Emily Taylor is a photographic phenom living in Addis Ababa where she gives a voice to the voiceless and brings cultural awareness to a global audience.  Her work includes international assignments and contracts with local media organizations, NGOs, and businesses in Addis Ababa.  As iron shapes iron, it’s only fitting that this artistic prodigy crosses paths with one of the greatest musicians of all time – Mulatu Astatke.  Here’s an image she captured while at a hot, new radio station in Ethiopia – Afro FM.    "Mulatu Astatke, father of ethio-jazz and internationally awarded composer sits in on a conversation with Afro FM's "Breakfast Show" host, Linda Grove on Tuesday Feb 2nd in Addis Ababa.  He left that night for London to receive yet another award and then off to the US and Australia for concerts. At the age of 67, his music has been used in film soundtracks such as "Broken Flowers" starring Bill Murray.  Most recently, well-known contemporary musicians K'naan, Nas and Damian Marley used Mulatu's music as samples in now famous tracks.  An afternoon with Mulatu Astatke was an honor and a pleasure.  He truly is an inspiration for all African musicians around the world and especially here in Ethiopia." ~ Emily Taylor Photo

As part of our African Photography series, here is a priceless image from one of our favorite people on Twitter.  As always, we encourage you to send photos of the "Real Africa" for the world to see.  For more details, click here. "This is a pic of my precious little cousin at a fair that was held at the Exhibition Center in Addis, summer of '06.  I wanted to share this picture because I feel like we are so often subject to portrayals of African (especially Ethiopian!) kids as starving and deprived. I don't discount the fact that poverty is an undeniable reality for too many African kids; however, I wanted to show through this photo that there are many facets to life in Africa and all are equally as REAL."~ H. Heywot

Throughout the course of modern African history, music has often been a powerful weapon of resistance and revolution.  Nowhere was this truer than in Angola during the period of Portuguese colonization.  One of our favorite CDs, “From Angola to Brasil,” takes some of the most revolutionary Angolan music and updates it with tight remixes by Brazilian producers – who breathe new life into these classics.  But in order to fully appreciate the music and its role in African resistance, we talked with Dr. Marissa J. Moorman who is a professor of African Studies at Indiana University (Bloomfield) and author of “Intonations: A Social History of Music and Nation in Luanda, Angola, from 1945 to Recent Times.” Here’s an excerpt from one of her articles, “Dueling Bands and Good Girls: Gender, Music, and Nation in Luanda's Musseques, 1961-1974" published in the International Journal of African Historical Studies, 37,2 (2Q04) 255 We hope this gives you an entirely new appreciation for this incredible CD!  “Dueling Bands and Good Girls: Gender, Music, and Nation in Luanda's Musseques, 1961-1974" The extreme repression that began in 1959 and reached new heights after 1961 not only crushed political activity but also fractured the more explicit relationship between politics and culture that existed in the politico-cultural groups of the 1950S. Culture could no longer serve as a cover for politics or as a self-conscious political tool for sparking people's consciousness. At the same time, a new style of music boomed and local culture seemed more vibrant than ever. This new form of music, which is generally referred to as semba, and the cultural scene that grew up around it created a spirit of insurgency and of Angolan difference while reconfiguring the relationship of culture to politics. This was not a retreat from politics to culture by the nationalist underground, but an explosion of culture into politics by urban residents. Just as the PIDE (Policia Intemacional da Defensa e do Estado, or the Portuguese secret police) increased its pursuit of "enemies" and "terrorists," the Estado Novo instituted changes in colonial policy meant to assuage international criticism and convince the Angolan population that Portuguese rule was congenial to their needs. As many Angolans put it, Portugal finally started "to bet on" Angola and this produced some palpable, if extraordinarily belated, changes in everyday life. The colonial administration instituted nominal political representation, abolished the most egregious aspects of colonial rule, and promoted a social agenda of African-centered entertainment and recreation, all aimed at winning the hearts and minds of Angolans. Taking advantage of the colonial state's new receptivity to African cultural and recreational activities, some African civil servants opened more than two dozen clubs in the city's nine musseques. These clubs helped to spur the development of musicians and bands and they gave Luanda a new kind of nightlife and form of recreation, albeit one with strong cultural antecedents in the musseques of the 1940s and '50s. Angolan popular music exploded in this period and became the first among cultural practices. This resulted from African entrepreneurial initiative in opening clubs and the combined efforts of African- and European-financed activities in developing a network of radio stations, a nascent recording industry, and a series of street- and cinema-based music festivals. Amateur radio clubs and later a state broadcasting system meant that locally produced music could be broadcast to and from various places throughout the colonial territory. Street festivals in the musseques drew huge crowds from across the city, creating a circulation of people between various neighborhoods that otherwise would not have occurred to the same extent. Bands traveled to other cities in Angola and most urban centers had clubs, although the Luanda scene was the largest and most vibrant. People came together and related to each other in new ways because of music. While students of politics characterize the period from the outbreak of violence in 1961 to the revolt in April 1974 by the Portuguese military (which eventually led to independence in 1975) as violent and politically repressive, Luandans remember it both as a period of limited economic advancement and as the golden age of Angolan music. Armando Correia de Azevedo depicted the music festival held at a musseque cinema as "packed full! It was applause, and happiness, it was a tremendous confusion to go to Ngola Cine—they called it the Olympia of Angola!"^ Yet it is also the period in which the MPLA, the FNLA, and UNITA guerrilla forces were fighting the Portuguese military in northern and eastern Angola.'" Thus the music of the golden age was produced in the context of the struggle for independence. This is the music that many regard as "authentically" Angolan, free from the political sloganeering of music from the post-independence civil war-torn 1980s and from the overly foreign influenced music of the 1990s. Musicians remember this period as one in which they were able to develop artistically, in which some of them could even make a living from their art and in which everyone shared the same desire: Angolan independence." Download the entire article here. Purchase “Intonations: A Social History of Music and Nation in Luanda, Angola, from 1945 to Recent Times” here.Download "From Angola to Brasil" here.Listen to "From Angola to Brasil" below.

Help us put some of Ethiopia into world fusion music :) 2 days left : Please vote for us as we are indie on
shortlist for best new cross cultural collaboration, band, artist,
album etc we are in all but new
artistsectionhttp://songlines.co.uk/music-awards/ You can win some
stuff - thanks :) forgot to add for those who asked it is Invisib...le
System, Punt (Made in Ethiopia)... - here it if you haven't here on Addis Tunes

  I love photos.  I'm not a photographer.  But I can stare at photos of distant places and people for hours on end.  Whenever I read about events on the other side of the planet, I try to find photos of the places, the people, the terrain, etc.  But in all honesty, when I see photos I feel as if they are giving me a glimpse into the soul of the subject as well as the photographer.The famed photographer, painter, and curator Edward Steichen once said, "Photography records the gamut of feelings written on the human face, the beauty of the earth and skies that man has inherited, and the wealth and confusion man has created.  It is a major force in explaining man to man."Too often the images from the African continent fail to offer any meaningful explanation of life - only misery.  Fortunately, there is so much more in Africa than what we see in the media.  So AddisTunes is launching a crusade to showcase high quality photos that capture the essence of life in Africa.  From the seemingly mundane to the most noteworthy of events, we want to display your work.  Professional and non-professional photographers, alike... we welcome your submissions.Just send us your photo of choice with a brief description of the subject, and we will display a new photo each week for the world to see.  Upload your photos to any number of FREE file sharing sites, such as the following:www.photobucket.comwww.mediafire.comwww.zshare.netSend us a link to download the photo at photos@addistunes.com.

Ethiopia’s musical influence is not well known to most people.  The recent Ethiopiques CD series has helped unearth a veritable treasure trove of music that the Western world has never known – although most people from Ethiopia grew up on these songs.But I dare say that most Habesha had no idea (until now, that is) that one of Brazil’s greatest musical legends hails from the land of Lucy and Selam.  That’s right!!  Jorge Ben, Brazil’s most celebrated musician is of Ethiopian extraction! Jorge Ben, born March 22, 1942 in Rio de Janeiro, is the child of a Brazilian stevedore and Ethiopian mother.  Jorge continues to be known as a musical prodigy who fused samba, funk, and rock into what became known as samba-rock.  He recorded over 30 albums and has over 700 songs to his credit.To give you some more background, Jorge began playing music when he was 13 and started performing in the church choir and at local venues – eventually gaining notoriety in the Rio music scene.  But it was in 1963, when Jorge performed “Mas Que Nada” (“No Way”) that he was immediately signed to Philips Records and his first single released.  (I really have to give credit to Philips – they were also recording some of the greatest Ethiopian musicians of all time in the ‘60s and ‘70s.)  Alas, I digress…  For those not familiar with Jorge’s music might recognize his hit, "Mas Que Nada," which was later popularized by and became the signature song of Sergio Mendes.One of my personal favorite Jorge Ben LPs is Africa Brasil, which was recorded in 1976.  I found this LP years ago, and it remains near and dear to my heart.  One of the best tracks is my estimation is “Taj Mahal,” a song recounting how the grief-stricken Indian emperor Shah Iahan built the Taj Mahal in the memory of his favorite (and third) wife who died while delivering their 14th child.You might recognize the melody in Taj Mahal…Rod Stewart ripped it off in the ‘80s for his chart topper, “If You Think I’m Sexy” (and you want my body, come on baby let me know…).  Leba!!!  You’ll be happy to know that Jorge prevailed in a lawsuit against Stewart, and all of the proceeds from that song were donated to UNICEF.Check out the man and his music….    

 Student activism throughout the Diaspora today is a continuation of the revolutionary fervor that inspired the student movements of the 1960s.  In almost every country - from the U.S. to Ethiopia - students have helped lead the fight against exploitation and discrimination.  Rather than relying on Socialism as their rallying cry, student organizations today tend to use group participation, technology, cultural identity, and their collective commitments to freedom and human rights as their weapons of choice. One of the premier student organizations today is the Ethiopian Student Association International (ESAI), which is a non-political and non-religious organization whose mission is to bring Ethiopian students all over the world together to build a stronger community.   On March 25, 2010, ESAI will launch its 10th annual summit in Toronto, where they are expecting a record turnout.  For a student organization, with no official affiliation to a particular university, to maintain such consistency and continuity is truly remarkable.    But to give you a better appreciation of the ESAI, it’s worth giving a brief overview of the group’s history.  In the summer of 1999, a student named Wubeshet Mehari at Marymount University founded ESAI by galvanizing different Ethiopian Student Associations/Unions in the Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia areas through their shared desire to build a community to exchange ideas, celebrate culture, and mobilize resources.  By September, 1999, Wubeshet and his brother, Kiber, had created a web site and a listserv for the new organization, and by the end of the following year ESAI had over 2000 registered members. Come join this remarkable group of students from March 25 through March 28 at Ryerson University in Toronto where keynote speaker Samson Teffera will focus on themes of networking, empowering, and succeeding. To learn more about this historic event, visit the ESAI Summit homepage here, where you can view the full itinerary.     

Afripop Magazine - one of our favorite sites on global African culture - reported, "Ethiopian-born American singer Kenna at the helm, a band of celebrities including Jessica Biel, Lupe Fiasco, Santigold, Isabel Lucas and Emile Hirsch, have recently completed a successful climb of Africa’s highest mountain, Tanzania’s Kilimanjaro."  (Good catch Phiona!)Read more here.

One of my favorite reggae singers – Luciano – has a song, “Save the World,” where he reminds us, “If you want to save the world, you gotta’ save the children.”  This message is especially poignant today.  With wars raging in Iraq and Afghanistan, world economies in a tailspin, and soaring food prices, we sometimes fail to remember the most vulnerable members of our society – the children. And nowhere are children more vulnerable to the ravages of sickness, depravation, and poverty than in Africa.  We all know that Mama Africa is rich in natural and human resources.  However, the distribution of resources is still not equitable.  Meanwhile, food prices in Ethiopia have jumped 300% and most people are living on less than $1 per day. BUT WAIT…we don’t want to depress you with all the statistics highlighting poverty and human suffering.  Instead, we have an EXCITING promotion!!!   Rather than just talking, we are putting our feet in the dirt! For the month of December, AddisTunes.com will donate 100% of its profits to Hanna’s Orphanage in Addis Ababa – in anticipation of the Ethiopian Christmas in January. So if you’ve been thinking about downloading the Kafa Beanz, Mathias Makonnen, Elias Negash, the Teklemariams, Sheba Sahlemariam, Ethio Boy, classic indie drama Mogzitwa ("the Nanny"), or any of our other great artists – December is a great time to do it!!  Not only will you help support some amazing artists who have poured their souls into work for your  enjoyment, you will have the privilege of helping to support children in Ethiopia.This is a no-pressure promotion.  Even if you don’t feel like downloading music, there are plenty of nonprofits that are dedicated to helping the kids where you can volunteer your time or resources.   Some of our favorite charities include:Wide Horizons for ChildrenAn adoption agency that not only helps connect families with children in need of homes, but they also get involved in humanitarian aid.Worldwide Orphans FoundationA nonprofit that has its feet on the ground in Ethiopia and helps identify the unique needs of orphaned children and address those needs through medical, developmental, psychosocial and educational programs that are respectful of cultural norms.Artists for CharityAn organization made up of artists and individuals from all over the world who not only volunteer time, but also donate their precious artwork for the sake of change.  They are having their 3rd Annual Holiday Benefit on Dec. 5, 2009.Speak AfricaSpeak Africa uses media, art, culture and other forms of dialogue to encourage African youth to exchange ideas as informed and active citizens.We realize that some of us are struggling to make ends meet.  Family obligations sometimes make it difficult to do any more than we already are.  If you have nothing more to offer the kids than your prayers, let’s all keep the kids in our prayers, hearts,  and minds this Christmas season. Feel free to spread the word: SUPPORT THE CHILDREN WITH A SONG!!!Here's a clip of Badume's Band showing the kids some love!

Invisible System Radio Prague interview in English (!) and Radio New Zealand interview both on www.harperdiabate.com

Invisible System Radio Prague interview in English (!) and Radio New Zealand interview both on www.harperdiabate.com
click on interview link

 The eternally enigmatic Mr. EthioJazz – the Lone Ranger of Ethiopian Music – has ridden in on his trusty stallion to protect us once again from bad music.  In his unyielding commitment to quality Ethiopian music…EthioJazz has penned a review of “The Prester John Sessions” by Tommy T (Thomas T. Gobena) and shared it with some of his favorite sites: AddisTunes, Horizon Ethiopia, and Bernos. Not only is EthioJazz a trusted source for thought-provoking critiques of Ethiopian music, he’s also a really nice dude.  We have spent hours just talking about music – and I dare say that his knowledge and commitment to Ethiopian music is simply unmatched.  (And as an invaluable member of the AddisTunes Advisory Board, he tries to keep us on the straight and narrow.  Emesegenallo wondem!) His latest review introduces us to “The Prester John Sessions,” a musical odyssey through time, space, and sound by a musician who is really ahead of his times.  Or perhaps Tommy T is a man of the times…but the times don’t know it yet.  Either way, permit me to stop yammering on so you can check out EthioJazz’s review. As you meditate on his words, listen to the sublime “Brothers” track from “The Prester John Sessions.”  I think you’ll appreciate the man’s insight better with a little mood music. (And for those of you who don’t recognize the Lone Ranger references, ya’ll better recognize!)   "The Prester John Sessions"by EthioJazz In recent years, I have been bewildered by the route Ethiopian music has taken.  There have been a few bright lights here and there, but those are the exception to the rule.  The rule has been to market over-produced and over-synthesized music.  And then, I came across Tommy T’s (Thomas Temesgen Gobena) CD called “The Prester John Sessions.”  It has to be said that the CD, an Easy Star Records release, is not entirely Ethiopian but also encompasses genres of funk, reggae and dub. The CD, which is on sale on iTunes right now, was released Tuesday, November 10th. Tommy T, the bassist for the Gypsy-punk group Gogol Bordello is also the younger brother of bass extraordinaire, Henock Temesgen, who also collaborated with Tommy T.  Although this is Tommy T’s first solo album, he is definitely not new to the music scene.  Before joining Gogol Bordello, Tommy had been a well sought after studio and tour bassist in the Ethiopian music scene.  In the past he has managed musicians such as Admas, Gigi and Wayna. In addition, he ran his own label called C-Side Entertainment. The Prester John Sessions consists of 11 tracks.  Backed by the Abyssinia Roots Collective, Tommy T plays the bass guitar, acoustic guitar, keyboards and bouzouki (a stringed instrument from Greece). The Collective also includes Mikias Abebayehu on drums and percussion; Zakki Jawad on guitar; Beniam Bedru on keyboards; Andrea Fabbri on tenor and alto saxophones and David Sislen on alto, tenor and baritone saxophones. Additional musicians include Henock Temesgen on bass; Jorga Mesfin on tenor saxophone and ewi; Setegne Atenaw on massinko; DeAndre Shaifer on trumpet and flugelhorn; Pedro Erazo on percussion; Adu on African congas and talking drums; Derek Wille on keyboards; Gigi, Abdi Nuressa, Eugene Hutz and Pedro Erazo on vocals. From the first song to the last song, the CD takes you on a tour of Ethiopia via various music genres. The first song, “Brothers” was co-written with old brother Henock. Beniam on organ does a beautiful job—simple but to the point. And then Setegne with his massinko takes the song to another level. I swear the gods of the massinko must have breathed on him.  The “Call” is straight up reggae, where Tommy tells his beloved that he has come to her.  The “Response” is where his lady (Gigi) declares her love for him.  “The Eighth Wonder” and “Beyond Fasiladas” are Tommy’s ode to Lalibela and Gondar. Lailbela (a town in Wello) is known as the Eighth Wonder of the world for its hand-carved churches and Gondar is known for the castle built by King Fasiladas. “Tribute to A King” is a wonderful tribute to the late great Tilahun Gessesse (although the song was conceptualized and recorded before his death on April 19, 2009) and The Imperial Bodyguard Band.  Here Tommy adapts the horns from “Aykedashem Libe” (My heart will not betray you).  “September Blues” is adapted from “Minew Teleyshegn” (Why did you leave me?) a song sung by Girma Negash. The piece starts with the sound from an LP as the needle makes contact.  Jorga plays the intro to the song repeatedly throughout the song while Andrea goes on a rampage. Gigi wrote and performed “Eden” right there in the studio. The vocals intertwining with the flugelhorn is breathtaking. “Oromo Dub (Cushitic Dub)” incorporates two famous songs in Oromiffa. The same song is re-mixed to give life to “Lifers” where his band mates from Gogol: Eugene and Pedro lend their vocals in English and Spanish. This was an indeed a labor of love for Tommy and it shows. From the opening track to the closing track you can see the passion and hard work he and his fellow musicians put in.  Encourage him to do something even more extraordinary by buying his CD and for those who are in the DC area by attending his CD premier concert on Friday, November 27, 2009 at Station 9 in Washington DC.  Yes, contemporary Ethiopian music is in trouble but with the likes of Tommy T and friends it might make a turn for the better. More information about Tommy T and his music can be found at the following sites: Tommy T website Tommy T on Myspace Tommy T on Facebook