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14 Jul 2009 12:20
Ethiopiques, Vol. 1: Golden Years Of Modern Ethiopian Music
The Ethiopiques series, chronicling the Golden Age of Ethiopian
Jazz from 1969 - 1978, was brought to mass consciousness due to
Jim Jarmusch's 2005 film Broken Flowers. In this film, Don
Johnston (Bill Murray) receives a letter informing him he has a
19 year old son, but the mother does not reveal herself. He
embarks upon a cross-country quest, seeking to solve the
mystery. The spirit of travel, of mystery, of romance and
heart-break is captured eloquently with the tight and fierce
souljazzfunk of Ethiopian Jazz.
Drawing mainly from the archives of Amha Records, these
recordings were captured after the end of the reign of Halle
Salaisse, where an unexpected freedom brought forth a flowering
of creativity, that found traditional ethiopian sounds blending
with James Brown funk, Otis Redding style R&B, and various
rhythms from around the world. The marriage of
smooth-as-oriental-silk brass sections, with late night Hammond
B-3 lines, and propelled with driving African poly-rhythms, is a
powerful animal. It will sink its fangs into your marrow and
shake rattle and roll…
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