Ethiopian music in International Music

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"Sleeping in the Market: Ethiopian Music & Sounds from Amhara" (03/15/2005) International Various Artists, LatitudeRecording information: Adiss Abbaba, Ethiopia (01/11/2001-01/16/2001); Baher-Dir City, Ethiopia (01/11/2001-01/16/2001); Debra Island, Ethiopia (01/11/2001-01/16/2001); Debre Maryam Island, Ethiopia (01/11/2001-01/16/2001); Fields Of The Wegera, Ethiopia (01/11/2001-01/16/2001); Gonder, Ethiopia (01/11/2001-01/16/2001); Zege Island, Ethiopia (01/11/2001-01/16/2001). Basically an audio travel scrapbook, Sleeping in the Market takes listeners on a tour of the Ethiopian region of Amhara. Our guides are Mehari Smon and his son Yayehe. The former is making a pilgrimage back to his roots; the latter is pointing a microphone at local musicians, whether they are professionals performing in an Adiss-Abbaba teahouse or children singing and dancing in the streets of poor neighborhoods. The Smons are quiet guides, letting the people and places speak for themselves. Their document presents music caught in the social act, music embedded in everyday life. A young girl greets us first on the street, singing to support her family. Her "Laluyeah" is quite moving. She belongs to a small group of children coming back regularly throughout this short album -- their songs offer a counterpoint to their elders' music, of which "Endaw Mela Mela" is the most significant. Captured in a teahouse and 13 minutes in duration, it features a male/female duo of singers. The man also plays the accordion in a style very typical of that part of Africa, while the vocals hint at Muslim cultures, especially the art of qawwali (both in the vocal inflections and the call-and-response system). The album is slightly short at 39 minutes, but it offers a pleasant listening curve. The production/compilation approach is somewhat similar to Sublime Frequencies' line of field recordings (Streets of Lhasa, for instance). ~ Fran?ois Couture

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"Mindanoo Mistiru, Vol. 1: Ethiopian Urban Tribal Music [Rounder]" (09/14/1999) International Various Artists, RounderPerformers include: Mary Armeede, Jigsaw, Musicians Of Addis Ababa, Men Of Giwani, Bilaitu & Salatu, Phillip Agowa, Man Of Gambela, Feftene Belete Mengesh, People Of Gambela, Men Of Konso. Recorded in Ethiopia in 1971. Liner Note Author: Ragnar Johnson. Recording information: Addis Ababa (08/12/1971-07/01/1997); Gambela (08/12/1971-07/01/1997); Giwani (08/12/1971-07/01/1997). Editor: Eric Hine. Photographer: Ragnar Johnson. An utterly fascinating compilation drawn from 1971 field recordings made in various parts of Ethiopia. While a version of the album was originally issued on Lyrichord, this version amounts to a complete restoration and overhaul of the project, with digital equipment used throughout the editing and mastering chain. The material on the album is only a tiny sample of Ethopia's musical treasure -- certainly, because of literacy issues that have resulted in oral transmission of songs from generation to generation, there is a distinct possibility that the roots of much modern Ethiopian music go back thousands of years, a form of living history. The album also provides a strong hint of a different kind of musical sensibility, one that does not deny the formalized Western system but works with and around it; this kind of exposure to alternate musical systems is a valuable educational tool. Whatever way you wish to look at it, this album (and the continuing series) should have a place in any really good music library, if only as a reference point. ~ Steven McDonald

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"Gold from Wax: Ethiopian Urban & Tribal Music" (10/12/1999) International Various Artists, RounderPersonnel: Jigsaw (vocals); Phillip Agowa (piano). Liner Note Author: Ragnar Johnson. Recording information: Addis Ababa (07/01/1971-08/12/1971); Gambela, Ethiopia (07/01/1971-08/12/1971); Gidole-Touch, Ethiopia (07/01/1971-08/12/1971); Giwani, Ethiopia (07/01/1971-08/12/1971). Photographer: Ragnar Johnson. Gold from Wax, which was originally released in 1972 by Lyrichord Records, features two very different styles of music: the music of Addis Ababa, which synthesizes the music of many different areas into a unique style, and the music of several different tribal areas, each of which retain their regional identity. The collection is very diverse in the musical genres that it represents as well as the kinds of instruments that the songs are played on, from a variety of drums, to thumb pianos, to the bagana -- an instrument sometimes called the "Harp of David." Among the more interesting selections, "Anche-Lej-Amaleh" is a song about sex that was recorded in a tin-roofed bar in Addis Ababa where the musicians were crowded up against one wall and the customers and bar girls packed the rest of the space. "Fanno" is an epic poem set to music by Addis Ababa poet Mary Armeede that has many levels of meaning. Among the tribal selections, one of the most fascinating is "Walla-Lam," an Afar divination chant where the participants chant and ask questions of a jinele, or divination medium, and he answers them. This interesting document of Ethiopian music is wrapped up by the last track, which features an Afar flute player recorded in a building in the middle of the Danakil desert. ~ Stacia Proefrock

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"Ethiopiques 3: Golden Years Of Modern Ethiopian Music 1969-1975" (07/26/1998) International Various Artists, MusduThe third installment of Buda Musique's Ethiopiques series is undoubtedly one of the best, an unlikely occurrence as most of this material was released in 1975 -- a year after the fall of Emperor Haile Sallassie and after the rise of a repressive military regime that quickly brought to an end the "Golden Age" of "Swinging Addis." Mahmoud Ahmed, the best known Ethiopian pop singer in Europe, contributes the two powerful lead tracks and the finale: three trance-heavy tracks not found on other Ethiopiqes releases dedicated specifically to him. But the best material on this installment are Alemayehe Eshete's tracks, four in all, that sound like heavy, James Brown-style funk sung by an African with a Middle Eastern horn section. Elsewhere, Hirut Beqele's ska-like rhythms and wavering, melodica-sounding voice testify to the reciprocal influence of Jamaican music. Overall, Ethiopiques, Vol. 3 is the most varied release in the series, and not a bad place to start. ~ Jason Nickey

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"Ethiopiques, Vol. 1: Golden Years of Modern Music" (02/03/1998) International Various Artists, Buda RecordsThis first volume of the Ethiopiques series just begins to show the scope of the golden age of Ethiopian music, loving assembled, remastered, and annotated. What's obvious is the influence of American soul and blues, the former quite apparent in the Memphis groove of Muluquen Mellese's "Wetetie Mare," with its smoking bassline. Mellese himself has a very androgynous voice, unlike Mahmoud Ahmed, one of the major early Ethiopian stars, whose 1975 tracks sound like Arthur Conley singing in Aramaic, with "Yeqer Memekatesh" a true undiscovered soul classic. The three instrumental pieces that punctuate the disc have a wonderful smoky sound, like late-night jazz played by Booker T. and the MGs. The 1969 cuts from Teshone Meteku could only have come from that decade, with "Yezemed Yebaed" eerily reminiscent of "Black Magic Woman" in everything but its guitar work. But the most revolutionary pieces are from Getatchew Kassa, whose reinterpretations of the revered traditional "Tezeta," in both slow and fast versions, go utterly against history, making the piece relevant for the young -- which, after all, is what rock, hip-hop, and every other movement have done. ~ Chris Nickson

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"Ethiopiques, Vol. 13: Ethiopian Groove" (04/08/2003) International Various Artists, Buda RecordsThe majority of this collection consists of recordings made for the Kaifa Records label between 1976 and 1977. Truth is, you know this groove by now if you've picked up some previous Ethiopiques volumes, but Vol. 13: Ethiopian Groove has enough fresh artists and touches to keep a sucker for the soul-influenced sound of Ethiopian pop interested. Truth is, too, that it's still a pretty damn fine introduction to said sound for those who haven't dipped into this excellent series before. These recordings are almost all from 1976 and 1977, so it's last-gasp-time before the military dictatorship clampdown killed off that golden age. What's the same, aside from most of the usual backing bands laying down plenty of those smoky organ swirls, punchy bass and guitar riffs, and snappy horns with that unmistakable Ethiopian misterioso tone? Let's see: AlŠmayŠhu EshŠt?'s "TashamanalŠtch" hits the groove running with prominent lead guitar before his voice and particularly good horns come in, and his ballad "WŠdŠdku AfqŠrkush" features a dramatic pause ending. "AtraqŠgn" by BzunŠsh BŠqŠlŠ, Aster Aweke's forerunner, is absolutely classic to this series -- so are MulugŠn MŠllŠssŠ's ballads "Djemeregne" and "YŠmendjar ShŠga" -- with horns answering the vocals although MŠllŠssŠ's voice does get a little shrill reaching for high notes on "Tegel NŠw." What's different? Well, the near-reggae skank guitar in Hirut BŠqŠlŠ's poppy "EwnŠtŠgna Feqer," or the way the energetic, high-stepping soul with horns over bubbling funk bass and butt-funky drums on saxophonist Seyoum GŠbrŠyŠs' "Muziqa Muziqa" suggests the Meters and compensates for merely adequate singing. The Wallias Band chips in with the arresting instrumental "Muziqawi Silt," with triumphant horn lines, organ, clattering percussion and a touch of vibes at the end. Try Ayal?w MŠsfin's up-tempo trilogy of "Feqer AydŠlŠm WŠy" (nice horn trills, good singing with involved vocal melodies), "Gud AdŠrŠgŠtchegen" (moving closer to funk beneath an organ blanket), and "GŠdawo" (prominent backing vocals and funky bassline and guitar). Or the contrast between Tamrat FŠrŠndji's "Antchin YagŠgnulŠt," as excellent organ hands off to sax answering powerful vocals over a propulsive, rocking groove, and "Ya DjalŠl?to," where horns and guitar drop out while FŠrŠndji sings and a flute unexpectedly takes the swirling solo. Flute pops up again in the spare, percussion-heavy arrangements to the closing pair of tracks by the female duo of AssŠlŠfŠtch Ashin? & GetenŠsh KebrŠt. Another very solid Ethiopiques compilation that will both satisfy the series' veterans and whet the appetite of newcomers. ~ Don Snowden

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"Ethiopiques, Vol. 10: Tezeta - Ethiopian Blues & Ballads" (02/05/2002) International Various Artists, Buda RecordsIncludes liner notes by Francis Falceto. Tezeta, an Ethiopian style with a relatively strict format built on repeated circular riffs, relies on the singer to put his stamp on the form with improvised verses and the up-and-down vocal spirals characteristic of Arabic music. The word itself means something like memory or nostalgia -- in musical terms, it's similar to saudade in Portuguese music, duende in flamenco, or blues and soul in the U.S. music world. It's that indefinable something that separates the great musicians from the merely competent -- you can't exactly say what it is but you know when someone's got it. All ten tracks here date from the early '70s, when versions of the tezeta were an innovative force in Ethiopian pop's golden age. There's a surprising variety: swirling accordion handles the circular riff accompanied only by minimal percussion on Fr?w Haylou's opening "EyŠtŠgnu NŠgu," but an almost '50s rock ballad feel pervades AlŠmayŠhu EshŠt?'s "TŠrŠdtch?walŠhu" and Menelik WŠsnatchŠw's "Tezeta" is tranquil and dreamy. Tezeta is also an excellent launching pad for saxophonists TŠsfa-Maryam Kidan? (featured on his own "HeywŠt?") and TŠwodros Meteku to provide backing fills and solos behind the singers. It's instrumental storytelling and the breathy saxes achieve that smoky, brooding flavor that seems unique to Ethiopian music, shading the music with a deep indigo to purple color. The slow, mournful versions really bring out that smoky trance sensation here. SŠyfu YohannŠs is the first singer to really stand out on his nagging "Tezeta," supported by Meketu's fills and MŠssŠlŠ GŠssŠssŠ's prominent piano. Moges Habt? and Feqadu AmdŠ-MŠsquŠl duel tenor saxes over a mysterious Fender Rhodes lick and Andrew Wilson's sharp wah-wah guitar on Mulatu Astatq?'s instrumental "GubŠly?." And Mahmoud Ahmed's "Tezeta" runs for 12 and a half gripping minutes with swirling organ, muted sax, and bubbling bass runs supplementing the voice of the most expressive singer in Ethiopian pop music. With nearly 75 minutes of music and extensive liner notes, Tezeta is another impeccable release in the outstanding Ethiopiques series. But even more than earlier soul-influenced compilations geared toward dancing, these brooding love blues laments cut to the emotional core essence of the country's music. This music sounds distinctly Ethiopian, like it could be from no other place on the planet. ~ Don Snowden

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Deals on Ethiopian music in International Music. Visit BizRate to find the best deals on International Music. See which Music stores have the Ethiopian music that you want. Read reviews on Music merchants and buy with confidence. Find savings on Sleeping in the Market: Ethiopian Music & Sounds from Amhara by Various Artists (CD - 03/15/2005) - Mindanoo Mistiru, Vol. 1: Ethiopian Urban Tribal Music [Rounder] by Various Artists/Various Vegetabl.