Search - Various Artists :: Music From Ethiopia

If only American national radio had half the energy and commitment of European national radio, Americans would have a treasure of world music all their own. For now, though, take advantage of Swedish cultural interest on a 1992 excursion to Addis Ababa. Here are the roots and popular fronds of Ethiopian music in the last half of the century. This collection is a nicely laid out mix of some of the oldest of folk music from the area and some of the best pop. Traditional krar (harp) and washint (flute) tracks are juxtaposed with a funk-driven, bass-heavy urban dance tune and lighter jazz-toned piece that still retain the local melodies and time signatures. It's all well recorded in simple settings without overdubs or much in the way of studio effects. --Louis Gibson