Ethiopiques - Vol. 7 Mahmoud Ahmed - Ere Mela Mela (1999)

Another great volume of Ethiopiques! Volume 7 of Ethiopiques series is another expanded re-issue of an LP by Mahmoud Ahmed originally released in 1975. Though there seems to be an abundance of songs by Ahmed from 1975 on volumes 1 and 3, we can't find any overlap with the songs on this album. The songs are the same sort of fusion of American soul and jazz with shuffling rhythms of Ethiopian music. Features "Belomi Benna" and "Bemen Sebeb Letlash".

01 Sidetegnash negn/Samiraye
02 Indenesh gedaow
03 Bemin sebeb litlash
04 Abay mado/Imbwa belew
05 Atawurulign lela
06 Ohoho gedama
07 Ere mela mela/Meche neu
08 Fetsum dink lij nesh
09 Belomy benna
10 Asheweyna
11 Mèdjèmèrya Feqrey
12 Kasalèfqut Hulu

Ethiopiques Vol 6 - Mahmoud Ahmed: Almaz (1973)

Volume 6 of the fantastic Ethiopiques series is an expanded re-issue of the first lp by Mahmoud Ahmed plus his first single from 1971. While not as clearly influenced by American soul and jazz, there are a few funky cuts that are pretty nice! Most of these songs flow with a groove unique to Ethiopian music -- and although Ahmed's songs appear throughout the Ethiopiques series, only one of these songs appears on other volumes ("Kulun Mankwalesh"). With the groovy "Nafqot New Yegodagn" and "Yasdestal".

01. Almaz Men Eda Nèw
02. Asha Gèdawo
03. Tchebo Aymolam
04. Feqer Endègèna
05. Ambassel
06. Zèmèdié
07. Kulun Mankwalèsh
08. Mèla Mèla
09. Antchiyé
10. Nafqot Nèw Yègodagn
11. Yasdestal

Ethiopiques Vol 5 - Tigrigna Music: Tigray/Eritrea 1970-1975 (1999)

This volume of the Ethiopiques series is the one that veers closest to what we think of as the traditional modern sound of Africa. The cycling stringed instruments, the chanting vocals, the handclaps, all remind one of juju music. Not that that's a bad thing. In fact, this might be the best single disc of traditional African music to emerge in the years prior to 2001. Most of this music is from the northern region of Eritrea and marked by a ring of singers and dancers who gradually increase the speed and complexity of their clapping and ululating to the point of frenzy. This is haunting stuff, not as mind-blowing as the sunglassed funk of the other volumes of the series, but charming in its way and a vital chapter in the musical history of the region.

01. Aminey - Tsehaytu Beraki
02. Medjemerya Feqrey - Tsehaytu Beraki
03. Hadarey - Tsehaytu Beraki
04. Bazay - Tsehaytu Beraki
05. Memona - Tsehaytu Beraki
06. Milenu - Tsehaytu Beraki
07. Adey Weladitey - Tebereh Tesfa-Hunegn
08. Welladka Hazile - Tebereh Tesfa-Hunegn
09. Ab Teqay Qerebi - Tewelde Redda
10. Nehadar Zeytkewen - Tewelde Redda
11. Furuyti Ayni - Bezuayene Zegeye
12. Deqi Adey - Bezuayene Zegeye
13. Netsela May-May - Bezuayene Zegeye
14. Embi Ila - Beyene Habte
15. Tefqereni Zeneberet - Beyene Habte
16. Abadit - Tekle Tesfa-Ezghi
17. Ab Qetri Berhan - Tekle Tesfa-Ezghi
18. Selam Temagwet - Tekle Tesfa-Ezghi

Mulatu Astatke - Ethiopiques - Vol. 4 (re-post)

Ethiopiques - Vol. 4 Ethio Jazz & Musique Instrumentale, 1969-1974

01. Mulatu Astatqé - Yèkèrmo Sèw (A Man of Experience and Wisdom)
02. Mulatu Astatqé - Mètché Dershé (When Am I Going to Reach There?)
03. Mulatu Astatqé - Kasalèfkut Hulu (From All the Time I Have Passed)
04. Mulatu Astatqé - Tezeta (Nostalgia)
05. Mulatu Astatqé - Yègellé Tezeta (My Own Memory)
06. Mulatu Astatqé - Munayé (My Muna)
07. Mulatu Astatqé - Gubèlyé (My Gubel)
08. Fèqadu Amdè-Mesqel - Asmarina (My Asmara)
09. Mulatu Astatqé - Yèkatit (February)
10. Mulatu Astatqé - Nètsanèt (Liberty)
11. Mulatu Astatqé - Tezetayé Antchi Lidj (Baby, My Unforgettable Remembrance)
12. Mulatu Astatqé - Sabyé (My Saba)
13. Girma Hadgu - Ené Alantchi Alnorem (I Can't Live Without You)
14. Mulatu Astatqé - Dèwèl (Bell)

ethiopiques posts to resume...

Mulatu Astatke - Mulatu of Ethiopia

1 Mulatu
2 Mascaram Setaba
3 Dewel
4 Kulunmanqueleshi
5 Kasalefkut-Hulu
6 Munaye
7 Chifara

Mulatu Astatke (born 1943; surname also spelled Astatqé; Amharic: ሙላቱ አስታጥቄ) is an Ethiopian musician and arranger. He is known as the father of Ethio-jazz. Born in the western Ethiopian city of Jimma, Mulatu was musically trained in London, New York City, and Boston, where he was the first African student at Berklee College of Music. Later he combined his jazz and Latin music influences with traditional Ethiopian music.

Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings - 100 Days, 100 Nights (2007)

100 Days, 100 Nights - Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings (2007)

01. 100 Days, 100 Nights
02. Nobody's Baby
03. Tell Me
04. Be Easy
05. When The Other Foot Drops, Uncle
06. Let Them Knock
07. Something's Changed
08. Humble Me
09. Keep On Looking
10. Answer Me

Sharon Jones (born May 4, 1956) is an American soul/funk singer and lead singer of Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, who are widely considered to be at the forefront of a revivalist movement that aims to recapture the feeling of soul and funk music as it was at its height in the late 1960s to mid 1970s. Despite trying to forge a career as a professional singer since an early age, it has only been in her middle age that Jones has experienced breakthrough success.

Explosivos - Deep-Soul From The Latin Heart (2005)

A Latin Soul jukebox -- overflowing with great singles from the glory days of the Spanish Harlem scene! The vibe here is definitely on the dirtier end of late 60s Latin -- that groove that picked up plenty of funk and soul from other strands of the New York scene, and took it way way uptown where it was cooked up with a nice dash of salsa! And while there was certainly some work of the time that tried to cash in on the boogaloo groove and never really made the cut, the tunes on this set are all the real deal -- the hard-hitting numbers that stood out as some of the best cuts coming out from labels like Tico, Fania, Cotique, and Alegre. CD features a total of 20 great tracks, all of them cookers -- with titles that include "Soul Gritty" by Ralph Robles, "You Need Help" by Monguito Santamaria, "Deep" by Quetcy Alma, "Chicarrones" by The Latin Gents, "Fat Papa" by Charlie Palmieri, "Mama's Girl" by King Nando, "Chacon Pata Pata" by Chacon, "Get It Right" by Alfredito, "Apewalk" by Al Escobar, "Stand" by Harvey Averne, "King Of Latin Soul" by Joey Pastrana, "Kool It Here Comes The Fuzz" by Jimmy Sabater, and "African Twist" by Eddie Palmieri. © 1996-2010, Dusty Groove America, Inc.

01. Latin Soul Drive Is Here - Chollo Rivera & The Latin Soul Drives
02. King Of Latin Soul - Joey Pastrana
03. Psychedelic Baby - Joe Cuba Sextet
04. Stand - The Harvey Averne Band
05. I'm Gonna Leave You - Russel Cohen Y La New Yorkers
06. Soul Gritty - Ralph Robles
07. You Need Help - Monguito Santamaria
08. Kool It (Here Comes The Fuzz) - Jimmy Sabater
09. Use It Before You Lose It - Bobby Valentín
10. Fat Papa - Charlie Palmieri
11. Deep - Quetcy Alma
12. Electric Latin Soul - Flash & The Dynamics
13. Apewalk - Al Escobar
14. Get It Right - Alfredito And His Orchestra
15. Chacon Pata Pata - Chacon
16. African Twist - Eddie Palmieri
17. Lazy Boogaloo - George Guzman
18. Mama's Girl - King Nando
19. Hit De Bongo - Tito Puente & His Orchestra
20. Chicarrones - The Latin Gents