Ethiopiques S/D

man. so grateful to know about this music and all of those amazing people.

Hailu Mergia & The Walias Band Tezeta is being re-released on June 4, the band’s first full-length album that was originally released in 1975.

Below is from press release and liner notes

Virtually unheard(-of) outside Ethiopia—and extremely rare locally—the cassette-only release came out on the band’s own label housed in their record shop in the mid-70s. This is a historic record of one of the most interesting and pioneering bands of the “golden age” of Ethiopian popular music. The music is absolutely bonkers despite the sound quality.

FYI—Walias were the house band at the Hilton, Addis’ legendary high-end hotel, where they played nightly. They recorded the album in the nightclub itself and pressed the tape in Athens. The music beautifully encapsulates the way bands were re-vamping traditional music into soulful new renditions, and the Walias were THE instrumental-focused band of the era, breaking ground on so many levels (see notes below).

The record includes archival photos, interview content with former hotel staff and an essay by a long-time knowledgable fan and ATFA friend Tessema Tedele. Audio is carefully extracted and remastered from one of the only known original copies of the tape by the engineer we have worked with on every release, Jessica Thompson.

Odds are, any Ethiopian over the age of 35 who had access to TV or radio by the early 90s, will instantly recognize the sound of Walias. What is not a given is, how many would actually identify the band itself. Barely a day went by without hearing the Walias either in the background on radio or as an accompaniment to various programs on TV. Their music was so ubiquitous in media that most of us who enjoyed it never bothered to go out and look for it. Gradually, they started to slip out of public consciousness by the early 90s when newer works by bands such as Roha and Axumite were favored. Only then did those of us feeling a certain sense of loss started inquiring about "that music from TV" at record stores. Yet, most of their work remains stubbornly elusive.

This "Tezeta" album is one of those that have been impossible to find for nearly three decades. Sourced by Awesome Tapes From Africa and expertly remastered by Jessica Thompson, its unique and funky renditions of standards and popular songs of the day are so quintessentially Walias, flavorful and evocative. Hailu's melodic organ, unashamedly front and center in every track, makes even the complex pieces accessible. The stirringly distinct opening riff from "Zengadyw" took me right back to a certain time in my youth. Deliciously vivid, it's a time capsule in and of itself. "Gumegum" is a definite favorite. The vocal version, most popularly sang by the legendary Hirut Bekele, tells of unrequited love - an over-exploited theme in music of the time. "Tezeta" is the traditional anthem of nostalgia that doing a version of it was, for a long time, a rite of passage for any aspiring musician. "Endegena" (To Love Again), is a sleepy ballad by Mahmoud Ahmed getting a zesty uplift here. "Ou-Ou-Ta" is one of the signature songs of the greatest of them all, Tilahun Gessesse.

https://www.clashmusic.com/news/alemayehu-eshete-has-died

RIP the “Ethiopian Elvis” “Alemayehu Eshete. Some of his 1969 to 1974 songs are on Ethiopiques #9

RIP.

I thought this revive was going to be about this interview with Mulatu Astatke:

https://news.google.com/articles/CAIiEIKDOVgIRYPtT6j56Elz7usqGAgEKg8IACoHCAow-4fWBzD4z0gw_fCpBg?hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US%3Aen

rest well, alemayehu☮

just catching up with to know without knowing and it's predictably great.

Yep

see also:

https://www.discogs.com/Sosena-Gebre-Eyesus-Sosena-Gebre-Eyesus/release/12947296

― sleeve, maandag 7 september 2020 1:16 (one year ago)

RIP contemporary era Ethiopian singer Madingo Afework at too young an age. Not from classic era Ethiopiques, but thought folks who go to this thread might appreciate him

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-oyFQYoUTc

I keep seeing this Walmart commercial that has Tsegue Maryam-Guebrou playing in the background (she of the almost intolerably beautiful solo piano Ethiopiques #21, Emahoy). I know it is absurdly anachronistic to be shook by music being used in a commercial in 2022, but it's messing with me

I wouldn't be shocked to hear it in a commercial per se but Walmart in particular is natural to get shook over I think.

Ethiopian Gala and cultural dinner w/ singers Maritu Legesse, Fasil Demoze, Abeba Desalgen November 27 in Silver Spring, Md

I wonder if these vocalists hearken back to old school Ethiopiques? Haven’t researched yet

https://ethiopianstoday.com/2022/11/06/legendary-ethiopian-artist-ali-birra-passed-away/

RIP Ali Birra

Happy Birthday Amahoy Tsegue Maryam Guebrou

https://www.nts.live/shows/guests/episodes/emahoy-tsegue-maryam-guebrou-12th-december-2022

RIP

Just learned about the passing of Ethiopian artist Emahoy Tsegué Maryam Guèbrou, one of the most vital composers of the 20th century. It was always a joy to hear her beautiful music, whether on the speakers at home, performed by Maya Dunietz, or in Ethiopian cafes in London. RIP. pic.twitter.com/vTjgiQ1URV

— Fielding Hope (@fieldinghope) March 27, 2023

99 years old! Her stuff still sounds so amazing every time I play it. New archival collection coming out soon: https://emahoytsegemariamgebru.bandcamp.com/album/jerusalem

Ah shit. What an absolute genius. RIP.

It was really something discovering her music, floating in from a lost world from not so long ago, yet knowing that she was still out there alive in her cloister.

She was phenomenal.

the ethiopiques compilation is incredible

https://emahoytsegemariamgebru.bandcamp.com/album/jerusalem

The title track here is incredible.

title track is great because it has her wonderful sense of time, the other songs also have some of that but are more traditional classic solo piano

vocal compilation forthcoming https://emahoytsegemariamgebru.bandcamp.com/album/souvenirs

If you like some Ethiopiques comps, you might also like seeing the band Qwanqwa live. They are on a US tour now. Baltimore tonight , DC area Sunday and some gigs in between and many after

https://www.qwanqwa.net/tour

Zanzibara done by the same label had some very interesting material too. Not sure if it got anything like the same recognition.

https://www.instantseats.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.event&eventid=237AB0FE-E847-96A3-1693AEF5C01D8802&k=&CFID=5969167&CFTOKEN=dd0393536c05719f-2753451F-056F-92FC-CFD691C664FA1389

Girma Beyene , pianist / arranger is going to be back in dc area Thursday night July 18. Composer of Muziqawi Silt that Walias Band and others have covered. Also represented on Ethiopiques 30

Sweet old guy who was good when I saw him awhile back

Went to the Girma Beyengig. He had a band and he and they started late around 10 after 2 opening acts & a movie and then had to finish by the rented theatre's 11 pm weeknight closing time. He talked a bunch, mostly in Amharic, and sounded suave when singing. Not as great as when I saw him 6 years ago, but he wasn't even young back then either. Still good. They showed the Girma movie doc again. Falceto the Ethiopiques compiler found Beyene. Beyene and several members of the Walias Band decided to stay in DC circa 81 when a military dictatorship took over Ethiopia. Beyene's wife got ill from cancer I think and died in a DC hospital and he was heartbroken. He stopped doing music and worked 6 days a week at a gas station to pay the bills for he and his 2 kids. Now this century he's finally back.

Beyene hasn't attracted the crossover crowd that Mulatu Astatke has. When I saw Astatke a little while back at Howard Theatre, the audience was 50 % Ethiopians and 50 % non-Ethiopians. At the Bethesda Theatre Beyene gig the audience was 99 % Ethiopian.

Ethiopian New Year, Enkutatash, is Wednesday September 11. Many Ethiopian New Year’s Eve events at Ethiopian establishments tonight Tuesday

80-something Mahmoud Ahmed is planning to retire from singing. He is being honored and singing near his Springfield, Va home near DC on Friday and sometime soon back in Ethiopia. He was great when I last saw him sing in 2020 at Ethiopia embassy in DC . Saw him at a show by another performer earlier this year and he was walking with a cane .

https://www.thereporterethiopia.com/42671/

The Ibex Band that later became the Roha Band have an album of 1970s material coming out via Bandcamp. The group included guitarist Selam Selamino Woldemariam who lives in the dc area now and is still playing music.

https://ibexband.bandcamp.com/album/stereo-instrumental-music

there's also a newish Mulatu album, from last November:

https://mulatuastatke.bandcamp.com/album/tension

heard a song on the RADIO (well, college radio) the other day.

i also heard a song on the radio (well, radio 3)

surprised he was still alive tbh

I just saw Mulatu Astatke perform live last year at the Howard Theatre (he had a European band) in Washington DC. It was a good show. I see that newish album linked above was done with an Israeli band.

I am at a talk in Washington DC by guitarist Selamino who played in Ibex and Roha bands when he was in his 20s , and also backed Mahmoud Ahmed in the studio and live . Selam Woldemariam aka Selamino has lived in DC area for years and now at age 70 still plays regularly around here . There’s an intermission now, but he’s going to play some after and talk more about his music with the younger moderator.

This year's Mulatu Plays Mulatu is on his Bandcamp---wouldn't have thought to check w/o thread revive---thanks yall!

It's come out since the one curm mentioned: "...balances western jazz arrangements with traditional Ethiopian instruments...elegant big band..."

I have read acclaim for the Mulatu album, but also seen some folks just note that much of it is covers of his classics

https://ethiopiquesseries.bandcamp.com/album/nalbandian-the-ethiopian-either-orchestra

In 2011 in Ethiopia a tribute concert by the Either/Or Orchestra and Ethiopian guest musicians for Armenian-Ethiopian composer, horn player, and music teacher Nerses Nalbandian (1915–1977) was held. It's now coming out on Ethiopiques.

Another new Ethiopiques release

https://ethiopiquesseries.bandcamp.com/album/muluken-mellesse-with-the-dahlak-band

Muluken Mellesse began singing at a very young age and later became known for love songs. Later in life he gave up on secular songs.

https://www.npr.org/2024/04/12/1244220320/ethiopian-singer-muluken-melesse-dies-at-73

DC -based Ethiopian singer Munit Mesfin will be with the Either/Or Orchestra doing an Ethiopiques set Sat Jan 10 at the Brooklyn Bowl

Jeez, sorry! Only meant to copy what it says after track list.

Maybe I was too harsh on Mulatu's re-arrangements

xpost this refers to a previous post, since removed (thanks mods) that imported the whole Mulatu Plays Mulatu Bandcamp page when I tried to cut & paste some notes at the end:like it says, he's "intricately balancing Western jazz arrangements with the rich sounds of traditional Ethiopian instruments," also Western instruments, recording with his longtime cohorts in London and Addis Ababa. Title is a little misleading, since he also covers compatible compositions by the Either/Orchestra's Russ Gershon. I haven't done any comparative listening, but sounds pretty engaging so far, noticing more detail, incl. nuance, each time I stream it.

Having said all that< I must add that its elegance, emerging glamour, even, still seems---a little dry. So I didn't Top Ten it, but may yet, if I get an Uproxx ballot, which has showed up in early Jan. of recent years.

Legendary Ethiopian singer Aster Aweke who I thought had retired is going to be doing a late night show in DC at a place called Karma tonight. Event is billed with an opening act as being from 9pm to 4 am. Last time I saw Aweke years ago, she came on at like 1am. She was good but not sure if I am up for that again tonight

At Big Ears, The ten-piece E/O will be joined by legendary Ethiopian vocalist Teshome Mitiku and younger gen vocalist Munit Mesfin for a dive into their Ethiopian songbook.

A Weekend Where Legends Met: My Addis Jazz Festival Story

Medium

https://medium.com/@tinabelayw/a-weekend-where-legends-met-my-addis-jazz-festival-story-51b05f146607

Lots of Ethiopiques greats were at this past weekend’s Addis jazz festival

http://www.tadias.com/04/09/2026/ethiopiques-revisited-francis-falceto-amha-eshete-and-the-global-journey-of-ethiopian-music/