This is the first in an occasional series on blues-y Ethiopian nuns. First up is Emahoy Tsegue-Maryam Guebrou.
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Excellent stuff. That's on Ethiopiques Vol. 21. -
Yes this is very good. What is the story of the Blues-y-Ethiopean nuns? I feel I need to know.Comment
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I should probably just have said 'nun' but that seemed to lack grandeur.Comment
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She is even bluesier in this one:
Here is her story: A beautiful set of solo piano work by Emahoy Tsegue-Maryam Guebrou – probably the most delicately melodic material to date in the wonderful Ethiopiques series. An outstanding pianist and a remarkable composer, Tsegué-Maryam Guébrou, now a Christian nun in a Jerusalem monastery, is a daughter of the heralded Ethiopian intellectual the Kentiba Guebrou and lived for many years as a nun who recorded rarely, and then only as a means to serve the poor. She was sent abroad to Europe in the 1930s for a Western education. Her schooling included music, and she became a pianist, eventually moving to Jerusalem and recording highly unique pieces that filter the traditional Ethiopian pentatonic scale through classical technique, in the end sounding like impressionistic jazz. The solo piano compositions in the set were culled from rare albums recorded in the early 60s and 70s, plus a few later recordings from the early 90s. The music is gorgeous and difficult to describe – sweetly somber, melancholy, and befitting the solo performances. The rich, personal poetry of her recordings brings to mind Claude Debussy or Carlos d'Alessio's "India Song" – a rare curiosity indeed, with beautiful melodies and a charming interpretation.
Here is her foundation: http://www.emahoymusicfoundation.org/
On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Emahoy...u/130893133594Last edited by Guest; 27-11-11, 23:44.Comment
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You're quite right, Lat. She's very blue in that one.
It's a very strange style; sometimes spare but moving so that it does have something of an ascetic aesthetic. No inflection dominates - it sings, rolls, has great grace and gentleness and a serious mystery. It's almost like a vocalise.Comment
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thanks people! what a charming discovery ... knew nowt and now captured eh ....According to the best estimates of astronomers there are at least one hundred billion galaxies in the observable universe.Comment
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viva ethiopian music ...emahoy tsegue-maryam guebrou is an inspiration.
i just treated a cold caller to a spot of getatchew ..they haven't phoned back, so i assume it wasn't their thing! anyone else sick to death of sales calls and their xmas xtra scrounging initiative.
sad, when you look at contemporary music from around the world, much of which is reduced to the same styles & sounds, increasingly used by all nations....until listeners dig a bit deeper and discover either old stuff ....or the odd outfit/musician bucking current trends.
i like astatke's earlier stuff best too - agree with this utuber - Mulatu, I love your work but why the different arrangements and fancy fill-ins? Just play the classic as it was in the 70's!
even with the perceived need for 'update', the music remains sublime http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLoWB...eature=related and i guess we should just celebrate the fact that he's touring with his band, and passing on the ethiopian message to new audiences.Comment
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I'm also a fan of this...there isn't enough on Spotify, but some notable albums include:
their only Ethiopiques album (come on Spotify)...
The Begenna of Elders
Alemu Aga actually did a live session a while back on World on 3
and quite a lot of Mulatu...
Yes, he's touring,
but not in UK 
... or is he??
Although Getatchew is in Minehead in December. Astonishing
I'm always on the look out for any writings on this music - so I'd be interested to know of any sites or books that you would recommend.Comment
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Quote - Although Getatchew is in Minehead in December. Astonishing.
Wow - just spotted this. He will be in that funny incongruous tent thing. At some point, it had to be used for something worthwhile.Comment
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... attending a Don Cherry Mu concert in a hall in Aberdeen back in the late 80s was one of the most unexpected gigs i reckon ...According to the best estimates of astronomers there are at least one hundred billion galaxies in the observable universe.Comment
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I'm always on the look out for any writings on this music - so I'd be interested to know of any sites or books that you would recommend.
i don't know of any sites or books global truth, but shebaka hutchins is interested in getatchew .... and maybe he'll be the only one with enough spare cash to get to butlins holdiday camp to see ethiopia's finest! what a lovely xmas pressy a ticket would be. sigh.....Comment
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holdiday> ?????????
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Drat. It's on my TODO list to put my British Library readers ticket to some use and check out what they have. If I find anything I'll report back...eventually.Originally posted by handsomefortune View PostComment
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the very best of luck with the search for more on getatchew globaltruth!
typically (for me) i really like the old stuff, not necessarily what's happening now.
i'm crazy about this specific one, and for ages:
and this
and
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