Track List
The Very Best of Ethiopiques 2CD
Union
Square Music/Manteca
Release Date
Cat.no. MANTDCD245
Barcode
698458224521
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
Ethiopiques Medley contains exerpts
from:
1. Heywete
- Tesfa Maryam
Kidane
2. Yekatit
- Mulatu
Astatqe
3. Yekermo
Sew - Mulatu
Astatqe
4. Ere Mela
Mela - Mahmoud Ahmed
5. Ewnet Yet
Lagegnesh - Bahta
Gebre-Heywet
Medley courtesy of Union Square Music
Welcome
to the world! The Very Best of
Ethiopiques
Over the last 10 years, music aficionados across the
world have become familiar with Francis Falceto's remarkable work re-releasing
vast quantities of modern Ethiopian music as 'The Ethiopiques series' on Buda
Musique. But now this enthusiasm has spread to infect another top re-issuing
label, as Union Square Music have taken it upon themselves to assemble an
Ethiopian music collection with a different slant. An enormous undertaking,
drawing from all 21 volumes of the original 'Ethiopiques' series, 'The Very Best
of Ethiopiques' (2CD) represents a new take on Ethiopian Music as compiler and
sequencer Iain Scott (assisted by Steve Bunyan and Francis Falceto) has made the
first ever compilation of modern Ethiopian music specifically for the
contemporary western ear.
CD1
breaks this new ground by focusing on modern Ethiopian tracks able to shake
dance floors as much as any world music connoisseur's mp3 headphones. Aimed at
all those who were dazzled by re-issue releases such as Russ
Dewbury's 'Africa Funk' 1998 (exposing Fela Kuti and Manu Dibango to the
club audience for the first time), CD1 does the same for 'Ethiopian Groove',
offering a sparkling collection of songs bursting with Ethiopia's unashamed and
open enthusiasm for absorbing the influences of 1960-70s Afro-American song.
Throw into this mix a few more tunes made popular by the soundtrack for Jim
Jarmush's 'Broken Flowers' and you have the ultimate Ethiopian cross-over
selection.
CD2 is a little
different. A real delight for those slightly more accustomed to the exotic
differences of World Music, as here the groove is hidden more deeply within,
requiring time to grow but then emerging more with each listening. If CD1 is the Ethiopian 'Master Cuts',
then CD2 is the Ethiopian 'Buena Vista Social Club' selection, defining a unique
modern music scene at its discernible peak.
With 'The Very Best of the Ethiopiques' (2CD) perhaps
the last great hidden treasure troves of modern African music has finally
been made available to the
mainstream public. A very special occasion indeed.
Enjoy!