The Lalibelas are led by bassist and composer Yoseph H. Bekele who arrived in Australia in 2012 from Ethiopia. He has toured internationally with leading East African musicians, including Aster Aweke, Samuel Yirga, Mahmoud Ahmed, and has been a mainstay of the Ethiopian music scene, having played bass and guitar with a huge variety of singers.
The Lalibelas bring together talented Australian and Ethiopian musicians, that perform Yoseph’s Ethio-Jazz and funk compositions. Yoseph developed a strong friendship with Harry James Angus through MAV’s Visible Music Mentoring Program in 2013 and are continuing to collaborate musically.
Guitar - Adam Halliwell
Saxophone - Solomon Sisay
Drums - Zelalem Negatu
Baritone Saxophone - Macks Dowling
Harmonica - Chris Maunders
Bass - Yoseph Hailemariam
Keyboard - Stephen Khlentzos
Trumpet - Harry James Angus
This recording captures the raw sound of The Lalibelas, created in a few short but high-energy hours full of improvisation, twists and turns, and no overdubs or turning back.
The Lalibelas with Harry James Angus - 1. Awdamet (4:40)
The Lalibelas with Harry James Angus - 2. That Song (4:51)
The Lalibelas with Harry James Angus - 3. Atamba Sil (7:26)
The Lalibelas with Harry James Angus - 4. Kendegena (5:48)
The Lalibelas with Harry James Angus - 5. Selam (8:32)
Born and raised in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Chachi Tadesse has used her roots to grow an international music career. At the age of 16 Chachi joined a well known Ethiopian cover-band, touring extensively while building her musical skills and fan base. In 1982 Chachi moved to the USA, taking classes in Music, acting and modeling and touring extensively with reggae artists.
Chachi Tadesse - I am An African
While living in the U.S. Chachi recorded er first album, combining Amharic lyrics with Reggae beats to create a unique and sought after sound. Following the success of her first album, Chachi joined forces with Dallol, Ziggy Marley's former band, to tour the U.S. and the Caribbean. In the late 1990's Chachi teamed up with producer Clive Hunt at the famous Kariang Studios in Jamaica to produce a collaborative album with some of the biggest names in Raggea.
Over the years Chachi has become a pop icon not only in Ethiopia but across Africa and its diaspora. She has appeared at large international music festivals including Reggae on the River and the Bob Marley Birthday Festival in Jamaica. In Ethiopia her 'I am an African' concert at Meskel square brought upwards of 40,000 attendees.
Chachi Tadesse - 01 - I am An African (7:46)
Chachi Tadesse - 02 - Happy Song (4:57)
Chachi Tadesse - 03 - I am An African (remix) (6:52)
Elias Negash is an accomplished musician who has combined his Native Ethiopian music with his jazz education, and influences from the world music segment. He played through the seventies and became one of the pioneering figures to have brought Reggae and African music to the Bay Area with smash hit groups including Obeah, Axum, Caribbean All Stars and the Rastafarians. After moving to Los Angeles Elias worked on the Royal Princess Cruise ship out of South Hampton England for four months. He has also done sound track for Television Movie in titled Glitz and also preformed on a TV series Murder She Wrote. Elias has also traveled as a Solo pianist and with Magyk Band to Japan.
Elias Negash - Saba (Sheba)
In addition to his role as a musician, Elias dedicates his time in multiple humanitarian efforts such as fundraising HIV Aids research and treatment, building schools and water-well in the rural areas of Ethiopia. Further, Elias is currently the president of Ethiopian Arts forum that strives to accomplish its objectives through the presentation of Ethiopian Music, Dance, Poetry, Drama and Visual Arts to the community.
Elias has put out five solo CDs titled Love, Harrambe (lets pull together), Peace, Feel Like Dancin’ and his last CD titled “JAZZED UP”
Elias Negash - 01 - My Eyes Are Hungry / Aynoche Terabu (6:55)
Elias Negash - 02 - Miss Ethiopia (Ene Negn Bay Manesh) (6:03)
Elias Negash - 03 - Addis Ababa Bete (My Home Addis Ababa) (9:06)
Elias Negash - 04 - Ye Hare Shererit / Tezeta (6:34)
Elias Negash - 05 - Meskerem (Ethiopian New Year Song) (6:21)
Alemseged Kebede (Electric Bass) has influenced most of the new generation of Ethiopian bass players.
He first started playing professionally in the late 1970’s with famous singers such as: Tilahun Gessesse, Menilik Wosenachew , Muluken Melese, Aster Aweke and with many more Ethiopian singers in recent memory.
After moving to Canada and later to the US, he started playing in local restaurants, and clubs. In addition to bass, he also plays drums and keyboards.
He has arranged and produced more than 2 albums of his own and played bass almost on every Ethiopian singers music CD’s in recent times. Traveled allover the world and shared the stage with the great African bands like Manu Dibango, Hugh Masakela, and Ellis Marsalis. Alemseged remains a first call musician for many artists, who need his soulful, funky bass lines to complement their music.
Feedel Band - Meskerem
Feedel band’s original pentatonic melodies are repurposed with mutated instrumentation like 60s and 70s-era Ethiopian grooves played on congas, electric guitar, bass, saxophone, krar, mesenko, piano, organ, trombone and drums.
The members of Feedel Band are all acclaimed musicians in their own right Feedel’s sax player Moges Habtecan be heard performing the funky James Brown Band influenced cut “Muziqawi Silt” on Éthiopiques’ Volume 13 with his ’70s group the Walias Band. Their bass player Alemseged Kebede's groovy bass lines could be found in many of Aster Aweke and Tilahune Gessesse's music. Also in the band is Araya Woldemichael who is the founder of the band, composer, keyboardist and a producer. They will be joined by Mikias Abebayehu on drums/congas, Kaleb Temesgen on electric guitar, Kenneth Joseph on drums, Omar Little on trumpet, Minale Bezuon krar (stringed lyre)/vocal, Setegn Atenaw on mesenko/vocal, Feleke Hailu on alto sax, Thomas Young, Fasil Bezabeh and Almaz Getahun on traditional dances.
The Ex are an underground band from the Netherlands that formed in 1979 at the height of the original punk explosion. Initially known as an anarcho-punk band, they have since released over 20 full-length albums of musical experiments and numerous collaborations blending punk and free jazz with styles of folk music from all over the world.
The Ex - Lale Guma (Aha Begena, አሀ በገና)
The Ex + Fendika - 01 - Lale Guma (4:43) The Ex + Fendika - 02 - Addis Hum (5:25)
Yishak Banjaw, composer and keyboard player from Addis Ababa known to his country for his innovative compositions and unique sound. His ability to transform traditional Ethiopian songs into spacey Minimal-Wave gems creates an ultra hypnotic and psychedelic atmosphere, a sound that you have never experienced before. A genuine talent who carried the long tradition of Ethiopia into another level...
A / Mulatu Astatke - Mulah 2 B / Oscar Sulley - Uhuru Mash Up
Ethiopian Mulatu Astatke's unique blend of jazz, funk and afrobeat has found its way into many peoples record collections recently since the three quality "Ethio Jazz" LPs were reissued on the L'Arome imprint, and further popularised when the "Modern Jazz Instrumentals" record was used as the soundtrack to the Jim Jarmusch film "Broken Flowers".
Even before all of that people were unwittingly hearing some of these killer breaks on Mo' Wax era breakbeat and triphop tracks, all this combined should be telling you - this is music of the highest quality!!!And what we've got here is a remix for the dancefloor that's gonna be a monster, an esteemed West London producer has brought the heaviest of broken beats to create an exquisite piece of broken beat Ethio funk fusion.
The b-side is an equally strong rework of Ghanian Oscar Sulley's "Bukom Mashie".
