Damakase - Gunfan Yellem! [2016] [ethiopia]

       Endris Hassen (The Ex, Ethiocolor, Imperial Tiger Orchestra, Nile Project, MistO-MistO etc) and Cory Seznec (Groanbox, Seznec Bros, solo, MistO-MistO, etc) joined forces in late 2014 to fuse sounds from east and west Africa. Hungry for a fuller sound, they brought in Misale Legesse (Ethiocolor, Addis Acoustic Project, etc) on kebero and Cass Horsfall on bass (Black Jesus Experience, Jazmaris, etc) to flesh things out and create Damakase, a name which comes from a plant used in traditional medicine in Ethiopia to heal "gunfan" (cold/flu) and other ailments. 

       By late 2015 they had enough songs for an album, and asked Kenny Allen to come in as producer. 

       Gunfan Yellem! (translated roughly as Fever No More!) is an album recorded live in Cory's Glasshouse Studios. 

      Guest artists were invited to add a little spice here and there, and Kenny fine tuned and tweaked the mix to perfection. 

      The music is comprised of 6 originals and two covers (Wuba by the Eritrean composer Tewelde Redda, and Mother's Love by the Ethiopian pianist Emahoy Tsegue-Maryam Guebrou).

Damakase - Tizita Gourd

Damakase - 01 - Wuba (4:09)

Damakase - 02 - Tizita Gourd (4:20)

Damakase - 03 - Wassorai Asho Mada (4:21)

Damakase - 04 - Mother's Love (4:27)

Damakase - 05 - Batten Down the Hatches (4:01)

Damakase - 06 - Southern Bound (5:18)

Damakase - 07 - Tizu Konjo Wusha (3:16)

Damakase - 08 - Damakase (3:29)

Damakase is: 

Cass Horsfall - bass, vocals 

Cory Seznec - guitars, ngoni, banjos, vocals 

Endris Hassen - masenqo, vocals 

Misale Legesse - kebero, percussion, vocals 

Guests: 

Kaethe Hostetter - violin 

Mesele Asmamaw - krar 

Mesfin "Baby" Shiferaw - vocals 

Ralf Werner - cello 

Yann Seznec - piano, pump organ

Fereheiwot Hailemichael - Negeregn [2017] [ethiopia]

Fereheiwot Hailemichael - Negeregn

Fereheiwot Hailemichael - 01 - Negeregn (3:48)

Fereheiwot Hailemichael - 02 - Hulum Dehna (4:20)

Fereheiwot Hailemichael - 03 - Zemaye (4:05)

Fereheiwot Hailemichael - 04 - Abebaye (3:29)

Fereheiwot Hailemichael - 05 - Tizeta (2:14)

Fereheiwot Hailemichael - 06 - Alawedaderehem (0:53)

Fereheiwot Hailemichael - 07 - Adelegne (5:53)

Fereheiwot Hailemichael - 08 - Geremegne (4:52)

Fereheiwot Hailemichael - 09 - Amen (4:04)

Fereheiwot Hailemichael - 10 - Awawale (3:28)

Mohammed Awel - Menzuma Nasheed [ethiopia]

             In general, Islamic anasheed do not contain lamellaphone instruments, string instruments, or wind and brass instruments, although digital remastering – either to mimic percussion instruments or create overtones – is permitted. This is because many Muslim scholars state that Islam prohibits the use of musical instruments except for some basic percussion.

         Nasheed are popular throughout the Islamic world. The material and lyrics of a nasheed usually make reference to Islamic beliefs, history, and religion, as well as current events.

Mohammed Awel [Menzuma] - Engurguro

        Nasheed (Arabic: singular نشيد nashīd, plural أناشيد anāshīd, also nashwad (pl.), meaning: "chants"; also nasyid in Malaysia and Indonesia) is a work of vocal music that is either sung acappella or accompanied by percussion instruments such as the daf. 

Mohammed Awel - 01 - Menzuma (14:57)

Mohammed Awel - 02 - Unknown (5:33)

Mohammed Awel - 03 - Ramadan Ramadan (6:04)

Mohammed Awel - 04 - Nasheeda (12:07)

Mohammed Awel - 05 - New Nasheeda (4:53)

v.a. - Ethiopian Hit Parade Volume 1 [1972] [ethiopia]

Abbèbè Tèssèmma - Ashasha bèyèw

Alèmayèhu Eshèté - 01 - Addis Abeba Bete (4:33)

Girma Bèyènè - 02 - Sét alamenem (5:28)

Gèmètchu Itana - 03 - Shemèrmari tiya (4:31)

Sèyfu Yohannès - 04 - Tezeta (5:21)

Abaynèh Dèdjèné - 05 - Yèbèrèha lomi (3:33)

Tèshomè Meteku - 06 - Gara ser nèw bétesh (3:15)

Menelik Wèsnatchèw - 07 - Asha gèdawo (4:26)

Muluqèn Mèllèssè - 08 - Hédètch Alu (5:17)

Mulatu Astatqé - 09 - Yèkèrmo Sèw (4:15)

Essatu Tèssèmma - 10 - Ayamaru Eshèté (4:00)

Abbèbè Tèssèmma - 11 - Ashasha bèyèw (3:35)

Jazzmaris - Jazzmaris live at Guy's Bar [2016] [eth+ger]

Jazzmaris is a quartet from Ethiopia and Germany, playing since 2007 in Addis Ababa and elsewhere. The composition of the group is: drums, bass, electric guitar and alto saxophone.

Their music’s are Ethiopian melodies played as own arrangements with various influences like Jazz, Rock and improvised music.

The group’s name is a creation of the words Jazz and Asmaris. Asmaris are the traditional musicians of Ethiopia.They play and sing since centuries, expressing the feelings and opinions of the people.

Jazzmaris is giving Ethiopian music a new expression and sound

Jazzmaris - Ye Faransay Djelba (live at Guy's Bar)

The repertoire of Jazzmaris is mostly modern Ethiopian songs of singers like Mahmoud Ahmed, Girma Beyene, Muluken Melesse, Telahoun Gessesse and others. The aim of the group is to play Ethiopian music in a fresh way, giving the music a new expression and sound.

Jazzmaris - 01 - Ene Negn Bai Manesh (10:55)

Jazzmaris - 02 - Ye Fikir Wodmet (Bemin Sebeb Litlash) (12:13)

Jazzmaris - 03 - Mado Hanee (7:56)

Jazzmaris - 04 - Musicawi Silt (10:06)

Jazzmaris - 05 - Ye Faransay Djelba (6:28)

Jazzmaris - 06 - Yekatit (4:35)

Jazzmaris - 07 - Meche New (12:24)

Jazzmaris - 08 - Almaz Ye Hararwa (9:59)

Jazzmaris - 09 - Fikir Ende Kirar (7:33)

Jazzmaris - 10 - Aynotche Terabu (13:09)

musicians: 

Henock Temesgen - bass

Nathannael Tessema - drums 

Jörg Pfeil - guitar 

Olaf Boelsen - alto saxophone

Samson Berhanu - Ambassel Tewesta Instrumental, Vol. 3 [2017] [ethiopia]

Samson Berhanu - 01 - Awaash (6:11)
Samson Berhanu - 02 - Dafiidafii (6:40)
Samson Berhanu - 03 - Hedd Na Darartee (5:11)
Samson Berhanu - 04 - Hiiq-As (5:38)
Samson Berhanu - 05 - Abbichuu (5:28)
Samson Berhanu - 06 - Ayyaana La Latu (5:28)
Samson Berhanu - 07 - Loobola (5:42)
Samson Berhanu - 08 - Galaanni Gibee (7:06)
Samson Berhanu - 09 - Tessoon (6:35)
Samson Berhanu - 10 - Aadaakeenya (4:29)
Samson Berhanu - 11 - Dumbushee (7:11)