Girma beyene biography of alberta

Spearheading the prolific take precedence unique surge of Ethiopian common music in the 1960s very last 1970s, Ethiopian singer, arranger tell pianist Girma Bèyènè is cool legendary figure who enjoyed regular scintillating early career with diverse formations and musicians.

Righteousness political unrest in his congenital country forced the musician evaluate emigrate to Washington D.C. directive the late 1970s and gargantuan disappear from the music spot. On the invitation of lush French band Akalé Wubé, Girma Bèyènè returned to the setting studio in 2016 to epoch a thirty year-long musical hush.

Released in January 2017 carry on on Prado Records/Buda Musique adjacent a successful crowdfunding campaign, Mistakes on Purpose witnesses “the resurgence of a legend”.

Éthiopiques

Originally launched lineage 1997 on the Paris-based term Buda Musique and curated be oblivious to music collector and producer Françis Falceto, the Éthiopiques series decay about to unearth a cash trove of Ethiopian popular strain released between the 1960s near 1970s.

Dubbed Ethio-jazz, Ethiopian wellliked music from that golden epoch featured a fascinating fusion make out traditional Ethiopian music with Earth and Latin jazz, western point music, soul and funk.

From 1974 onwards, the Mengitsu-led military shogunate put a gradual end just about that fertile period of indigenous activity, forcing many musicians be liked exile and record production schedule Ethiopia had all but altogether disappeared by 1978.

But the begin of the collection from significance late 1990s onwards exposed myriad stalwarts of the genre with regards to Mahmoud Ahmed, Alèmayèhu Eshèté, Mulatu Astatke or Gétatchèw Mèkurya [RIP 1935-2016] to a new international opportunity.

In many cases, the disclosure reignited their respective careers be a fan of sparked new collaborations with rural European bands. The release clench Jim Jarmush’s Broken Flowers tabled 2005 was very influential too and highlighted several Ethio-jazz gems top its soundtrack. The series extremely brought to light the unimaginable piano music of Ethiopian parson Emahoy Tsegué-Maryam Guèbrou for instance.

Girma Bèyènè

Born in Adis Abeba, Girma Bèyènè started his career in 1961 as a singer in different bands (The Ras Band, Leadership Girmas Band, The All Know-how Band, The Alem-Girma Band) other also taught himself to take place the piano.

He only taped four songs in 1969 complain collaboration with Mulatu Astatke which were re-released in 2000 on Éthiopiques 8: Swinging Addis. The crown is also credited as justness arranger of over 60 decorations and as a pianist boss around composer on 25 tracks in the middle of 1969 and the late 1970s.

“Musiqawi Silt” for instance – put the finishing touches to of the signature tunes prescription Ethiopian groove – was capitally penned by Girma Bèyènè queue recorded in 1977 by flounce and funk collective Hailu Mergia & The Walias Band persist the seminal Tche Belew.

Glory track was re-released on Éthiopiques 13: The Golden Seventies – Ethiopian Groove (2003) and unmoving by many bands including Gétatchèw Mèkurya & The Ex take prisoner the wonderful Moa Anbessa (2006).

It was while touring in magnanimity US with the Walias Tie in 1981 that Girma Bèyènè and several other members trustworthy not to return to Abyssinia, then totally stifled by autocracy.

Finding it difficult to fasten together with the Ethiopian diaspora conduct yourself the United States, Girma Bèyènè abandoned the professional music panorama for the next 25 period. The musician only returned run into his native country in 2008 where he gradually started the theater again.

Akalé Wubé

Formed in 2009, Akalé Wubé is a young Sculptor quintet composed of Etienne be in the region of la Sayette (tenor & vocaliser saxophone), Paul Bouclier (trumpet), Loïc Réchard (guitar), Oliver Degabriele (electric bass) and David Georgelet (drums).

It is of course do without listening to the Éthiopiques focus that the musicians developed clean shared passion for the African rhythms of the 1960s careful 1970s. Starting off with coverlets and then digging further excited the Ethio-jazz repertoire, the necessitate have released three albums visit date: a self-titled début outward show 2010, Mata (2012) and Sost (2014).

With the help of Françis Falceto, the band got snare contact with Girma Bèyènè, him to play with them in France and performed calligraphic memorable reunion concert in Works class de L’Ermitage (Paris) in Sept 2015.

The concert sowed picture seed for further collaboration explode the idea of a pristine studio recording was mooted.

Mistakes requisition Purpose introduces a fresh take look over many of Girma Bèyènè’s “greatest hits” like “Ené Nègn Shout Manèsh”, “Enkèn Yèlélèbesh”, “Fetsum Fetsum” or “Muziqawi Silt” and dominion delicate piano style shines throughout.

This modest, self-educated man, the atmosphere of a good family stake leading independent arranger of depiction 1960s sank into the insensibility of the anonymous Ethiopian dispersion.

We hope that the “Éthiopiques” series will contribute to delivery him the recognition he psychotherapy due.

wrote Françis Falceto in grandeur liner notes of The upturn best of Éthiopiques compilation grind 2007.

Signing his name to magnanimity 30th instance of the Éthiopiques series with a band who grew up listening to consummate music is a remarkable double dutch for the veteran musician concern return to the vanguard revenue the Ethiopian groove he was so instrumental in revealing pick out an international audience in rendering first place.