Items12The creator’s order
  1. 1Éthiopiques, Vol. 4: Ethio Jazz 1969–1974 - Mulatu AstatkeÉthiopiques, Vol. 4: Ethio Jazz 1969–1974 - Mulatu AstatkeThe place to start. Mulatu Astatke, who studied in London and at Berklee in Boston, is the father of Ethio-jazz, and this compilation gathers his key recordings from 1969 to 1974. His vibraphone and the horns trace Ethiopian modal melodies over jazz and Latin grooves. Yèkèrmo Sèw, later used in Jim…0
  2. 2Éthiopiques, Vol. 7: Erè Mèla Mèla - Mahmoud AhmedÉthiopiques, Vol. 7: Erè Mèla Mèla - Mahmoud AhmedThe voice entry. Mahmoud Ahmed went from working at a nightclub to singing with the Imperial Bodyguard Band, and these 1975 recordings with the Ibex Band catch him at his best. His agile, ornamented singing turns each melody into something pleading and restless, over funky bass and short horn…0
  3. 3Tche Belew - Hailu Mergia & The Walias BandTche Belew - Hailu Mergia & The Walias BandThe Walias Band were the house band at the Addis Ababa Hilton, and this 1977 album, led by keyboardist Hailu Mergia, is instrumental Ethiopian funk at its tightest. Organ and horns carry the melodies over a crisp rhythm section, so the tunes stay front and centre without a singer. Musicawi Silt is…0
  4. 4Wede Harer Guzo - Hailu Mergia & Dahlak BandWede Harer Guzo - Hailu Mergia & Dahlak BandHailu Mergia again, this time with the younger Dahlak Band on a 1978 recording first issued on cassette. It is slower and more relaxed than Tche Belew, and his organ lines take their time over gentle drumming. Choose it for late-night listening, when you want Ethiopian melodies to unfold slowly…0
  5. 5Éthiopiques, Vol. 9: Addis Ababa - Alemayehu EsheteÉthiopiques, Vol. 9: Addis Ababa - Alemayehu EsheteAlemayehu Eshete, nicknamed the Ethiopian Elvis, brought American soul showmanship and James Brown-style screams into Ethiopian pop. This compilation of his recordings shows the mix: punchy horns and funk rhythms with melodies that remain unmistakably Ethiopian. Choose it if you come from soul and…0
  6. 6Éthiopiques, Vol. 14: Negus of Ethiopian Sax - Getatchew MekuryaÉthiopiques, Vol. 14: Negus of Ethiopian Sax - Getatchew MekuryaSaxophonist Getatchew Mekurya took the shellela, a fierce warrior's boasting chant, and played it on tenor sax, producing a raw, wild sound that listeners often compare to American free jazz, though it came from Ethiopian tradition. The melodies are still there under the growls and cries. Choose it…0
  7. 7Moa Anbessa - Getatchew Mekurya & The ExMoa Anbessa - Getatchew Mekurya & The ExThe Dutch post-punk band The Ex loved Getatchew Mekurya's old recordings and brought him to Europe to play with them, and this album captures the meeting. His tenor saxophone plays Ethiopian melodies over the band's jagged guitars, horns and drums. Choose it if you come from punk or noise rock and…0
  8. 8Guzo - Samuel YirgaGuzo - Samuel YirgaSamuel Yirga, a classically trained pianist from Addis Ababa and a member of Dub Colossus, made this debut solo album for Real World in 2012. It takes Ethiopian melodies into a modern setting with piano at the centre, alongside strings, vocals and touches of dub and soul. Choose it if you want…0
  9. 9Inspiration Information - Mulatu Astatke & The HeliocentricsInspiration Information - Mulatu Astatke & The HeliocentricsMulatu Astatke with The Heliocentrics, the London band led by drummer Malcolm Catto, on a 2009 album that revisits his sound with heavy, analogue drums and psychedelic studio effects. His vibraphone melodies float over beats that will feel familiar to hip-hop listeners. Dewel and Mascaram Setaba…0
  10. 10Éthiopiques, Vol. 30: Mistakes on Purpose - Girma Bèyènè & Akalé WubéÉthiopiques, Vol. 30: Mistakes on Purpose - Girma Bèyènè & Akalé WubéGirma Bèyènè was a key pianist and arranger of the Golden Age who spent decades living quietly in the United States. In 2017 the Paris band Akalé Wubé brought him back to record, and this album pairs his gentle, weathered voice and piano with their sympathetic playing. Choose it for its melodies,…0