor Haile Selassie was overthrown in a coup d'etat by the Dergue regime.

                Teshome permanently moved to Sweden in 1970 and enrolled at the Music Conservatory in Malmo. He started performing with a 12-piece, jazz band, called Tolvan. He then switched gears and enrolled at Lund University, where he received his Masters of Arts in Sociology.

              During a brief visit in the 80's to the United States, Teshome collaborated with the Admas Band and released "Teshome Mitiku and His Experience," an album full of jazzy tracks like Mengezem Hulgezem and Almazeye.

                 In 1995, Teshome relocated to the United States and released the critically acclaimed album "Yegna Neger" with favorite tracks like Photoyen Ayechew and Che Belew.

              In 1994, Mitiku also collaborated with Mulatu Astatke. Mitiku wrote the Wello Song (Pearl of Ethiopia) on Mulatu Astatke's "Assiyo Bellama" album.

           In 1996, he coordinated with various Ethiopian artists and formed the first Ethiopian Music Association, where they teamed up and performed at various fundraisers to raise money for orphanages in Ethiopia.

             His third album "Gara Ser New Betish" was released in 1997 with splendid tracks like Satenow and Bechegnaw.

              In 1998, four of the songs that were originally recorded with the Soul Ekos Band and Teshome were released on "Ethiopiques Vol. 1".

          In 1999, Teshome released his fourth album, "Yesterday & Today" with saxophonist and brother, Teddy Mitiku with remastered hits like Alemazeye and Che Belew .

            In 2002, Either/Orchestra released "Afro-Cubism," a six track album that contained Teshome Mitiku's Yezemed Yebada.

             Teshome's fifth album, Topia's Deluge was released on May 9th, 2006.

01 - Teshome Mitiku - Ethiopiawe Net (5:38)

02 - Teshome Mitiku - Yegna Neger (8:13)

03 - Teshome Mitiku - Susegnash (5:50)

04 - Teshome Mitiku - Betachen Andnew (6:50)

05 - Teshome Mitiku - Photoyen Ayechew (4:52)

06 - Teshome Mitiku - Che Belew (8:45)

07 - Teshome Mitiku - Gabechachen (8:06)

08 - Teshome Mitiku - Semot Ataleksu (7:46)

09 - Teshome Mitiku - Tariku Bacheru (8:31)

10 - Teshome Mitiku - Wahuye (7:15)

Fekereaddis Nekatebeb - Leul Aswededegn [2004] [ethiopia]

             Singer Fekereaddis Nekatebeb was born and raised in Gonder, in a place/town called Dembia Koladeba. She started her music career at a young age in Gonder employed in the military. At the time, her parents didn’t have the clear knowledge of the importance of a music career; their choice for their daughter was for her to pursue work just like the ordinary, to become a doctor or to get educated to turn into a better person. As life’s path is a mystery, Fekereaddis stayed firm in her music profession.

        The famous musician Tesfaye Lemesa, went to Gondar, and arranged Fekereaddis ’s first album, which became bestselling album of the time.

         Fekereaddis in speaking about her successful profession as dancer, she gives the utmost gratitude to choreographer Ejigayehu Abdisa, for the matter the fact Fekereaddis still raises her as the person who showed her the path to her singing profession.

           In her music profession, she got recognized for her amazing voice and songs, to raise some of her works. Fekereaddis have worked with different melody and lyric composers including artists such as Tsegaye Deboch, Abebe Birehane, Adugna Bogale, Sirak Tadese, Elias Melka, Habtamu Bogale, and music arangers, including Tesfaye Lemesa, Roha Band, Elias Melka and Abegaz Kibrework.

            She proudly speaks of the great respect and adoration she has for her countries great musicians Aster Aweke. Another great singer address’s her adoration to Fekereaddis in person and in the public media. In addition to the numerous successful albums Fekereaddis released as a single artist, the single she worked with cooperation of singer Dereje Degefaw, which focus on HIV, are one of the few songs which gave her adoration from the audience. Fekereaddis proclaims music as her life, and the way she makes a living, she adds that she support her family of seven by her profession. Fekereaddis is a valuable artist who cooperates in countless career wise issues, making her a person who values her peers first hand.

Fekereaddis Nekatebeb - 01 - Yengat Wef (6:07)

Fekereaddis Nekatebeb - 02 - Bagerachn (7:04)

Fekereaddis Nekatebeb - 03 - Yamu Yamu (5:16)

Fekereaddis Nekatebeb - 04 - Yanekal (6:37)

Fekereaddis Nekatebeb - 05 - Leul Aswededegn (5:41)

Fekereaddis Nekatebeb - 06 - Mergan Yzo (5:41)

Fekereaddis Nekatebeb - 07 - Tesmagn Terunba (6:14)

Fekereaddis Nekatebeb - 08 - And Sew (7:59)

Fekereaddis Nekatebeb - 09 - Sbebu (6:19)

Fekereaddis Nekatebeb - 10 - Blo Blo (4:46)

v.a. - The Ethiopian Millennium Collection [CD 4 - Traditional] [2007] [ethiopia]

     The golden age of Ethiopian popular music (as heard on the fabled ETHIOPIQUES series) is famous in part for the sparsity of material that it yielded: The state-owned recording industry was largely a ramshackle government vanity, and while music of the music it captured was strikingly haunting, only a few dozen tracks were recorded in the 1960s and '70s... 

Shambel Belayneh - Yezenaye

       Since then, the floodgates have opened as Ethiopia has more or less entered the modern world -- more artists are making and recording more music than was dreamed possible back in the politically repressive "good old days," and the fruits of this renaissance are heard on this 6-CD set. 

      The tracks are from the late 1990s and early '00s -- the artists are generally younger, more modern musicians, although a few old-timers like Mahmoud Ahmed are still alive and kicking, and sound as cool as ever. Although this collection doesn't have the same eerie power as the '70s-era recordings, anyone who got into the ETHIOPIQUES discs will want to check this out as well, to see where the music has gone since then.

01 - Shambel Belayneh - Kalem Alemnew (7:47)

02 - Rahel Yohannes - Menelik (5:37)

03 - Woretaw Wubet - Tey Minew (7:30)

04 - Setegn Atanaw - Dejish Teselife (6:36)

05 - Berhane Haile - Ferait Weyni (3:38)

06 - Shambel Belayneh - Endennesh Endennesh (5:49)

07 - Woretaw Wubet - Ethiopia (5:50)

08 - Rahel Yohannes - Yiwedes Gonder (5:47)

09 - Setegn Atanaw - Gonder (7:40)

10 - Shambel Belayneh - Arheebu (6:17)

11 - Rahel Yohannes - Arada (6:24)

12 - Woretaw Wubet - Woy Dire (7:52)

Mohammed Ibraahim [Xawiil] - Galaana [2008] [ethiopia]

01 - Mohammed Ibraahim - Jaalala Dhugaa (6:26)
02 - Mohammed Ibraahim - Intaley (5:30)
03 - Mohammed Ibraahim - Jaalalaan (5:47)
04 - Mohammed Ibraahim - Jeedo (4:30)
05 - Mohammed Ibraahim - Jimmitti (5:28)
06 - Mohammed Ibraahim - Habiibi (Sudaan) (5:45)
07 - Mohammed Ibraahim - Hin Yaadini (5:17)
08 - Mohammed Ibraahim - Naf Jacel Halelay (7:04)
09 - Mohammed Ibraahim - Mee Yomiin Si'arka (6:52)
10 - Mohammed Ibraahim - Shirgigaate (8:22)
11 - Mohammed Ibraahim - Yoomuma (5:52)
12 - Mohammed Ibraahim - Galaana (9:59)

Chalachew Ashenafi & Birtukan Dubale - Yebachl Mezekir [2011] [ethiopia]

Chalachew Ashenafi - Yabay Darwa

01 - Birtukan Dubale - Aynama (5:40)
02 - Chalachew Ashenafi - Akale (6:37)
03 - Chalachew Ashenafi & Birtukan Dubale - Tey Manesh (9:45)
04 - Birtukan Dubale - Anteye (5:25)
05 - Chalachew Ashenafi - Hyle Abeba (6:47)
06 - Birtukan Dubale - Dera New (4:14)
07 - Chalachew Ashenafi & Birtukan Dubale - Endet Neh (7:12)
08 - Chalachew Ashenafi - Ehehe (5:38)
09 - Chalachew Ashenafi - Shilela (8:25)

v.a. - Golagul - Chants d'amour et de resistance [eritrea] [1999]

      

   R   E   U   P   L   O   A   D   

                       Eritrea, ancient province Ethiopia became independent at the beginning of the 90's and has lived a painful history. But nothing has ever prevented the people of Eritrea from singing, and not even the numerous famines. 

               The People of the plain of Zula (Afar, Tigré and Saho) give rhythm to their everyday life in simple, repetitive singings. The leader, man or woman, throws a comment on rhythms (handclaps and kebero percussion), the others start again, insisting on the same rhythmic, as an obsessive loop. History the concern of protecting the culture and politics, stimulates more than a singer. " On one hand, he killed you, whereas on the other one he fed you " tells a Saho about Haile Sélassié.

            A kebero is a double-headed, conical hand drum used in the traditional music of Eritrea and Ethiopia. A piece of animal hide is stretched over each end, thus forming a membranophone. A large version of the instrument is also used in Orthodox Christian liturgical music, while smaller versions are used in secular celebrations.

01. Ana meto agébé [Tigré Tribe] 2:57

02. Ayrègèdè [Afar Tribe] 2:05

03. O'h yéharshema [Saho Tribe] 2:34

04. Haleto lale lalô [Saho Tribe] 2:19

05. Sêda [Afar Tribe] 3:05

06. Toriyota [Afar Tribe] 1:38

07. Erab Ghedam [Tigré Tribe] 3:48

08. Adate [Tigré Tribe] 2:59

09. Aran heutoukta [Saho Tribe] 6:41

10. Innyo soklié [Saho Tribe] 3:39

11. Kéké [Afar Tribe] 2:31

12. Sänädirlê [Saho Tribe] 2:24

13. Farum Ghedan [Saho Tribe] 6:46

14. Selâm [Tigré Tribe] 3:49

15. Yewêlâlè [Tigré Tribe] 2:17

16. Erytrea nèdègé [Saho Tribe] 4:24

17. Worada [Saho Tribe] 4:13

18. Lâleh [Afar Tribe] 2:47