Mahmoud Ahmed - Classical Kirar [Traditional Tunes] [ethiopia]

        In recent months I got some interesting albums from my Ethiopian friends.  This Mahmoud Ahmed release is one of almost forgotten treasures. As usual, this came to me without any info, besides the names of the tracks. 

      Mahmoud's voice accompanied by the krar, a really unique album of the great Ethiopian singer.  Enjoy it!

Mahmoud Ahmed - 01 - Konjitiye (5:11)

Mahmoud Ahmed - 02 - Wogeney (3:52)

Mahmoud Ahmed - 03 - Tizita (8:13)

Mahmoud Ahmed - 04 - Ere Mela Mela (3:40)

Mahmoud Ahmed - 05 - Birtukaney (4:38)

Mahmoud Ahmed - 06 - Ambassel (6:00)

Mahmoud Ahmed - 07 - Gubiliye or Iyew Dimamu (5:24)

Mahmoud Ahmed - 08 - Fikir Indegena (5:07)

Mahmoud Ahmed - 09 - Bakish Tarekign (3:47)

Mahmoud Ahmed - 10 - Anchiye Hodiye (4:30)

Tamrat Molla - old tracks [ethiopia]

         Tamrat Molla was famous Ethiopian artist and singer. He was born in Gondar and began his career in Addis Ababa at young age performing alongside the likes of late Tilahun Gesesse, Mahmoud Ahemed, Bizunesha Bekele, Alemayehu Eshete and Ayalew Mesfin.

          Tamrat Molla died  in Addis Ababa in february 2013.

Tamrat Molla - Astawshegne

Tamrat Molla (ታምራት ሞላ) - 01 - Alat Liyu Wubet (5:00)

Tamrat Molla (ታምራት ሞላ) - 02 - Astawshegne (4:37)

Tamrat Molla (ታምራት ሞላ) - 03 - Sebebu (5:14)

Tamrat Molla (ታምራት ሞላ) - 04 - Alikim Amalaj (3:35)

Tamrat Molla (ታምራት ሞላ) - 05 - Siniwaded (2:54)

Tamrat Molla (ታምራት ሞላ) - 06 - Tamime Tegnche (4:29)

Tamrat Molla (ታምራት ሞላ) - 07 - Ye Shola Fere Nesh (6:42)

Tamrat Molla (ታምራት ሞላ) - 08 - Yih Hulu Wubetish (2:32)

Tamrat Molla (ታምራት ሞላ) - 09 - Ber Ambar Seberelewo (3:26)

Tamrat Molla (ታምራት ሞላ) - 10 - Ene Yewodedquat (4:12)

Tamrat Molla (ታምራት ሞላ) - 11 - Tizitawan Tita (4:36)

Tamrat Molla (ታምራት ሞላ) - 12 - Zer Keleyenima (3:37)

Tamrat Molla (ታምራት ሞላ) - 13 - Hedech Alu (5:09)

Tamrat Molla (ታምራት ሞላ) - 14 - Bewelaju Yesake (3:24)

Tamrat Molla (ታምራት ሞላ) - 15 - Gojam Lay (4:11)

Tamrat Molla (ታምራት ሞላ) - 16 - Anchin Yagegnulet (4:30)

Tamrat Molla (ታምራት ሞላ) - 17 - Kanchi Lela (3:43)

Aster Aweke with The Walias Band - Aster Aweke's Best Music [ethiopia]

             When she arrived in her homeland in 1997 for the first time since she'd left in 1981, Ethiopian-born and Washington, D.C.-based songstress Aster Aweke was greeted by thousands of loyal followers awaiting her plane. During the month-long tour that followed, Aweke performed before more than 80,000 people and showed that she remains one of Ethiopia's best-loved performers. 

              Aweke has been equally successful throughout the world. Her second album, Kabu, spent four weeks in the top position on the CMJ New Music Charts, and was in the Top Ten of Billboard's World Music Charts for ten weeks in 1990. 

            A native of Gandor, a small town near Lake Tara, Aweke was raised in the capital city of Addis Ababa. The daughter of senior civil servant in the Imperial government, Aweke was determined to become a musician by the age of 13. By her late teens, she was singing in Addis Ababa clubs and hotels with such bands as the Continental Band, Hotel D'Afrique Band, Shebele Band, and the Ibex Band (before they became the internationally known Roha Band). Launching a solo career, Aweke was encouraged by musical entrepreneur Ali Tango, who financed and released five cassettes and two singles of her music. 

         By 1981, Aweke had become disillusioned by Ethiopia's oppressive political climate and relocated to the United States. Temporarily settling in the Bay Area of California with plans to pursue an education; within two years, Aweke continued on to Washington, D.C., the site of the largest Ethiopian population in the U.S. After building a following with her performances in local Ethiopian restaurants, Aweke toured the U.S. and Europe in 1985.

Aster Aweke with The Walias Band - 01 - Hiywot New [ሕይወት ነው] (4:58)
Aster Aweke with The Walias Band - 02 - Menew Kere [ምነው ቀረ] (4:57)
Aster Aweke with The Walias Band - 03 - Shemonmana [ሸሞንሟና] (4:51)
Aster Aweke with The Walias Band - 04 - Kelem Eshet [ቀለም እሽት] (5:34)
Aster Aweke with The Walias Band - 05 - Ante Gela [አንተ ገላ] (7:33)
Aster Aweke with The Walias Band - 06 - Awko Yedelelenal [አውቆ ይደልለኛል] (4:58)
Aster Aweke with The Walias Band - 07 - Yeleben Abeba [የልቤን አበባ] (8:46)
Aster Aweke with The Walias Band - 08 - Yanen Yene Shega [ያንን የኔን ሸጋ] (5:00)
Aster Aweke with The Walias Band - 09 - Derbabaye [ደርባባዬ] (5:57)
Aster Aweke with The Walias Band - 10 - Gedamay [ገዳማይ] (6:43)

Tilahun Gessesse - Yachate Na [ethiopia]

   Tilahun Gessesse - Akale Ayeneshen   

Tilahun Gessesse - 01 - Terese beredo nat (5:37)

Tilahun Gessesse - 02 - Beny des yebelesh (5:19)

Tilahun Gessesse - 03 - Sewedesh (5:00)

Tilahun Gessesse - 04 - Astawesshalhu (5:43)

Tilahun Gessesse - 05 - Yachate na (8:05)

Tilahun Gessesse - 06 - Etu gela (5:30)

Tilahun Gessesse - 07 - Wegen ola "Oromo" (4:39)

Tilahun Gessesse - 08 - Akale Ayeneshen (6:18)

Tilahun Gessesse - 09 - Yegermal (5:11)

Tilahun Gessesse - 10 - Yager lege neyelgne (7:32)

v.a. - Au Revoir, Mogadishu Volume 1 - Songs From Before The War [2015] [somalia]

            Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, was once a beautiful port city (with a very ancient history) called the “White Pearl of the Indian Ocean.” But since the coup in 1991 and subsequent civil war, the city has become a shattered wasteland of anarchy, child soldiers, war lords, and constant violence. While conditions have improved over the past five years, their modern history has all but disappeared. So it’s no surprise that this modern music is unavailable; and even at the time, it was rarely properly released.

         What makes this mixtape so fascinating is that the folks at Çaykh spent months finding, compiling, and editing “rips of TV and live recordings on old VHS tapes and radio broadcasts to cassette tapes.”

Truly an amazing mixtape.

v.a. - Au Revoir, Mogadishu

       This Tape of 70's and 80's Somali sound is a rich blend of traditional Somali folk music infused with Western funk, rock and reggae and a touch of Indian, Arabic and African flavors.

      Side A is good for that mellow creamy morning. Side B will get your ass wiggling! There are hardly any proper releases of this soulful sound of guitar, synthesizer and drums. 

Track list:

01 Libaaxyada Maaweeliska Banaadir – Naga Tag, Kac Hooyaa

02 Waaberi – ? (edit)

03 Kooxda Halgan – badbaado guri hooyo

04 Qadiijo Qalanjo – Diriyam Oo Hoo Diriyam

05 Waaberi Hargeysa – Soo dhowoow

06 Wabari Xishood & Jaceyl – ? (edit)

07 Iftin – Wanaagaaga

08 Waaberi – ? (edit)

09 Qadiijo Qalanjo – Dhesessha

10 Dur-Dur Band – Ethiopian Girl

11 Iftin – Axdigii Waad Oofin Weyde

v.a. - Ambassel [ethiopia]

originally posted on The Spear blog : here

                Ethiopian music is primarily based on a five tone scale system. This is known as a pentatonic scale (‘penta’ means five, and ‘tonic’ means note). While most of the music uses a pentatonic scale, some melodies may be based on scales with as few as two or three notes. This is common in Ethiopian folk music, as well as children’s songs. On the other hand, some music in Ethiopia may even be diatonic. Diatonic scales contain 7 notes.

          The Ethiopian word for “scale” is “kiñit”. The word “kiñit” describes both the scale being used, and sometimes the tuning of the instrument. This is because some instruments have strings with no frets, so the strings need to be tuned to the scale. These instruments include the krar, begena, and masinko.

           There are four main kiñits that are used in Ethiopian music. These are the Tizita, Batti, Ambassel, and Anchihoye kiñits. Some of these have different versions or other modifications.

           The Ambassel scale is a pentatonic scale widely used in the Gonder and Wollo regions of Ethiopia.

              The notes of the scale (in the key of C) are C, Db, F, G and Ab. The intervals in the scale are a minor second, a major third, a major second, a minor second and a major third.

           The scale is used in Ethiopian music for songs with historical themes. 

             A scale is a related set of pitches (not necessarily exact) that can be used as a compositional unit. It differs from a tuning or temperament since the latter is a system for tuning an instrument.

       The chromatic scale can be played in Pythagorean tuning, meantone temperament, or 12-tone equal temperament, or indeed many different types of irregular musical temperament.

Alemayehu Fantaye & Yohannes Afework - 01 - Ambassel (3:53)

Tigist Assefa - 02 - Ambassel (7:08)

Unknown Amhara Musician Recorded In Dessie - 03 - Ambassel (3:24)

Admassou Abate - 04 - Ambassel (7:08)

Esubalew Adugna - 05 - Ambassel (4:37)

Betsat Seyoum & Abbebe Fekade - 06 - Ambassel (5:27)

Alemayehu Fantaye & Yohannes Afework - 07 - Ambassel (4:52)

Endeshaw Kelemwork & Etenesh Wassie - 08 - Ambassel (5:15)

Alemayehu Eshete-Alèm Girma Band-Amha Eshete-Girma Béyéné - 09 - Ambassel (5:31)

Gétatchèw Mèkurya - 10 - Ambassel (5:41)

Maritu Legesse - 11 - Ambassel (7:24)

Girma Yifrashewa - 12 - Ambassel (8:51)

Etenesh Wassie - 13 - Ambassel (9:43)

Genet Masresha - 14 - Ambassel (6:10)