no new posts until next friday (november 5)

the author of this blog is on short vacation.

enjoy featured posts.

a lot of new surpises soon!

The Kafa Beanz - Andromeda: The Chronicles Of Blackopia, Volume 1 [2008] [usa+eth]

        The Kafa Beanz is a collective of solo artists who blend their Ethiopian culture and music with hip hop, soul, and alternative musical textures. The name “Kafa Beanz” is a play on words.  If one looks at a map of Ethiopia, there is the Kafa region where coffee is known to originate. Coffee was “discovered” by the Portuguese in Ethiopia in the middle ages.  Coffee is the primary export of Ethiopia to this day and considered the country’s most valuable export. This group of young artists, primarily of Ethiopian origin, wanted to express that the true value of Ethiopia is in the people, thus the name Kafa Beanz. 

        The Kafa Beanz formed in 2007 when a group of accomplished Ethiopian-American musicians, producers and vocalist who have been longtime fans of each other’s respective work decided to join forces. Their first project as a collective is entitled “Andromeda: The Chronicles of Blackopia  Vol. 1.”  The project’s title pays homage to Princess Andromeda who, according to Greek Mythology, was the daughter of Cassiopeia and Cepheus, the king of Ethiopia.

Gabriel Teodros - "Tizita"

          The Kafa Beanz consists of lead vocalists B Sheba(rapper /singer) and Burntface (rapper/producer) and is rounded out by Wayna (singer/songwriter), Gabriel Teodros (rapper), AP (rapper/singer) and various Special Guest Appearances including Hermela Mulatu (singer), daughter of Ethiopian Jazz Musician Mulatu Astatke.

        The Kafa Beanz is a group of solo artists who share a passion for Africa and a desire to expose their music to the world. Four of the five members are of Ethiopian origin, and the exotic sounds of East Africa are evident in their music.

        Despite having a sonic texture heavily influenced by 60s and 70s era Ethiopian Jazz music, The Kafa Beanz have a universal sound that has often been compared to The Fugees, Black Eyed Peas and Outkast. The Kafa Beanz effortlessly blends soulful vocal harmonies and poignant lyrics over an eclectic mixture of classic hip hop and futuristic world music. 

       Each member is an accomplished artist in their own right with their own respective fan bases. Their collective professional experience and talents make for a powerful and versatile combination that can rock a party crowd or tantalize a jazzy lounge or café. In a time when the traditional music industry paradigm is crashing in on itself, and genres are being disregarded, The Kafa Beanz are poised to be the future of world music.

The Kafa Beanz - 01 - Andromeda (1:45)

Wayna, Burntface - 02 - Let It Go (5:04)

Burntface, AP, B Sheba, Wayna - 03 - IRock (2:53)

Burntface, B Sheba, AP - 04 - AA++ (2:28)

B Sheba, Burntface, AP - 05 - Arada  (4:15)

AP, Wayna - 06 - Rebel (2:58)

B Sheba - 07 - Babylon Blues (4:35)

Burntface, B Sheba - 08 - History (3:05)

Wayna, Burntface - 09 - Love's Fool (3:24)

B Sheba, Hermela Mulatu, Burntface, Gabriel Teodros - 10 - Hope (4:43)

Burntface - 11 - Fly Away (3:45)

Burntface, B Sheba, Malik (30), Texx - 12 - Diaspora (3:41)

Gabriel Teodros, B Sheba - 13 - Tizita (4:07)

Wayna - 14 - Final Transmition (3:44)

Jano Band - Live Performance [2016] [ethiopia]

       Setting the trend for the Jano sound is a new synthesis which injects Ethiopian music into the genre of rock to create hot and harmoniously wild sounding of Ethiopian rock. Behind it is Jano, a band consisting two female vocalists, two male lead vocalists and six musicians who play bass guitar, rhythm guitar, lead guitar, keyboards and a drum. The two things the players have in common is that all of them are in their twenties and all share a single dream – to become the first international rock phenomena from Ethiopia.

         The man behind the making of Jano is Addis Gassesse, a renowned Ethiopian music manager who shuttles between Addis Abeba, New York and Kingston, Jamaica. Now Addis wants to get Jano play at international concerts and compete with any rock band on the world stage.

Jano Band - Darigne

       Jano has a unique way of showing the flare of its members, who, some of them came from different gospel choirs. The fusion of Ethiopian music with Rock is a complete detachment from the long tradition of music norm. But the songs are partly written by the band members themselves and partly by Yilma Gabreab, a popular Ethiopian song writer. The result is the first ever rock band in Ethiopia.

       While some of the band members have been heavily influenced by rock stars such as the Rolling Stones and Metallica, others have been influenced by jazz, pop and reggae. This diverse background of the members can be clearly seen in the unique sound of their music that takes its nuances from an eclectic assortment of styles that, deep down, didn’t abandon an Ethiopian flavor.

Jano Band are:

Kirubel Tesfaye (Band Leader and synthesizer)
Michael Hailu (Musical Director and Lead Guitar)
Dibekulu Tafesse (vocals)
Haleluya Tekletsadik (vocals)
Hewan Gebrewold (vocals)
Hailu Merga (vocals)
Yohannes Mekonen (drums)
Daniel Negash (bass)

Jano Band - 01 - Andnen (ft. Pamfalon) (6:14)

Jano Band - 02 - Darigne (3:35)

Jano Band - 03 - Yinegal (4:09)

Jano Band - 04 - Gude (Live) (6:20)

Jano Band - 05 - Mariye (Live) (6:28)

Jano Band - 06 - Mehed Mehed (Live) (7:09)

Jano Band - 07 - Gara Sir New Bete (Live) (3:50)

Jano Band - 08 - Ayrak (Live) (6:50)

Sunshine Music Band - Unknown Album [ethiopia]

       It's almost impossible to find any piece of information about this legendary ethiopian band in 1980's. 

Sunshine Music Band - 01 - Yene Hasab (5:12)

Sunshine Music Band - 02 - Yefikir Ketema (4:49)

Sunshine Music Band - 03 - Satwodegn Wodijat (5:24)

Sunshine Music Band - 04 - Guragigna (4:55)

Sunshine Music Band - 05 - Zemede (5:04)

Sunshine Music Band - 06 - Shegiye Shegiye (3:36)

Sunshine Music Band - 07 - Yeshi Haregitu (7:23)

Sunshine Music Band - 08 - Oromigna (4:17)

Sunshine Music Band - 09 - Bertukane (6:44)

Sunshine Music Band - 10 - Astawusalehu (3:53)

Sunshine Music Band - 11 - Engedih Jemeregn (6:57)

Sunshine Music Band :


Tadesse Biyadgu - piano, keyboards
Tamere Haregu - drums, keyboards
Aregahegn Werash - vocal,
Girma Tefera 
Ashebir Belay
Birehanu Reta

Mahmoud Ahmed - Selam [ethiopia]

       Mahmoud Ahmed is one of the biggest singers in Ethiopia, known all over the world. One of his greatest gifts as a live performer include his ability to get the shoulder-shaking Eskista dance spread like wildfire! With him on stage, he is one of Ethiopia’s most legendary live bands - Roha Band!

Mahmoud Ahmed - Selam

      Mahmoud Ahmed was born in Addis Ababa’s Mercato district and began his career as shoe shine boy before he became one of his country’s top stars. Already at an early age he was fascinated by the music that was played at home on Ethiopian radio. During the 60s, he got a job at the club, Arizona, the club where Haile Selassie’s legendary Imperial Bodyguard Band played. He soon became part of the band’s regular set, where he stayed until 1974. 

     During the 70th,  Mahmoud recorded a series of songs with the record companies Amha and Kaifa and quickly became a big name within Ethiopian music. In the 1980s he ran his own music store in Addis Ababa while he continued his singing career. 1986 he gained a larger Western audience when the Belgian label Crammed Discs released the collection Ere Mela Mela, and even greater international attention in the late 1990s after Buda Musique launched the Éthiopiques series. This led to new recordings and tours in Europe and the USA with Boston’s Either / Orchestra, and French Badume Band. His undulating, slightly veiled voice, which seems to be able to express every nuance, has retained the charm and properties that are characteristic of Azmaris, traditional bards performing in local pubs in Ethiopia. 

      Mahmoud Ahmed is still one of the most well known and beloved Ethiopian artists in the world.

Mahmoud Ahmed - 01 - Tetesh (5:36)
Mahmoud Ahmed - 02 - Abaye mado (5:20)
Mahmoud Ahmed - 03 - Kelenesh (Gurage) (5:14)
Mahmoud Ahmed - 04 - Erey endale lebay (7:34)
Mahmoud Ahmed - 05 - Selam (4:59)
Mahmoud Ahmed - 06 - Awy legeto (7:07)
Mahmoud Ahmed - 07 - Enbayen lemetereg (5:48)
Mahmoud Ahmed - 08 - Tey neylegn menew (5:20)
Mahmoud Ahmed - 09 - Tizita yakatelew (6:31)
Mahmoud Ahmed - 10 - Dekamenesh temate (5:37)

Ukandanz - Live in Amsterdam 31-01-15 [2015] [france+ethiopia]

uKanDanZ (Ehtiopian crunch - France/Ethiopia)

       uKanDanZ... a unique style, an unusual meeting between an electric quartet and Asnake Guebreyes,charismatic lead singer originates from the vibrant music scene in Addis Abeba.

     Their music is inspired by traditional and popular Ethiopian songs. uKanDanZ has a real crunch energy. Between rock, jazz, noise...

      With impertinence, they rock it wildly. Without compromise. Guitar, saxophone, bass, drums and vocals shuffle our bearings. What a pleasure! The stage presence of uKanDanZ swings alternately between energy and emotion... then the public, transcended, dances and shivers.

uKanDanZ - Japan Tour 2013 [Official live shooting]

Ukandanz - 2015 01 31 - Paradiso Noord (Tolhuistuin), Amsterdam NL

Personnel:

Asnake Gebreyes : vocals
Benoit Lecomte  : bass
Guilhem Meier   : drums
Lionel Martin   : tenor sax 
Damien Cluzel   : guitar

Setlist:

01 Sèwotch men yelalu
02 Sema
03 Aykedashem Lebe
04 Lantchi Biyé
05 Wub Nat
06 Belomi Benna
07 
08 Addis Abbeba
09 Endè Yerusalèm
10 Ambassel to Brussel
11

 01:18:42    143,94 MB  (256kbps) 

Zoom Handy H2's internal rear mics (120 degree angle mode)