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Genet Masresha
Genet Masresha

Ethiopia is a musically traditional country. Of course, popular music is played, recorded and listened to, but most musicians also sing traditional songs, and most audiences choose to listen to both popular and traditional styles. A long-standing popular musical tradition in Ethiopia was that of brass bands, imported from Jerusalem in the form of forty Armenian orphans (Arba Lijoch) during the reign of Haile Selassie. This band, which arrived in Addis Ababa on September 6, 1924, became the first official orchestra of Ethiopia.

By the end of World War II, large orchestras accompanied singers; the most prominent orchestras were the Army Band, Police Band, and Imperial Bodyguard Band. Most of these bands were trained by Europeans or Armenians.

From the 1950s to the 1970s, Ethiopian popular musicians included Bizunesh Bekele, Mahmoud Ahmed, Alemayehu Eshete, Hirut Bekele, Ali Birra, Ayalew Mesfin, Kiros Alemayehu, Muluken Melesse and Tilahun Gessesse, while popular folk musicians included Alemu Aga, Kassa Tessema, Ketema Makonnen, Asnaketch Worku, and Mary Armede. Perhaps the most influential musician of the period, however, was Ethio-jazz innovator Mulatu Astatke. Amha Records, Kaifa Records, and Philips-Ethiopia were prominent Ethiopian record labels during this era. Since 1997, Buda Musique's Ethiopiques series has compiled many of these singles and albums on compact disc.
During the 1980s, the Derg controlled Ethiopia, and emigration became almost impossible. Musicians during this period included Ethio Stars, Wallias Band and Roha Band, though the singer Neway Debebe was most popular. He helped to popularize the use of seminna-werq (wax and gold, a poetic form of double entendre) in music (previously only used in qiné, or poetry) that often enabled singers to criticize the government without upsetting the censors.

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5 latest comments:

bele left message 24.09.2011, 11:48PM:

My mother land to have you Genet!you took me the place where I grew up.......etc!!! please keep your great work
wishing you all the best!!

alemseged left message 12.06.2011, 10:48AM:

Thank-you verymuch for your wonderful album ,Genet Masresha ,we are proud of you ,your work is one of such a master piece,keep up the good work wishing you more success for your feature work .Ethiopia is luky having you specially Bahirdar kebele #10 .Alemseged Digafie from Maryland.

Henry left message 13.11.2010, 12:08PM:

Ethiopia has always been a mystery to me. A magical name for a distant place on a largely unknown side of the planet. Then, zonk! A young friend links me with a wonderful webcast of Genet Masresha singing and I am completely enchanted with the beauty of her music. Thank you, Tatiana.

Sileshe left message 10.11.2010, 12:09AM:

Been there and done that, I can't believe how much this song bring the best of my home country and get me in touch with the wonderful essence of Ethiopia, Thank you so much Addiszefen.

fikru left message 19.10.2010, 06:13PM:

I left ethiopia 24yar ago, not had ever planned to visit or go back however this cd might do it.Most of the song remind me my grand father family in country side (out of NAZARETH ).They play this kind of tune after farming and few drink.I am suprize the 1980',1990' and todays commie pinco has not destroyed this part of ethiopian culture.thank you for putting this.

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