Welcome to ‘The Very Best of Ethiopiques’

Track Listing

CD1:
1. Heywete – Tesfa Maryam Kidane
2. Yekermo Sew – Mulatu Astatqe
3. Yekatit – Mulatu Astatqe
4. Enken Yelelebesh – Girma Beyene
5. Ewnet Yet Lagegnesh – Bahta Gebre-Heywet
6. Gubelye – Mulatu Astatqe
7/8. Ere Mela Mela/Metche New – Mahmoud Ahmed
9 .Tchero Adari Negn – Alemayehu Eshete
10.Telantena Zare – Alemayehu Eshete
11.Muziqawi Silt – Wallias Band
12.Gedawo – Ayalew Mesfin & Black Lion Band
13.Tchuheten Betsemu – Tlahoun Gessesse
14.Tezeta – Menelik Wesnatchew

CD2:
1. Mother’s Love - Tsegue-Maryam Guebrou
2. Sema - Tlahoun Gessesse
3. Milenu - Tewelde Redda
4. Embi Ila - Beyene Habte
5. Tezeta - Mulatu Astatqe
6. Set Alamenem - Girma Beyene
7. Yemendjar Shega - Muluqen Mellesse & Dahlak Band
8. Antchi Hoye - Getatchew Mekurya
9. Kulun Mankwalesh (1970) - Tlahoun Gessesse
10. Shellela - Getatchew Mekurya
11. Mela Mela - Seyfu Yohannes
12. Atawurulegn Lela - Mahmoud Ahmed
13. Fetsum Denq Ledj Nesh - Mahmoud Ahmed
14. Abatatchen Hoy (Pater Noster) - Alemu Aga

These 2CDs contain some of the very best tracks from the highly acclaimed ‘ethiopiques’ series featuring, among others, the award-winning Mahmoud Ahmed, national icon Tlahoun Gessesse, the `James Brown’ of Alemayehu Eshete and `Broken Flowers’ movie music of Mulatu Astatqe.

“This is a unique record release series, much of it from the glorious explosion of soulful, sorrowful and joyful music cut between the repression of absolute monarchy and the cultural insanity of the Derg regime. The spoilt complaints of Western pop musicians pale into insignificance compared to the defiant human spirit contained in these recordings.

Do yourself a favour and discover the Ethiopian R&B counterparts to James Brown, Elvis Presley and Jackie Wilson but also jazz composers, choral groups, folk minstrels and bluesmen with power and wildness of Bukka White or Son House, or contemplative piano music that might suggest Bill Evans or Maurice Ravel for a moment, but is really from a strange and wonderful place of its own.”

Elvis Costello