Blues-y Ethiopean nuns

[Globaltruth]

I've come across Kay Kaufman Shelemay who has written a few books on the topic and appears to have a combination of some genuine experience as well as scholarly technique which equips her to write on this fascinating music.

Here is an interview with her, books are available on Amazon

http://www.afropop.org/multi/interview/ID/107/Kay+Kaufman+Shelemay-Ethiopia:+Empire+and+Revolution

I vaguely recall Banning Eyre doing one or two pieces on r3 World Music over the years. I think.

and this link provides an interesting list of books too..

http://books.google.co.uk/books/about/A_song_of_longing.html?id=ndTZGIxxJlgC&redir_esc=y

[handsomefortune]

thank you very much globaltruth!

kay kaufman shelemay's work looks intriguing..... i can feel a birthday present coming on! plenty to read that might point to the mysteries of why ethiopian culture was so fascinating and unique ....their ancient ways surviving into the 70s, untouched by western perceptions of progress.

pre this point, i wonder about *hali selassie's influence in encouraging and emphasising the importance of the intellect, earlier in the 20th c, and the potential bonds and protection offered via music? (sometimes, when older ethiopian tunes start up, i think i hear a few bars of what sounds just like v early bob marley, when he was a caribbean islander, rather than jamaican mega star). though kks seems to focus on african jewish music traditions specifically, so perhaps isn't as limited, wonky as my perspective, as per ethiopia's cultural roots?

it was apparently ok 'the duke' going to ethiopia in the 70s, helping the jazz fusion along ... but of course it could have been disastrous had a lesser being visited. 'ethiopian glam rock' might not have been as enduring, potent, or sociable!

a good job too that historians documented ethiopia, by the looks, as i gather the 80s changed everything for ethiopians! i guess in this context, it's miraculous that we can still go and see both astatke and mekuiya.

* Throughout history, it has been the inaction of those who could have acted; the indifference of those who should have known better; the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most; that has made it possible for evil to triumph.”

let's hope the diaspora of ethiopians around the world create another cultural revolution, benefiting themselves, and all peoples. (or shall we leave that to justin bieber's xmas album )!!

i imagine i can perhaps hear in getatchew's evocational style, not so much a formal interpretation of spirituality, or conversely voodoo ...instead, i imagine karl marx theories adapted by haile selassie and passed down ....music as a spiritual guide, expressed for, and on behalf of all ethiopian people!

i don't suppose getatchew and colleagues talk much within these contexts nowadays, but instead are checking leads/mics ready for the butlins gig! someone like charlie gillett (as if there is)?!would have been a blessing to help 'join the dots'. kaufman shelemay's studies fill the gap in the meantime. relatively obscure specialists are currently a bit thin on the ground on r3, and generally, so, thanks again globaltruth... your research is much appreciated.

[handsomefortune]

He will be in that funny incongruous tent thing. At some point, it had to be used for something


that's getatchew's dress lateralthinking1! ..........and very striking too, plenty of room!

[Globaltruth]

. i think i hear a few bars of what sounds just like v early bob marley, when he was a caribbean islander, rather than jamaican mega star). :

now I'm not sure if you have Spotify or not (one of my resolutions is to entice you to join the World music playlist posse) but if you did you may want to listen to this

http://open.spotify.com/track/06yWaC4lJFzsm6Ped9bfmh

if not you'll just have to try and find a copy of the 2009 album Ethiopiques, L'age d'or de la musique Ethiopienne. then go straight to track 5 and listen to Adaneh Teka singing one of the best tracks you will ever hear...with a direct relation to your post.

We have a saying over on the WM Forum as you may know -

TANC*

*There Are No Coincidences

[handsomefortune]

i haven't listened as yet, but perhaps jazzers might like to listen to music specialist jean jenkins too?

hope she has audio/film/anecdotes/something about hali s and ms pankhurst .... but doubt it, jean jenkins is too young, things get lost, records were hard to make/keep..... till technological revolutions later in the 20th c.

jean jenkins link:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b017lz83

love the tanc philosophy global truth! i use it all the time. it's an extension of 'looks like, reminds me of ....' which i usually use in response to visual art, where 'tanc' also applies 99% of the time.

likewise, 'sounds like reminds me of....' offers similar opportunities to dicipher possible musical influences, although 'tanc' expresses the same approach much more succinctly.

in the last decade i get the distinct impression that 'tanc' is rather a contentious method of appreciation ....? especially in a political context. instead, it's perceived by many to preferably have a 'by' or 'born yesterday' approach!! little concept of anything much pre your own birth! it risks ignoring the obvious threats of 'ignorance and introvertion' as something to be proud of. i increasingly hear this in media production, presenters' voices, and general approach... it's currently tempting (if bleak) to think that few new real specialists are 'waiting', to take the place of john peel or charlie gillett, using the same open minded approach to playlists and discussion. we'll have to look elsewhere .....

i signed up to spotify, and for some reason nothing happened ... fire fox says it 'can't read this file' usually. but since utube is increasingly threatened, i will presumably have to find a substitute sooner rather than later. i'll let you know when i get spotify ...so, don't forget to give me a shout 'as and when' global truth, as to wm stuff.

[Globaltruth]

Another upcoming Ethiopiques gig - December 10th at Rich Mix in London, 76 year old Ethiopian jazz soul saxophonist Getatchew Mekuria join forces with Dutch post-punk band The Ex for an evening of classic "Swinging Addis” standards.

http://www.worldmusic.net/news/blog/2011-09-30/76-years-young-and-still-on-fire/

Video features some jazz dancing...