Sample Ethiopian music from around the world – from the so-called “Golden Age” of Ethiopop, and music from France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Israel, Australia, and the U.S.A.

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, in music from Hoodna Orchestra, Ethioda, Budos Band, and Black Flower.

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 New Sounds Live performance together with the Either Orchestra in 2004. Also, hear “Mulatu” from a 2020 album he did with the Australian band, the Black Jesus Experience, recorded in Melbourne, Australia and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Then hear Belgium-based Ethiogroove from Black Flower, loping five beat grooves from the band French band Ethioda, and music from the Ethiopia-born, Amsterdam-based Minyeshu. Also, there’s the Hoodna Orchestra from Tel Aviv, and New York’s very own Budos Band, whose riffs sometimes veer into Ethiojazz territory as well.

Can't get enough Ethiogroove? Here's this show: 4115: Echoes of Ethiopop and Jazz

Program #4423, Ethiopian music around the world (First Aired 10/28/2020)

ARTIST: Ethioda
WORK: Tek Faye [1:30]
RECORDING: Timkat
SOURCE: Gaia Music
INFO: ethiodamusic.bandcamp.com

ARTIST: Mahmoud Ahmed
WORK: Ere Mhla Mhla [4:39]
RECORDING: Ethiopiques 7: Mahmoud Ahmed - Ere Mela Mela
SOURCE: Buda Musique #82980
INFO: budamusique.com

ARTIST: Minyeshu
WORK: Zare [4:30]
RECORDING: Black Ink
SOURCE: Westdrum Records
INFO: minyeshu.bandcamp.com

ARTIST: Black Flower
WORK: Abeba Zeybekiko [4:44]
RECORDING: Artifacts
SOURCE:  SDBAN ULTRA
INFO: blackflower1.bandcamp.com

ARTIST: Hailu Mergia
WORK: Bayine Lay Yihedal [5:10]
RECORDING: Yene Mircha
SOURCE: Awesome Tapes From Africa
INFO: hailumergia.bandcamp.com

ARTIST: Ethioda
WORK: Tek Faye [4:15]
RECORDING: Timkat
SOURCE: Gaia Music
INFO: ethiodamusic.bandcamp.com

ARTIST:  Budos Band
WORK: Long in the Tooth [3:42]
RECORDING: Long in the Tooth
SOURCE: Daptone Records
INFO: thebudosband.bandcamp.com

ARTIST: Either Orchestra w/ Mulatu Astatke
WORK: Amlak Abet Abet [7:35]
RECORDING: New Sounds Live, 2004-11-12, Winter Garden at WFC
SOURCE: This performance not commercially available.
INFO: The collaboration was recorded and is available on Ethiopiques 20: Live in Addis via Buda Musique 

ARTIST: Mulatu Astatke & Black Jesus Experience
WORK: Mulatu [6:20]
RECORDING: To Know Without Knowing
SOURCE: Agogo Records 
INFO: mulatuastatkeblackjesusexperience.bandcamp.com

ARTIST: Hoodna Orchestra
WORK: Breathe [3:57]
RECORDING: OFEL
SOURCE: Agogo Records 
INFO: hoodnaorchestra.bandcamp.com