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Tadias Magazine: Interview with Elias Negash
New York (TADIAS) – The latest CD by California-based musician Elias Negash, whose songwriting combines Ethiopian music with international influences, is entitled Jazzed Up. “It is a reflection of the various dynamic genres incorporated into the music,” Elias said in a recent interview with Tadias Magazine. “Ethio-smooth is included along with R&B, Reggae and Salsa.” He added: ” In...
Jazz & World Music Festival in Ethiopia
Gyrum Mezmur, leader of Addis Acoustic group (Photo: © http://www.rnw.nl/africa)
During the last four days, some of the Ethiopia’s finest and most talented jazz musicians and selected bands from abroad have been playing in the “Acacia Jazz Festival & World Music”. It is one of the first “Outdoor Jazz” festivals to be held in Addis Ababa and it is designed to entertain not only...
Meklit Hadero: The Great Harmonizer
Meklit Hadero of Ethiopia (Photo: Montreal Mirror Magazine)
Montreal, Canada – With a voice as fresh as the flower that’s always tucked into her hair, Meklit Hadero mixes genres and styles, as comfortable with Ethiopian jazz as San Francisco coffeehouse folk. Always active, she’s releasing two albums this year, is a TED senior fellow (a title bestowed upon “young world-changers” in the...
Godfather of Ethiopian Jazz back in the studio
Mulatu Astatke (Photo: BBC)
These days, one of the world’s great bandleaders is dedicating his energy and time to giving African traditional music its rightful place in the world
“I was doing world music 42 years ago, long before it became a genre,” says the Ethiopian composer and performer Mulatu Astatke during a recording session in Nairobi last week.
The 67 year old is credited with successfully...
Getachew Mekuria, the king of Sax
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - Ethiopia being labeled as a nation of warriors, most of the songs and the stories in the past revolved around patriotism. Whenever there is a mention of freedom-fighters, there were also great musicians in the background inspiring and lifting up their morale.
The musicians gave courage to the warriors before these went to the battle through Shellela (traditional pep song). The...
Addis Acoustic Project Revitalizes Jazz
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – Addis Acoustic Project, AAP for short, is the three-year-old brainchild of composer and guitarist Girum Mezmur.
This acoustic band has revitalized songs from Ethiopia’s 50s and 60s repertoire, by mixing them with jazz, Latin and East African sounds and rhythms.
But Mezmur is more than a consummate artist. Since June of this year he is the co-owner the Ethiopian capital’s...
Nightlife in Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – Dance until the sun comes up with Ethiopian youngsters on Bole Road, catch some live Ethio-jazz in the Piazza or sit around drinking Obama Draft beer in Kazanchis.
Fendika Zewditu St., Kazanchis
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Easily the best place for those after a glimpse of traditional Ethiopian culture. Pack yourself into the intimate, one-of-a-kind azmari-bet, where you might have to duck...
Ethio Jazz
Addis Ababa - Some seven years ago, a deep, soothing voice used to be heard in the evenings on one of the local radio stations, 97.1FM.
Around 10 o’clock, a voice would start by saying “Yih ye African jazz mender new”, translated as “this is African Jazz Village”. It was pouring from his heart, talking about jazz, and enlightening the people.
The session used to go on for hours beginning...
