#5047, Ethio-Groove
Hear a few tunes that come from “Golden Age” of Ethiopian pop, where the remarkable combination of James Brown funk, 60s psychedelia, Indonesian scales, Hindi film scores, and European marching bands created the sounds of "Swinging Addis" in the early 1970s. Then, hear the wide reach of this style on the rest of the world: Northern Europe, Western Europe, Brooklyn, and other places.
Photo of Mulatu Astatke with the Black Jesus Experience, courtesy of Bandcamp
Listen to Ethio-jazz by Mahmoud Ahmed, from the Ethiopiques series, as well as music by the “father of Ethio-jazz,” none other than the living legend Mulatu Astatke on vibraphone, from a 2020 album he did with the Australian band, the Black Jesus Experience, recorded in Melbourne, Australia and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
There’s also music from the Ethiopia-born, Amsterdam-based Minyeshu, along with a song from the master accordionist and veteran bandleader, arranger and keyboardist, Hailu Mergia, who is originally from Ethiopia, and is now based in Washington, D.C. Hear new music from Addis-born, San Francisco based vocalist, songwriter, and composer Meklit, from her latest album, A Piece of Infinity, which "molds folk tunes from a multitude of communities and cultures throughout Ethiopia into jazz-inflected fantasies imbued with warmth and reverence", (Smithsonian Folkways).
And just in time for Ethopian New Year, hear Swedish saxophone player and bandleader Lina Langendorf with Langendorf United as they “pay their respects to the generosity and warmth of the Ethiopian people” with the song “Ethiopia Ewedshalehu” which, in Amharic, means ‘I love you Ethiopia’, (Ballantyne Communications). It's from their forthcoming record, Undercover Beast, due out at the end of September 2025. Langendorf has stayed in Mali and Ethopia for longer periods and has performed in concerts with legendary artists like Alemayehu Eshete, Vieux Farka Touré and Mulatu Astatke who played with her on-stage at his club African Jazz Village (in Addis Ababa/Ethiopia). According to the Bandcamp liner notes, Mulatu's words after the jam session for her were: "Fantastic. Everybody loves you, they say you are ethio-jazz". Enough said. – Caryn Havlik
Program #5047, Ethio-Groove (First aired 9/10/25)
ARTIST: Mahmoud Ahmed
WORK: Ere Mhla Mhla [1:58]
RECORDING: Ethiopiques 7: Mahmoud Ahmed - Ere Mela Mela
SOURCE: Buda Musique #82980
INFO: budamusique.com
ARTIST: Mulatu Astatke
WORK: Yekermo sew [4:04]
RECORDING: Music from Broken Flowers
SOURCE: Decca
INFO: Available at AppleMusic, Spotify, YouTube, Amazon.com
ARTIST: Mulatu Astatke
WORK: Yekermo sew [4:04]
RECORDING: Music from Broken Flowers
SOURCE: Decca
INFO: Available at AppleMusic, Spotify, YouTube, Amazon.com
ARTIST: Langendorf United
WORK: Ethiopia Ewdeshalehu (Ethiopia, I Love You) [4:19]
RECORDING: Undercover Beast
SOURCE: Bongo Joe, due out Sept. 26
INFO: https://singasongfighter.bandcamp.com/album/undercover-beast
ARTIST: Meklit
WORK: Abebayehosh [3:30]
RECORDING: A Piece of Infinity
SOURCE: Smithsonian Folkways, due out Sept. 26
INFO: https://folkways.si.edu/meklit/a-piece-of-infinity
ARTIST: Minyeshu
WORK: Marewa [3:23]
RECORDING: Netsa
SOURCE: ARC Music
INFO: https://naxos.lnk.to/NetsaEL
ARTIST: Hailu Mergia
WORK: Bayine Lay Yihedal [5:09]
RECORDING: Yene Mircha
SOURCE: Awesome Tapes From Africa
INFO: https://hailumergia.bandcamp.com/album/yene-mircha
ARTIST: Alamayehu Eshete
WORK: Yeweyn Haregitu [3:44]
RECORDING: Ethiopiques 9
SOURCE: Buda Musique
INFO: budamusique.com
ARTIST: Mulatu Astatke & Black Jesus Experience
WORK: Kulun Mankwaleshi [7:47]
RECORDING: To Know Without Knowing
SOURCE: Agogo Records
INFO: mulatuastatkeblackjesusexperience.bandcamp.com
ARTIST: Mahmoud Ahmed
WORK: Ere Mhla Mhla [4:39]
RECORDING: Ethiopiques 7: Mahmoud Ahmed - Ere Mela Mela
SOURCE: Buda Musique
INFO: budamusique.com
ARTIST: Tezeta
WORK: Pagume [3:00]
RECORDING: Seventh Place
SOURCE: Klang Tone Records
INFO: https://tezeta.bandcamp.com/album/seventh-place
ARTIST: Anbessa Orchestra
WORK: Tch'elema [3:04]
RECORDING: Tch'elema
SOURCE:/INFO: https://anbessaorchestra.bandcamp.com/track/tchelema-darkness
