Fantahun Shewankochew is a Toronto-based musician (vocalist, song writer, instrumentalist, arranger and composer). His new release Adera (An Undertaking) is a rediscovery of Ethio-jazz, traditional and popular Ethiopian music with a modern twist. Fantahun Shewankochew has crafted an album that harkens back to the golden era of Ethiopian music.
Born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Fantahun hails from a country with a diverse mix of rich culture, tradition and music. Affectionately called “Fantish” by his friends and fans, Fantahun discovered his talent for music at a very young age when he participated in school performances as a singer, often imitating famous Ethiopian vocalists like Muluken Melese and his idol the late Tilahun Gessesse, undoubtedly the most revered and iconic figure who dominated Ethiopia’s modern music for almost half-a-century. To develop his talent, Fantahun joined the Yared School of Music in Addis Ababa, where he studied for four years and graduated in the early 80’s with a diploma in trumpet and the Ethiopian traditional instrument called krar, a harp-like five-or six-string lyre played using the fingers or in combination with a pick. His stint in the school not only provided him with the necessary academic credential and a better understanding of what underlies his music, but also created the historic opportunity of producing the Amharic hit song “Kiraren Biqagnew”, his signature song that introduced him to the public. Fresh from school, he was hired by the renowned Ethiopian National Theatre as a trumpet player and worked as a vocalist on the side with the Mahiran Band that he co-founded.
Fantahun Shewankochew - Yeberetuma
He released his first album - Kiraren in 1986 with the Mahiran band. He released three more albums: “Min Yelelesh Ale”, “Shegnichesh Semeles”, and “BeYikirta”. Besides his artistic and administrative responsibilities at the Ethiopian National theatre where he worked for over 20 years in various capacities including Coordinator of the music department, Fantahun formed one more music band –the Medina Band, collaborated with famous musicians and also went on international music tours in Africa, North America, South America, Europe, China and the Middle East.
Fantahun Shewankochew - Kiraren Bikagnew
While in tour in Paris, France, Fantahun collaborated with the famous and now US-based Ejigayehu Shibabaw, a.k.a. Gigi., and released the “Ethiopian Love Songs” album. His tour with a group of musicians that included four German instrumentalists (Jochen Engel, Patrick Langer, Jörg Pfeil and Michael Ehret) and four Ethiopian vocalists (Abonesh Adnew, Tigist Bekele, Wondwossen Kassa and Binyam Kindya), organized under a band called “Sounds of Saba” offered Fantahun the opportunity to fulfill his dream of introducing Ethiopian music to the rest of the world and also to participate in the group’s 1998 “Tizita” album in which he participated as a vocalist, kirar player and percussionist. Representing Ethiopia with the Cultural Orchestra of the ENT, Fantahun has participated at some of the biggest international musical events including the Ravera festival in Italy and the Houston International festival in Texas, USA.
Fantahun made Toronto his new home in 2011 and he has since collaborated with fellow Ethiopian and other Canadian musicians and performed at such venues as the Glenn Gould Studio, Lula Lounge, Harbourfront Centre, the Music Gallery, the Gladstone Hotel and the Luminato Festival. No less important is his contribution to the Ethiopian Community in Toronto. In the same year he arrived in Toronto, for example, he got himself busy serving as artistic director of a spiritual concert & drama organized by fellow artists in collaboration with the choir of the Toronto Membere Birhan Saint Mary Ethiopian Orthodox Cathedral to raise fund for the construction of the Church’s new cathedral. The show was a complete sell-out and a phenomenal success.
Regarding his plans in music, Fantahun has a keen interest to introduce Ethiopian traditional music, which he says has gained more and more popularity in many European countries but not so much here in Canada. In addition to his many personal projects in the pipeline, he plans to introduce to Canadians Ethiopia’s distinct modal system that is pentatonic called qenet, of which there are four main modes: tezeta, bati, ambassel, and anchihoye and other additional modes which are basically variants of the four modes.
Widely Helen Berhe is best known with her single clip Uzaza Allina. As this single clip is a Sudanese (Arabic) beat, the Addis born Ethiopian Helen Berhe is usually believed to be a Sudanese singer.
Helen Berhe - Uzaza Alena
Recently, with the Ethiopian New Year, Helen Berhe staged out with her new album, known as “Tasfelegnaleh!” (I need you!). In relation with her album, the widely circulated Amharic weakly, “Addis Admass” has conducted a brief interview with her. Here is presented the translation of the interview.
While others could not achieve wide acceptance and acknowledgement with their consecutive albums, Helen simply proved to be the best, with “Uzaza Allina” that usually viewed via television channels, YouTube and promoted her in a brief moment. The clip “Uzaza Allina” composed both in Arabic and Amharic replaced her natural and legal name Helen Berhe.
This young vocalist now came to the stage with her new album “Tasfelegnaleh”, after a three years tiresome preparation. This new album was released with the Ethiopian New Year. Addis Admass had conducted a brief interview with the emerging star on this new album and other related issues.
A.A: While you were a student many people say you were daily in Hager Fiker Theater? Is that true?
Helen: True. Since my childhood I had a special affection to music and dancing. I attend my high school at Menen School. While going and coming to school I visited Hager Fiker and enjoyed the music of the vocalists while they train. Their work got dominance on my soul and sometimes ignored my classes and went to Hager Fiker. One day I revealed my interest and asked the performance trainer to allow me to sing. He gave me the chance and listened my vocal and I song. “Your sound should be tamed” he told me later. He understood that my interest was high and allowed me to observe while the professionals sing and dance. This was a big opportunity to me. I followed my observation happily.
I spend my schooling time in Hager Fiker, with out the knowledge of my family. Finally at the eve of a new year I was allowed to perform at the stage of Hager Fiker as a dancer.
A.A: Does that mean the Theater house recruited you?
Helen: No, I was not paid. But that was nothing to me. What was important to me was to be seen at the stage of Hager Fiker. Thus usually I continued to train at Hager Fiker. In the meantime some people from aboard came and asked to take me abroad. Even if they were told that I am still an amateur, they insisted and took me to Bahrain.
A.A: How old were you then? Did your family agreed?
Helen: I was 18. I didn’t complete my high school. I took matriculation after I came back. My family didn’t know what really was happening and could not believe when I informed them that I am leaving to Bahrain. I was determined to leave, however, and could not deter me from leaving and with sorrow let me to go.
A.A: When does that happen? For how long did you stay at Hager Fiker?
Helen: I went to Bahrain in 2002; I stayed at Hager Fiker not for more than 3 months.
A.A: What happened in Bahrain, what was the reaction of your audience?
Helen: I staged in a Hotel known as Seychelles. Seychelles and Awol are two famous Hotels managed by a single owner. At a shift of every half month, I was staging in both hotels. There the vocalist and dancer is a single person. While you sing you dance. In their culture presents given to the performer are bunches of flowers. The spectator comes with a bundle of flowers and presents to the performer whom he admires. Finally these bundles of flowers will be collected and sold. We share the income of the sale equally with owner of the hotel. This is an extra income, on top of our salary. Really it was a good income. In their culture giving money to a performer is a taboo. And every spectator comes with bundles of flowers.
Helen Berhe - Yene Geta
A.A: How much was your salary?
Helen: My salary was 500 USD per month.
A.A: the amateur Helen at Hager Fiker, became professional at Bahrain?
Helen: When I left to Bahrain I was neither a performer nor a vocalist. I had the love and affection, but not actually the desired experience. There in Bahrain, my compatriots like Abnet Agonafir, Minalush Reta and Ismael Idris shaped me to follow the right direction.
A.A: For how long did you stay in Bahrain? How did you challenge home and family sickness?
Helen: I stayed in Bahrain for 2 years. It was a difficult time. Thought I got the material gains I was not free and left to Dubai.
AA: while you came out to the public with Uzaza Allina did you get the consent of the singer?
Helen: Yes, In Dubai I performed at Palm Hotel. The singer of Uzaza Allina, Nada, came to the hotel while I was performing. I was singing a Sudanese music. After the show she asked me if I am willing to join her at her concert. She had a concert at Sheraton Gera in Dubai. And we discusses over it. On that concert she played Uzaza Allina. I liked it very much. I asked her consent to perform it in Amharic and she was more than willing. I came back to Addis and discussed over it with Amharic lyrics and poem artists. Eyobel Berhanu and Zelalem Terefe wrote the lyrics, poem and the basic lyrics. Wondimeneh Assefa composed it and reached the public.
A.A: Did you expect such an applaud.
Helen: I did not expect such an applaud. Tigist Woyisso came to Dubai and inquired me why I sit ideal while I have such a clip. She came with clip to Addis and handed it to ETV. The clip was arranged in haste while I was busy to go to Dubai and I did not expect such massive applaud. However, I was amazed with the public reaction.
A.A: How much did you benefit from the clip?
Helen: I got a priceless name and fame. The name of the clip /song/ has already replaced my legal and natural name. It helped me as a spring board to jump to the future. It reminded me to be courageous and visional. On top of that, I have got a financial benefit that could be achieved from a single clip. It helped me to perform in Africa, Europe and the Middle East.
A.A: I heard you are coming up with a new album known “Tasfelegnaleh”. How much are you convinced with the quality of your work?
Helen: As I have told you earlier, I have got a wide applaud from my audiences. This indicates that my audiences expect something better than Uzaza allina. Therefore I have tried to work hard and to come with my best performance.
I have assigned all my time, money, talent and experience to this work. I brushed aside all things and concentrated on this. I am coming to my audience not only with my single talent but the talents and skills of Habtamu Bogale, Eyobel Berhanu, Zelalem Terefe, Tamrat Desta, Abel Mulugeta, Asnake Gebreyes, Alemayehu Demeke, Getish Mamo have accompanied me. Additionally, the best known composer Abegaz kibrework (Shewota) has composed my six beats. On top of that, for the first time in his career he arranged me one lyric. The rest 8 beats are composed by Wondimeneh Assefa who composed Uzaza Allina. Therefore, I think this work will be one of the best.
A.A: Do you have clips.
Helen: From this album one music is arranged in a clip. The clip known as “Libe”, is directed by Sintayehu Sisay. It is a well arranged clip filmed in Addis Ababa, Ziway and Langano beach.
A.A: Now what do you feel?
Helen: You see, for me now it is challenging. The work that consumed my time, money and talent with years of preparation is a big deal in my life. My excitement begins when I get the reaction of my audience.
Finally I want to thank to all my friends who granted me their all rounded assistance in all forms. My great gratitude goes to Migbar Mekete to his unlimited support.
Mulatu Astatkemight be most known to international audiences through his tracks on the excellent Ethiopiques CD anthology series of Ethiopian music. Long before those tracks were compiled for that series, however, he had an American release with this 1972 instrumental album, on which he's billed as"Mulatu of Ethiopia."
Like much of the best of the circa-early-'70s contemporary Ethiopian music on Ethiopiques, it's a fine, at times captivating blend of late-'60s American soul and jazz with Ethiopian music, resulting in something not quite comparable to anything else.
It is undeniably funky, with wah-wah guitar and organ aplenty. There's plenty of contemporary jazz in the arrangements, too, the sax runs sometimes showing the influence of the likes of John Coltrane. Yet there's a melancholy minor cast to the melodies that marks this off as something quite different, and the rhythms likewise have irregularities that are more African than American. The only major strike against the LP is its short running time, with the seven tracks adding up to a mere 26-and-a-half minutes or so.
Dereje Mekonnen began his career in the early 1980s as a keyboardist in the Ibex band, who accompanied the R&B singer Mahmoud Ahmed on three albums. He then founded the formation Dallol, a reggae band with whom he played in Chicago and accompanied Ziggy Marley on his albums Conscious Party (1988) and One Bright Day (1989), which were awarded the Grammy.
After numerous tours with Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, he founded the band Gizzae in 1991, with whom he performed primarily in Chicago and the Midwest of the USA. He also worked with Ethiopian musicians such as Tilahun Gessesse and Ephrem Tamiru. He also produced the first album of Ejigayehu Shibabaw, One Ethiopia (1998).
Dereje Mekonnen died at the age of 49.
Dereje DJ Makonnen - Alemen Zorialehu [ደረጄ መኮንን አለምን ዞሪያለሁ]
Dereje Mekonen with Shebele Band - 01 - Etitu Beredegn (6:13)
Dereje Mekonen with Shebele Band - 02 - Yagere Lidje (6:34)
Dereje Mekonen with Shebele Band - 03 - Selewebetu Sadenk (5:02)
Dereje Mekonen with Shebele Band - 04 - Atawerulegn Lela (4:33)
Dereje Mekonen with Shebele Band - 05 - Laley Laley (Tegregna (6:14)
Dereje Mekonen with Shebele Band - 06 - Temar Lidje (5:49)
Dereje Mekonen with Shebele Band - 07 -Emu Eadigere (Guragegna) (4:23)
Dereje Mekonen with Shebele Band - 08 - Besebara Fole (6:23)
Dereje Mekonen with Shebele Band - 09 - Shilela (3:52)
Dereje Mekonen with Shebele Band - 10 - Hagerua Wasa Megera (4:43)
Dereje Mekonen with Shebele Band - 11 - Yaleselesea (Oromegna) (4:27)
