Temesgen was born and raised in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He has studied with Alemayehu Fanta and Teshome Shenkute at the Yared School of Music in Addis Ababa. It is Temesgen's dream to keep alive the ancient musical traditions of Ethiopia. He is in the process of setting up a school to teach the Begena and the Krar.
Temesgen - Yibellahalla [Begena Fusion]
A versatile singer-songwriter, Temesgen has begun to explore the frontiers of ethio-fusion. His non-traditional work is a soulful stew of reggae, ethiopian, and jazz. He is currently working on Begena Fusion, an album that features the begena in a modern milieu. And, Krarization a collection of popular contemporary songs re-interpreted with the help of the krar. Temesgen has also created instructional DVDs on how to play the krar and the begena.
Sayat Demissie was the 2004 Miss Ethiopia and the almost 2005 Miss World. Something for the high school drop-out who subsequently found herself in the front pages of local papers and magazines. Her petite frame and youthful face and her occasionally gaffe made her a target for the tabloids.
Two years ago, the slender girl emerged as the lead character in the Amharic movie, Sara. Nothing to write home about, it was all an amateur and second-rate performance. But she has got a look. It has given her recognition and probably an inflated ego, too. Her ego trip took her to think of developing her own talk show on ETV. For that, she came on Ethiopia Link and talked about her difficult childhood and sexual abuse, relating her experience to that of American talk-show host, Opra Winfrey.
But that radio appearance has gotten her in trouble for a supposedly unkind remark she made about disabled people. When asked how she survived the trauma, Sayat responded saying that even the disabled keep on living, let alone her. It triggered many comments voicing displeasure. The talk-show-thing never came into reality, at least upto now and her claim of being raped on Bole Street in her teen years was thought by many as an invented story intended to get sympathy from those allocating air times.
Sayat Demissie - Enie Meretku
Now Sayat has unraveled yet another skill as musical performer. She has released her debut musical effort, a single song, “Tew Maneh”. Actually before the release, she was performing on stage at clubs, playing her rendition of Christinia Aguilera’s “Save me from myself.”
Looking at the reception, Sayat’s debut work seem to be working right. Radio programmers are finding it hard to ignore it and some even talked about the birth of a new star. The lively clip of the song has made it to many Ethiopian websites and blogs. It definitely serves as a sneak preview for her upcoming studio album, which she says will arrive this year.
But even judging from this song, performing doesn’t appear to come naturally to Sayat. For one thing, the material she chose is a recognized, well-known old hit, “Tew Maneh”.
She never took the trouble to write her own material and it didn’t demand much of her as singer. And even, her voice is not strongly projected enough and her inhibitions make it difficult for her to let go.
Although Sayat didn’t write her own music, too shy to perform solo in front of a big crowd, she has the charisma, drive, and determination- things important for a young performer. But of course, she has a long way to go to develop into mature female vocalist along the lines of Aster Awoke.
Nadav Haber started to learn the clarinet at the age of 10. In 1988-89 he lead a qaurtet in the Tel-Aviv clubs in Israel, and played in a blues duo. In the 90's nadav has switched to the tenor sax, and began to explore Ethiopian music. He played in Ethiopian dance bands all over Israel, in Ethiopian clubs and weddings. This has lead to the issue of Ethiopian Blues, and other smaller productions that were aimed at the Ethiopian Israeli market.
In recent years Nadav moved back to playing jazz, and in 2003 led a hard bop quintet in Jerusalem. He is currently working on two projects - an Ethiopian Jazz program and a “Favorite ballads” program.
01. Nadav Haber - Alchalkum (3:27) 02. Nadav Haber - In Her Youth (4:45) 03. Nadav Haber - Beautiful (5:30) 04. Nadav Haber - Love At First Sight (3:49) 05. Nadav Haber - Ethiopia (4:29) 06. Nadav Haber - My Life (4:29) 07. Nadav Haber - Japanese Woman (4:28) 08. Nadav Haber - Seven Miles From Addis (3:48) 09. Nadav Haber - When She Goes Away (3:53) 10. Nadav Haber - Long Ago (4:41) 11. Nadav Haber - Tizita (Song of Longing) (5:08)
Chalachew Ashenafi (1966-2012) was a singer and masinko player, an traditional Ethiopian instrument comparable to violin but with just only one string.
Chalachew was born and raise in Debre Tabor, close to the city of Gondar in Ethiopia, where most of the famous Azmaris originate from. He played at weddings and traditional bars before releasing his own album entitled "Gerager" in 2009.
He has hosted shows and performed at events in the United States, Italy and Germany among other countries. Chalachew did some tours with The Ex in recent years. A traditional player, but also forward, funny and stubborn.
The album is greatly influenced by music from Ethiopia, Angola and Congo. Infused with an interesting mix of soundscapes born from the world-wide multicultural and travel experiences of the musicians. This album does not only offer good music. The band Karibuni @ddis demonstrates the powerful synergy that occurs when music and social awareness merge with thoughtful lyrics and beautiful melodies.
Karibuni @ddis - Saba Sabina
Josephine Kronfli - voc, flute, shaw washint, whistle, field recordings Pit Budde - ac guitars, banjo, sitar guitar, autoharp, bass, wavedrum, shaman drum, uruwuri, field recordings, voc Rahel Budde – voc Carlos Mampuya – voc Klaus Jochmann - perc, accordion Ahmet Bektas - ud, sazbüs, darbouka, bendir, davul, voc Roshan Linsi – voc Ill James - voc Dorothea Kares – voc Michael Voss – el guitar Franziska Urton – violin Steffi Stephan – bass Benno Gromzig - bass
Karibuni @ddis - Hoya Hoye / Assiyo Bellema (5:08) Karibuni @ddis - Felega (4:58) Karibuni @ddis - Mbawala Jila / Ayaya (4:59) Karibuni @ddis - Wir Sind Eins / Esheruru (4:35) Karibuni @ddis - Selam, Shalom, Shlomo, Frieden (4:51) Karibuni @ddis - No Child Soldier (4:00) Karibuni @ddis - Saba Sabina (3:44) Karibuni @ddis - Melkam Fasika From Ethiopia (3:24) Karibuni @ddis - Kunsi Africa (6:55) Karibuni @ddis - Wefe, The Desperate Bird (5:52)
