V4 Ethiopiques (Ethiopia)

Product Details

Artist : Mulatu Astatke
Format : Best of
Binding : Audio CD
EAN : 0723723382528
Label : Buda Musique
Number of Discs : 1
Product Group : Music
Release Date : 2004-04-20
UPC : 723723382528

ASIN : B00000DDMB

Track Listings for

Disc-1
1. Yèkèrmo Sèw (A Man of Experience and Wisdom)
2. Mètché Dershé (When Am I Going to Reach There?)
3. Kasalèfkut Hulu (From All the Time I Have Passed)
4. Tezeta (Nostalgia)
5. Yègellé Tezeta (My Own Memory)
6. Munayé (My Muna)
7. Gubèlyé (My Gubel)
8. Asmarina (My Asmara)
9. Yèkatit (February)
10. Nètsanèt (Liberty) - Mulatu Astatke
11. Tezetayé Antchi Lidj (Baby, My Unforgettable Remembrance)
12. Sabyé (My Saba)
13. Ené Alantchi Alnorem (I Can't Live Without You)
14. Dèwèl (Bell)

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Editorial Reviews

From Amazon.com

Largely the work of formidable musician-arranger Mulatu Astatqe, the 14 instrumentals here were originally issued on two LPs in 1972 and 1974 in Ethiopia, and represent a curious blend of soul-jazz and R&B with just a smattering of Ethiopian roots breaking up the stabbing horn lines, wah-wah guitars, and simmering electric piano. Curious, because at the time jazz was not very popular in Ethiopia, but that is no reflection on the quality of these primitively recorded sides of idiosyncratic Afro-funk. The grooves are long and laconic, the sound reminiscent of Miles Davis's "In a Silent Way" paired with Cannonball Adderly and Roy Ayers. But, as with all things Ethiopian, the music retains its own unique and unmistakable identity, one somewhere between a late-night jazz hole-in-the-wall group and a supper club belly-dancing combo. There are some very inventive arrangements and vigorous soloing, rendering a highly articulate and listenable music that was, at the time, doomed to go nowhere. Such is the retrospective value of reissues. --Derek Rath

Customer Reviews

New sounds (2004-07-16)

I have listened to this CD some two or three dozen times since I bought it last summer, and every time I hear something new, discover some new mood, or fall into some new trancelike state amidst the solos on this collection. I recommend this CD for intelligence, soul, and its general lack of pretention.

Recommend hearing a few tracks online before purchase, most certainly not for everyone - anyone looking for traditional Ehtiopian instruments or newly minted digital recordings. If you want soul, you can feel that it was welling up in these people as Haile Selasse's rule came to an end, and in that brief period where this music was allowed to flourish, it burst out - unpolished and unsure of itself, but it was THERE, more than most music I've ever heard.

puts funk and soul innovation into perspective (2002-11-06)

firstly if you have a soulful bone in your music-loving body then buy this record. it's a sound that i can only imagine was taking small pockets of East Africa by storm in the late 60s early 70s. You can just picture the dusty hip swinging scene of immaculated dressed Africans turning beautifully to each perfect rhythm.

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