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Showing posts with label soul funk. Show all posts
Showing posts with label soul funk. Show all posts

Thursday, March 6, 2014

Mahmoud Ahmed with The Ibex Band - [1976] - Ere Mela Mela


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Probably the best Ethiopian album ever !!! 
Here is the extended version . Enjoy !!!!





01. Mahmoud Ahmed - Erè Mèla Mèla (4:39)
02. Mahmoud Ahmed - Metche new (3:22)
03. Mahmoud Ahmed - Bemen sebeb letlash (4:32)
04. Mahmoud Ahmed - Abbay mado (3:18)
05. Mahmoud Ahmed - Embwa belew (3:35)
06. Mahmoud Ahmed - Atawurulegn lela (3:59)
07. Mahmoud Ahmed - Ohoho gedama (4:45)
08. Mahmoud Ahmed - Sedetegnash negn (2:02)
09. Mahmoud Ahmed - Samerayi (3:28)
10. Mahmoud Ahmed - Edenesh gedawo (3:45)
11. Mahmoud Ahmed - Fetsum denq ledj nesh (4:41)
12. Mahmoud Ahmed - Ebakesh taraqign (4:37)
13. Mahmoud Ahmed - Asheweyna (4:32)
14. Mahmoud Ahmed - Belomi Benna (3:55)
15. Mahmoud Ahmed - Tezeta (5:45)







Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Menelik Wossenachew - mixtape [ethiopia]








Enjoy a mix of 10 of Menelik’s songs in 15 minutes.


01.Wub Nat, 
02.Yachi Lij Qonjo Nat, 
03.Aderech Arada, 
04.Chereqa, 
5.Meqaberen Liyew, 
06.Tebeb Teqami New, 
07.Fiqrachin, 
08.Mambo Sambo,
09.Bati, 
10.Tizita  


Wub Nat:  Written and arranged by Girma Beyene when Menelik was a member of the second Ras Band

Yachi Lij Qonjo Nat: Backed by Haile Selassie Theatre Orchestra–arranged by Nerses Nalbandian

Aderech Arada:  Lyrics by Getachew Debalke arranged by Nerses Nalbandian; backed by Haile Selassie I Theatre Orchestra

Chereqa:  A children’s song-arranged by Girma Beyene backed by All Star Band

Meqaberen Liyew:  Lyrics and music by Menelik Wossenachew arranged by Girma Beyene backed by the All Star Band

Tebeb Teqami New:   arranged by Nerses Nalbandian backed by Haile Selassie Theatre Orchestra

Fiqrachin: Lyrics  by Menelik Wossenachew: music and arrangement  by Mulatu Astatke; backed by the All Star Band

Mambo Sambo:   Lyrics by Menelik Wossenachew; music and arrangement  by Mulatu Astatke; backed by All Star Band

Bati:    Lyrics traditional and Menelik Wossenachew; arranged by Girma Beyene; backed by Marathon Band

Tizita:   Lyrics traditional and Menelik Wossenachew; arranged by Mulatu Astatke

Monday, October 14, 2013

v.a. - Assiyo Bellema - Golden Years of Modern Ethiopian Music [2013]




             All hits compilation of late 1960s to early 1970s Ethiopian soul and R 'n' B. Very intensely groove oriented material by some of Ethiopia's top musicians. Includes songs by Mulatu Astatke, Seyfou Yohannes, Ayelew Mesfin, Getatchew Kassa, and the mighty Abbebe Tessemma. Nonstop party. Old school 'tip on' sleeve.




         Class side of Ethio R&B hits dating to late ’60s and early ’70s. It comes out of the blocks hard with Astatke’s Assiyo Bellema and Tessemma’s Ashasha Beyew both boasting irresistible polyrhythmic grooves, the former bouncing along with queasy steel drum details, while the latter is driven by organ chords and lovely bright brass.

       While other highlights come courtesy of Yohannes’ lounge jazz-inflected Yekermo Sew with smooth sax, bubbling guitar work and a fascinating cyclic piano line, Mesfin’s bouncy funk-soaked Lene Antchi Bitcha Nesh and the irresistible polyrhythmic call-and-response simplicity of Damtew Ayele’s ‘Wefe Yelala’, the whole LP is a delight, although with these warm exotic shuffle grooves it feels like more of a soiree than a party.


01. Mulatu Astatque - Assiyo Bellema (2:54)
02. Abbebe Tessemma - Ashasha Beyew (3:36)
03. Getatchew Kassa & Soul Ekos Band - Bey Lesnabetesh (4:03)
04. Seyfou Yohannes - Yekermo Sew (4:18)
05. Abbebe Tessemma - Gebru Guratch Gute (2:45)
06. Samuel Belay - Lebene Sheweshew (3:12)
07. Seyfou Yohannes - Metche Dershe (3:58)
08. Ayalew Mesfin - Lene Antchi Bitcha Nesh (4:00)
09. Damtew Ayele - Wefe Yelala (2:57)
10. Tamrat Molla & Venus Band - Ber Anbar Seberelewo (3:26)



Thursday, October 3, 2013

Dereb Desalegn - Dereb The Ambassador [2010]


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                       Dereb The Ambassador (Dereb Desalegn)


       Dereb Desalegn is well known in his homeland of Ethiopia, but he now lives in Australia. This new album features songs from famous Ethiopian singers, traditional songs, and Dereb's own compositions. 



  

              Dereb Desalegn, also known as Dereb The Ambassador, is based in Sydney and originally derives from Ethiopa. Sydney producer Tony Buchen has put together this project for the whole world to enjoy, including Australia. Dereb is a renowned and well-respected artist in Ethiopa. So far, Aussies have responded enthusiastically to Dereb’s music and his fans keep multiplying.

                  Dereb’s self-titled album has come to knock on the door of your heart with its soulful timbre. His music is best described as raw, Ethiopian vintage soul and funk with a pinch of jazz and Motown vibes.

                   Although the language within the music is foreign, that does not hinder the listener to get the most from this rare musical experience. The album contains a good blend of party-like anthems and tranquility. Dereb takes the listener into his world for about forty-eight minutes of your life - if only it was longer.

         The music is complete with a 9-piece band with pre-1970s instruments and equipment, which produces uncommon and raw sounds. One can hear the richness of sound coming from the musical instruments used in this LP, some of which are the 5 piece horns, trumpets, percussion, drums and amazing guitar riffs with the electric guitar on tracks like “Gedawo (Traditional)” and “Setaleygn (Tilahun Gesese)”. The real rhythm of soul music is evident in the instrumental song “Yelage Tizeta (Mulatu Astaqe)” with the harmonious trumpet, the organ and drum beats.

      Most of the tracks on the LP are quite upbeat soul and funk rich in the use of instruments, however there is a beautiful acoustic track called “Hiwot (Tilahun Gesese)” which is quite a soothing track to listen to. The vocals, piano, clapping and African sekere are the sole and dominant sounds used in the track “Kulun (Traditional)”, which makes it such a smooth track to listen to.


      A really great adventure of an album!




01. Dereb Desalegn - Addis Ababa Bete (Alamayetu Eshete) (5:46)
02. Dereb Desalegn - Etu Gela (Tesfaye Lemissa) (4:03)
03. Dereb Desalegn - Ney Denun Tiseshe (Seyfu Hayle) (3:08)
04. Dereb Desalegn - Gonde (Dereb Desalegn) (3:15)
05. Dereb Desalegn - Kulun (Traditional) (4:32)
06. Dereb Desalegn - Setaleygn (Tilahun Gesese) (3:45)
07. Dereb Desalegn - Gedawo (Traditional) (4:17)
08. Dereb Desalegn - Yelage Tizeta (Mulatu Astaqe) (3:27)
09. Dereb Desalegn - Mela Mela (Traditional) (3:20)
10. Dereb Desalegn - Aynei (Dereb Desalegn) (5:28)
11. Dereb Desalegn - Hiwot (Tilahun Gesese) (4:21)


Monday, September 30, 2013

v.a. - [1992] - Music from Ethiopia [Caprice]



       This recording gives rich samples of the sounds of tradition in urban musical life in Ethiopia today. The ancient ceremonial music played on the embilta flutes or the vocal art of Alemayehu Fanta or Gebre Hiwot Lemma represent older traditions. The group Sne Bahel offers samples of singing and music which accompanies lively traditional dances from the Oromo and Wollaita ethnic groups. Modern pop music is represented in six tracks by the Abyssinia Band. 




       A really nifty release, Caprice has combined two forms of urban music usually rigidly separated: professionally performed "traditional" music for krar, flute, voice, and Ethio-soul by electric groups that play the real local thing rather than the crossover material we're usually offered. The result is splendid: very varied and splendidly performed music and truth-in-classification.











01. Lemma Gebre Hiwot - Medina / Zelesegna (4:50)
02. Abyssinia band - Yedejih abeba negn [Hanna Shenkute] (6:44)
03. Yohannes Afework - Ambassel (4:29)
04. Abyssinia band - Mis men gidifkini [Girmai Biable] (4:18)
05. Asnakech Worku - Tizita (4:45)
06. Abyssinia band - Endenew yisemah [Hanna Shenkute] (5:30)
07. Areru Shegane, Teka Tema, Yohannes Afework - Tigrigna (3:16)
08. Yared Orchestra - Alegntaye (5:30)
09. Alemayehu Fanta - Salamta (3:00)
10. Abyssinia band - Yiberral libbe [Dawit Mellese] (4:23)
11. Sne Bahel - Haya wolalome (2:29)
12. Alemayehu Fanta - Anchihoyelene / Tizita (7:03)
13. Abyssinia band - Esketayew [Dawit Mellese] (4:35)
14. Sne Bahel - Dowa dowe (3:22)
15. Abyssinia band - Tizita [Hanna Shenkute] (7:11)



Monday, September 23, 2013

Asmara All Stars - Eritrea's Got Soul [2010] [eritrea]





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        If you like the Ethiopian soul-funk sound of the early 1970s, you should find much to enjoy in this contemporary take on it.














        Eritrea is Ethiopia's neighbour and many of the country's musicians actually contributed to those classic recordings. The main difference with this contemporary project is the influence of Jamaican reggae. But the dub elements fold perfectly into the sinuous Ethiopian grooves – as our own Dub Colossus have already demonstrated. Vibrant, heady and sensuous stuff.


       Eritrea is back. After thirty years of war with Ethiopia and a decade of seclusion, the Asmara All Stars now introduce some of the best musicians and vocalists from Eritrea on the forthcoming Out Here Records release “Eritrea’s Got Soul”. Eritrea has been almost cut off from most outside influences since the early 70s. Recording an album is not an easy task in a country where many aspects of life are dominated by political concerns, and where every working musician gets a salary from the state. 

       The Asmara All Star project is all about leaving politics behind and focusing on making exciting music. At first, French producer Bruno Blum had a hard time getting the ball rolling, but eventually more and more musicians got excited by his unusual approach and talent began flocking to the studio. In the end ideas were flowing freely in Asmara. A process with several obstacles along the way. The fruit of this long but ultimately rewarding process are now released on this very special album. In a way Eritrea has vanished from the world’s radar. Music lovers around the world have been showing a huge interest in Ethiopian reissues from the 70s. A closer look reveals that many of the musicians on vintage Ethiopian music were really Eritrean. 













       Today The Asmara All Stars continue to play in a style reminiscent of the golden age of the big band sound, charged with Eri-jazz, soul and roots reggae. The decades of isolation have somehow kept this music alive. The album was recorded in Asmara, Eritrea’s capital city, in 2008 with a heavy, analog live band sound featuring electric krar, a full horn section, a funky organ and haunting vocals by some of the country’s most famous singers. Young singer Temasgen Yared came up with the soulful “Ykre Belni”, seemingly straight out of the heyday of Abyssinian soul jazz. Another highlight is Faytinga’s “Amajo” which fuses Kunama rhythms with a roots reggae beat, and Mahmoud Ahmed Omer delivering the uptempo dancefloor smash “Adunia” featuring a rare sample of local hip-hop...'Eritrea’s Got Soul' explores the vast variety of this country’s genuine music: Tigré legends Ibrahim Goret and Brkti Weldeslassie stand alongside the raw “blues” “Inedir” by Adam Hamid and the beautiful talent of young Sara Teklesenbet. 







      




        The album brings together different musical styles and rarely heard languages by eight ethnic groups, including Kunama, Nara, Bilen, Afar, Saho, Hedaareb, Tigré and Tigrigna. A rebirth of urban Eritrean music from the depths of the country’s rich history. The album was produced by Bruno Blum from Paris. A guitarist, songwriter, producer and free spirit, he is known for his Serge Gainsbourg dub and DJ remixes and the now classic version of Bob Marley’s “War” (featuring Haile Selassie’s original speech and the Wailers).




01. Amajo (Feat. Faytinga) 3:38
02. Ykre Belni (Feat. Temasgen Yared) 5:19
03. Adunia (Feat. Mahmoud Ahmed Omer, Temasgen Hip Hop & Doc Reggae) 6:37
04. Haki (Feat. Yvset Tsehaye) 4:11
05. Inedir (Feat. Adam Hamid) 3:40
06. Wushate (Feat. Brkti Weldeslassie) 5:29
07. Derekam (Feat. Adam Faid Amir) 6:22
08. Anisako (Feat. Mohammed Ahmed Shaabi) 3:29
09. Fhemsela (Feat. Sara Teklesenbet) 4:19
10. Eritrean Girl (Feat. Dawit Zeragabir) 5:05
11. Safir Hilet (Feat. Ibrahim Goret) 6:14
12. Gwaila International (Feat. Faytinga) 5:50
13. Bloom Brothers Mood 6:36


Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Samuel Yirga - [2012] - Guzo [ethiopia]





       Guzo is the debut release of young Ethiopian pianist Samuel Yirga. Against the odds, Samuel found his way to music school in Addis Ababa and despite still being in his 20s and only having left music school relatively recently, he has developed at a pace remarkable for someone of his age. 

       He has gone on to become one of Ethiopia's most promising young musicians and composers and in recent years, Samuel has gained wider international recognition through his touring and recording with Ethio-fusion group Dub Colossus.





       The title, Guzo, means "journey" in Amharic, the official working language of Ethiopia. Recorded partly in Addis Ababa and partly in the UK at Real World Studios, it is the product of his years experimenting with the music of his roots and the outside influences of American jazz (particularly Keith Jarrett and Herbie Hancock), Latin, and classical music. It explores the traditional musical history of Ethiopia, the more modern Ethiojazz that has brought his country's music to international attention, ventures into big-band brass ensembles, moves through soul and funk, and then simmers with the deeply impassioned solo piano tracks. Whilst the solo piano pieces are introspective and deeply felt, Samuel has enlisted some great singers and instrumentalists from Ethiopia, Europe and the Caribbean. Featured vocalists are the Creole Choir of Cuba, a Cuban choir whose songs go back to their Haitian roots; Mel Gara, a British singer whose origins are in Iraq; and Nicolette, a Nigerian-British singer, famous for her collaborations with Massive Attack.

       While Sammy has been influenced by American jazz and funk, he also wanted to record some tunes which showed the great range of traditional music in Ethiopia. On these tracks, which he recorded in Addis Ababa, he was joined by some of the country's best young traditional instrumentalists.

       "His world is opening up," says Dubulah (aka Nick Page), the British musician and producer behind Transglobal Underground, Syriana and Dub Colossus and also producer of Guzo, "He's feeling his way around and this recording is a statement of where he's intending to go and what he has to offer. I think the result will surprise people."

        'Guzo' is both bold and sensitive. It is the start of Samuel Yirga's musical journey and a platform to showcase the extraordinary skill as both musician and composer of this emerging young talent. The album's roots might be firmly in the Ethiojazz of Samuel's homeland, but this young man from Addis has opened up a whole new door on a musical genre and region.





Tracklisting

1. Abet Abet: is a traditional love song which features the raw and melodic notes of the Ethiopian one-stringed fiddle, the messenqo. Recorded in Addis, Sammy is accompanied by some of Ethiopia's best young traditional instrumentalists.

2. Tiwista: this is another well-known Ethiopian song and means 'nostalgia'. The tune is arranged with Sammy's own jazz-influenced base line. The melody is led by a subtle but powerful saxophone which weaves in and out of the piano through the track.

3. Ferma Ena Wereket: This tune's title means 'We don't need paper to love each other'. "Everyone can sing about love," says Sammy, "but the way you describe it is what's important." This track is a controversial statement about marriage.

4. Ye Bati Koyita: - a solo piano piece. The title means "A Time in Bati" - Bati is a town in northern Ethiopia, and also the name of the musical scale Samuel plays. Always the innovator, Samuel plays it not with the original time signatures in which it was written, but swapping between different timings to keep the tune fresh. The result is a mature, intricate take on an old Ethiopian melody which ripples with classical and jazz influences.

5. Nou Se Soleil: - Vocal introduction to I am the Black Gold of the Sun, sung by The Creole Choir of Cuba.

6. I am the Black Gold of the Sun: This song features guest vocalists The Creole Choir of Cuba, Nicolette and Mel Gara and is a re-working of the 1970s psychedelic soul classic. The three sets of vocals are underpinned by the funk-laden chords and flourishes of Sammy's jazz-infused piano playing. Page chose the song to cover because of Sammy's love of 1970s and '80s American music, and brought in those artists because together they told the story of a journey from Africa to the Caribbean, via the Middle East and Europe. The song brings with it the sunshine of the Caribbean, carried by the uplifting rich vocals of the Choir, as well as the urban tones of the British-based singers.

7. Dance With the Legend: a solo piano piece, which takes its inspiration from a song by Ethiopia's great singer Tilahun Gessese. The tune swings with a lilting rhythm and ripples with classical and jazz influences.

8. My Head: Recorded in the UK, with the regular Dub Colossus horn section, this track is an upbeat latin number.

9. Drop Me There: This piano solo written by Sammy features three of Ethiopian music's distinctive melodic scales and was written at Real World Studios last winter. "It was very quiet there," says Sammy of his time at Real World, "so I could really feel every note when I played."

10. The Blues of Wollo: Based on a famous Ethiopian song called Ambassel, featuring both traditional and modern instruments. Recorded in Addis, with wonderful keening vocals from Genet Masresha.

Bonus Track
11. African Diaspora: featuring and co-written by Nicolette, African Diaspora is a melancholic song which demands "Africa, why are you letting your people leave?" The song reverberates with muted horns and the gentle tones of Sammy's piano playing.




Reviews

...young Ethiopian pianist who blends his soul and jazz influences with music of his homeland.
(Guzo) stacks up well next to the best music of swinging Addis. His three solo piano pieces show huge range: "Drop Me There" is crystalline and delicate..."Dance with the Legend" is as fluid as Keith Jarrett in Koln.
                                                                                Downbeat 4 ****        (USA)


No. 2 in Rhapsody's Top 10 World Albums...
Sometimes an album just takes your breath away. Swirling together contemporary jazz and Ethiopian grooves with a graceful boldness and elegant subtlety that makes this Addis Ababa-born pianist's youth hard to believe, Guzo lures you in from the first creeping...
                                                                                       Rhapsody   (Online USA)


Yirga's debut offers surprise after surprise.
Samuel Yirga is a pianist from Ethiopia whose debut record "Guzo"sits somewhere in the fertile ground where jazz mingles with R&B and funk to create soulful beauty. ...Yirga's appetite is big, and each surprise within Guzo renders easy comparisons useless. Yirga's debut offers surprise after surprise.
                                                                                      Los Angeles Times (USA)


CD of the year...Otherworldly jazz from young Ethiopian pianist with dizzying potential
This is both a bang up-to-the-minute album, but also a throwback to the glory days of Ethiopian jazz in the late 1960s and 1970s... the balance of instrumentation between brass, percussion and piano is a thing of wonder. ... the potential is dizzying and his joy in playing transmits wonderfully to the listener.
                                                                                          The Arts Desk (Online)


one of the most exciting and innovative jazz players in the world.
(Samuel Yirga's) classical sensibilities fused with the native folk sound has made this young artist one of the most exciting and innovative jazz players in the world.
                                                                                         Huffington Post   (USA)


Samuel Yirga: A Prodigy Reviving Ethiopian Jazz
Yirga has had to fight for his right to be himself, and in the end, the voice and vision of a distinctive composer shines through in this impressive debut.
                                                                                 NPR Music Online        (USA)


...masterfully produced...
...his new album Guzo is a talented blend of sounds...and sparkling cameo performances.
                                                                                         The Africa Report (UK)


...fierce debut...an essential purchase for anyone...
who has fallen for the jazzier end of the ethiopiques spectrum. Among the highlights here - the swinging groove of My head...and I Am The Black Gold of the Sun.
                                                                                                               Mojo  (UK)


Powerful and beautiful...9 out of 10
                                                                                          Stereoplay  (Germany)


...Yirga should be an exciting prospect to discover for any jazz fan.
One moment he's pouring out emotive, classical jazz, the next fusing traditional Ethiopian sounds and Ethiojazz with sparse piano and elements of funk, or working alongside soulful guest vocalists.
                                                                       Loughborough echo online    (UK)

...rich beyond its measure.
...some outstanding jazz soloing...
                                                             The Weekend Australian       (Australia)


...an enjoyably diverse set as leader.
Guzo ranges from ruminative solo piano to the ebullient party blast of My Head... The Creole Choir of Cuba join him for an epic take on the psychedelic soul groove I Am The Black Gold of The Sun.
                                                                                                     The Times  (UK)


Guzo - Track 5 on Songlines Top of the World
...It's not often that one is greeted by such a strong debut, so effortlessly shot through with intelligence and creativity. ...a project that successfully takes the tunes and arrangements of Ethiopia's much-documented golden age and updates the into a modern setting, consolidating their originality and power in the process.
                                                                                                      Songlines   (UK)


... it's a great introduction
If you're already a fan of Ethiojazz, this is as good an indication as any of its new direction and if you're unfamiliar with the genre, it's a great introduction.
                                                                                          The Morning Star (UK)


Dub Colossus's young Ethiopian pianist is an incandescent talent.
                                                                                          The Independent (UK)


Summer anthem? Recon so.
(I am the Black Gold of the Sun)...some sublime vocals from The Creole Choir Of Cuba..
                                                                                                      Echoes       (UK)


...His talent is remarkable
...influences of blues and funk clearly audible in the slower parts, while the frantic rhythms gripped listeners with anxiety.
                                                                         Spaceship News, Perth
                                                        (Live review from The Ellington Jazz Club)                         


....an impressive album.
                                                                                            The Guardian      (UK)


...accomplished debut.
Yirga draws on his country's best-known musical currency - the dark flavours of Seventies Ethio-Jazz - on this accomplished debut.
                                                                                 The Daily Telegraph     (UK)


...solo mixture of abstraction and funky jamming
...solo mixture of drifting Monkish abstraction and HeadHunter-styled Hammond and Rhodes funky jamming. 'I Am The Black Gold Of The Sun' benefits from the Creole Choir Of Cuba's blissful gospel singing.
                                                                                  The Financial Times     (UK)


Impressive debut from Ethio-jazz pianist - 7/10
Twentysomething Yirga is a man on a mission - to become Ethiopia's greatest pianist. He's surely halfway there. The best tracks here align him convincingly with the rediscovered 'Ethio Jazz' of the 1960's - "Twista", with its funky one-string fiddle, both entice.
                                                                                            Uncut Magazine  (UK)


Incredible ... this album has absolutely blown my socks off!
                                                               Gilles Peterson - BBC 6 Music        (UK)


An impressive debut album that attests to the originality of its author.
Guzo, the debut set by Ethiopian pianist Samuel Yirga, is such a set. In short, this is an impressive debut album that attests to the originality and expressiveness of its author.
                                                                                    BBC Music Online        (UK)


It goes without question that Yirga has talent...Yirga is a performer.
...his debut solo album Guzo is sure to launch him straight into the forefront. It goes without question that Yirga has talent; every track demonstrates virtuosity and jazz know-how....Yirga is a performer. The album oozes with feeling and heart. Every track is so full of artistic sensibility that it's hard not to be sucked up in the performance. ...piano solos like 'Yeh Bati Koyita' and 'Drop Me There', which are painfully beautiful. ...rarely is an album able to bring it's audience along for a passionate ride, full of ups and downs. Guzo does exactly that. And if Yirga can perform with such spirit on an album, I can only imagine what it would be like to hear him live, something I am definitely looking forward to.
                                                                                 NOMAD's Playlist (Australia)


...melodic themes that touched the heart.
Though sparingly unleashed, his deliberate, eastern-inflected solos were thoroughly transporting. The frantic final selection, 6 and 4, married a northern Ethiopian mode to a southern rhythm...propulsive interplay with bassist Yoseph Hailemariam Bekele and star drummer Nathaniel Zewde sounded like top-flight funk in anybody's language.
                        The Age & The Canberra Times (Live review from Comedy Theatre, Melbourne International Jazz Festival)   (Australia)


...one of the most thrilling bands on the world stage.
His opening solo piece was staggering in its invention, facility and narrative skill. He led us through a fantasia of idioms, drawing on Ethiopian, jazz, Cuban, funk and classical...with the ease of one with a deep understanding of the convergence of their essences, rather than the disparity of their surfaces. On Tiwista his improvising was seismic in its power and transporting in its range... Feleke Woldemariam (tenor saxophone), Nathaniel Zewde (drums) and Yoseph Hailemariam (electric bass), musicians worthy of Yirga's singular gifts. Woldemariam played with a fluttering quality to his notes...suddenly the commonplace tenor saxophone became exotic and carried immense emotional sway. The explosive Abet Abet...Rhythmically the piece metamorphosed into the sort of funk that would lead some people to lock up their children rather than let them be corrupted by such raw, visceral and wanton music. breathtaking in its intricacy and complexity, while maintaining inexorable grooves.
                                                             The Brisbane Times (Live review from  The Blue Beat Jazz Club) (Australia)


...staggeringly brilliant album.
Samuel Yirga is a bright new musical flame who shows that Ethiopia's rich jazz heritage is still alive and thriving in his young hands.
                                                                      Sydney Morning Herald (Australia)


One of the world's more remarkable young pianists is a 26-year-old Ethiopian who did not even touch a piano until he was 16.
...highly diverse - variously solo or ensemble, instrumental or vocal, 'pop' or not. Guzo includes three jaw-dropping piano-only cuts; they do not imitate Keith Jarrett but are in the same league as his solo flights.
                                         Preview - The Weekend Planet Radio     (Australia)


....Yirga is such an exciting artist
...that deserves the recognition he is getting. Guzo is just a taster of what is yet to come from this talented artist.
                                                                                               Musika.uk.com (UK)


"It has all the ingredients of a masterpiece and certainly those that make it top of my playing list. Great balance between avant garde jazz and sweet r&b vibe in some tracks and those Ethiopian scales... all tracks are outstanding!"
                    JPR at Simply Out Of This World/Covent Garden Radio      (UK)


I feel very privileged to have an early preview of this fantastic album."                                                               Juice FM


It seems he's pulled out all the stops. His classical music experience shows in his sensitive and thoughtful approach to his solo piano work like Ye Bati Koyita and Drop Me There and at the same time can make a beautiful Charles Stepney tune like I am the Black Gold of the Sun sound fresh yet again. Powerful and dynamic performances on other tracks recorded with the UK and Ethiopian musicians show off his improvisational style but I keep returning to his solo piano work. Thoroughly rewarding album."
                                                                                 AfroBase on Juice FM   (UK)