A train line winds from Djibouti to the Ethiopian capital Addis Abeba. On this track lies Dire Dawa, a city raised on both spirit and turmoil planted on a track that heads on to a higher plateau. Dire Dawa is the name of Minyeshu's birthplace.
Minyeshu left home to join the Ethiopian National Theater in Addis at an early age. Her opinionated and resolute nature created conflict enough to force her from her homeland, and ultimately to the awaiting platforms of Europe. Minyeshu is a stunning performer. Her voice sings and her body dances the stories of centuries of tribal development and strife, the plight of the refugee, and the vibrations that resonate through every human soul.
This CD is the registration of Minyeshu's arrival in Western Civilization. She roots herself seamlessly with western musical elements to create an enchanting new genre: this Ethiopian music has depth, dynamic and emotional nuance; this Western music has primal energy, exotic heritage and a natural ground shaking pulse.
1. An Ode to Friends Who Have Passed On] Halafi Nen Kealem (Serra) [Life and Death
2. Wosenku [I Have Decided]
3. Selam Lehtsanat [Peace for the Children]
4. Tileshign Athidg
5. Dire Dawa [Home of My Earliest Memories]
6. Afrika [Africa I Must Tell You This]
7. Like-Neh [Love Renewed]
8. Buna
9. Sidama Manaho
10. Ker-Yihun (Gurage) [A Song for a Friend of Gurage Heritage]
11. Ayasresam - Tzita [Song of Longing for a Memory]
A nice collection of both semi-ancient and relatively recent songs from Ethiopia, accompanied by the krar (a harp said to have been played by the Apollo, the Greek God) as well as the masanko, a single-stringed fiddle similar to the rebab.
The music is nice -- vocals work around one another, and the constant instrumental looping helps to move the song through itself. Being essentially the only area untouched by colonial powers in the scramble for Africa period, Ethiopia kept its traditions relatively pure and un-Westernized. The influences that do show here though are mostly Egyptian, West Asian, and maybe North African. The only major thing lacking here would be more extensive liner notes - that is, more extensive English liner notes (the Japanese portion seems to be quite extensive). Other than that, it's a nice collection of Ethiopian forms. ~ Adam Greenberg
When the Ibex Band disbanded in 1979, three of its members – Selam Seyoum, Giovanni Rico and Fekadu Amdemeskel – joined with Dawit Yifru, keyboard player for the also recently disbanded Dahlak Band, to form the now-legendary Roha Band.
Specializing in modern Ethiopian music with a traditional blend, the band’s first contract was with the Addis Ababa Hilton, where they performed together six days a week, perfecting their signature sound. The Roha Band traveled extensively, in Ethiopia and abroad, and performed on Ethiopian television. They made over 250 recordings with a multitude of celebrated Ethiopian singers, including Aster Aweke, Tilahun Gessesse, Mahmoud Ahmed, Muluken Mellesse, Theodros Tadesse, Hamelmal Abate and Neway Debebe. Although the band broke up in 1994, with the members pursuing individual interests, no other Ethiopian group has matched the number or quality of their recordings.
The Ibex band-of Ere Mela Mela fame-was renamed Roha band and along with Ethio Stars and Wallias Band,they became the leading bands of the time.
Roha has produced over the years 250 recordings with all the stellar Ethiopian singers: Aster Aweke,Tilahun Gesesse, Mahmoud Ahmed and Alemayehu Eshete.
Recorded during their first North American tour,this album introduced singers Neway Debebe,Hamelmal Abate,and Berhane Haile to the States and the large Ethiopian community there.
