Neway Debebe has been described as possessing a "voice of silk". A protégé of poet Tilahoun Gessesse, Debebe first attracted attention as the lead vocalist of The Roha Band, a tradition-rooted Ethiopian pop band that has supplied accompaniment on more than two hundred and fifty recordings by such top-ranked Ethiopian vocalists as Aster Aweke, Tilahoun Gessesse and Mahmoud Ahmed.
Debebe has also performed with Three Flowers, a group he shares with Tsegaye Eshetu and Areghagn Wersash.
Besides his ability to write and produce all of his songs, his charm and genuine love of his fellow Ethiopians are what made him everyone’s favorite.
01. Neway Debebe - Maebel New (4:12)
02. Neway Debebe - Teteyeki Was (5:31)
03. Neway Debebe - Hagere Nat Habte (5:26)
04. Neway Debebe - Ye Ayne Abeba Nesh (4:07)
05. Neway Debebe - Yetikimt Abeba (3:52)
06. Neway Debebe - Lalkedash Kal Alebign (5:08)
07. Neway Debebe - Yelefku Ende Hon Banchi Sefer (5:10)
Abeba Lakewor Abby Lakew, an Ethiopian-American artist from the Houston area, releases a well received album entitled "Hello Ethiopia". The album has proved to be a surprise hit helping the young singer assume the position of one of the most successful Ethiopian artist so far.
Abby Lakew
Abby is one of the few Ethiopian singers who are mixing the traditional and modern way of singing into one blend and make a great music. It has been a while since Abby release her first and last album.
The late Yemane Ghebremichael know by his nickname Barya was one of Eritrea's favourite singers. He was exiled during the war but now teams up with the Zemen band to record this album at the Admas Studio in Asmara.
Yemane's songwriting strove to reflect what he perceived to be Eritrean experience during the Eritrean War of Independence. His songs were dotted with stories of love, journey, hope, immigration, and liberation. In 1975, he was jailed for the perceived political interpretation of one of his songs.
A few years after the declaration of the independence of Eritrea, Yemane moved to Asmara and continued to release albums that reflected the new era of hope and national prosperity, with a mixture of Eritrean and Latin melodies. He also sang about the people involved in the movement towards Eritrean independence, and the sacrifices of that movement.
Yemane Barya was also known as the 'Eritrean caretaker', due to his reputation as being of a generous, down-to-earth nature, and for sharing his place with newly arrived Eritreans. He is known for having helped many Eritreans adjust to diaspora life in Sudan and move to better places in the Middle East, America, Europe, etc. He was also reputed for his artistry and mastery of Tigrinya, the most widely used language in Eritrea.
1. Yemane Barya - NATZNET YU KIBRET (6:33)
2. Yemane Barya - MESOB ADE (6:58)
3. Yemane Barya - KULU ENTNAY N'AKI (7:59)
4. Yemane Barya - NEWRI AYKONEN FKRI (8:27)
5. Yemane Barya - AB HILMI MISAKI HADIRE (9:05)
6. Yemane Barya - AKMISKINI HAMOT (8:25)
7. Yemane Barya - FERIHEKI'YE (6:42)
8. Yemane Barya - ETZBEY ALEKU (6:26)
From the softly sensuous sounds of Natzanet, he and the band proceed through a lovely set of songs. On the more traditional side the mournful and haunting sound of the title track gives way to the bouncy style of Kulu and its faster cousin Newri. On the modern side Ab Hilmi is simply gorgeous, so to the bubbly sound of Akmiskini with Yermane's softly warbling vocal style and the lovely mix of sax and guitars they come across beautifully.
