Last Tuesday I went to see the Idan Raichel's Project's live in concert in Washington D.C. I must say I enjoyed it very much. The band consisted of a seven members, if I remember correctly. Idan is the keyboardist and does not do much vocally. There were three vocalists, of which two are from Ethiopia. Most of the vocals were in Amharic, although there was some Israeli and I believe Yemeni.
The Ethiopian vocalists Avi Wassa (wegderess) did about 60 percent of the singing in Amharic accompanied by Cabra Kassai; both such great talents. It was good to see about five hundred or so white people dancing to Avi's old school vocals.
If I was to describe the music its very Gypsy Kings meets Aster Aweke. I think it is remarkable that Ethiopian music is getting recognition internationally; not to take away from other influences in Idan Raichels compositions. As the group did a performance at New Yorks Apollo Theater last week as well. Newspapers like Dallas Morning News and New York times are raving about the band.
The secret to Raichel's success is a delicate yet passionate mixture of traditional Ethiopian music sampled Jewish prayers chanted mostly in Amharic and rhythmic African folk grooves with contemporary dance beats and synthesizer textures.
There were barely any Ethiopians, although I saw about a dozen people. We have to do our part in supporting the outbreak of Ethiopian musical sway on the international level. sample can be found here.
Published by April 11th, 2006 in Music and Social.
We absolutely need to do something to support those efforts to make our music known!!!
Thanks nolawi! This is a great start!
Yes, I went to that concert as well….I had a blast ! They are great performers….and and and…..I think the guy is kinda cute…….Does anybody know if he’s single and Available ?
i like dude’s curls…i love the music too….why don’t we have concerts like that over here!!!beka..i’m moving to D.C….
So these guys are back in DC to perform sunday…. I dont know maybe I will go back to see them again
wow~ from ur description …. gypsy kings + aster…sounds fantabulous!
Hi Everyone,
I’m not Ethiopian, but I am a fan of Ethiopian music, people, and culture. I was introduced to it mainly through the Ethiopian Jews (Bet’a Israel) I met during my travels in Israel, who are about the warmest and kindest people you could ever meet. I also find them to be of exceptional beauty, both inside and out.
Anyway, I just thought I’d leave a message with a little more information on Idan and the group, which I’ve followed for a while.
All the members of the group are Israelis, and some of them met through their service in the Israeli army, which is compulsory for young people there. I know that Idan and Cabra Casay (my favorite singer) met that way. The language you hear (other than Amharic and Tigrinya) is Hebrew, the ancient language of the Old Testament and a West Semitic language closely related to Amharic and Arabic. It was a dead language until revived some hundred years ago by scholars and has become the daily language of the modern state of Israel.
Wegderess (Avi) Wassa, a wonderfully talented singer, emigrated to Israel at the age of 14, and served in one of the paratroop units in the Israeli army. His family still live in Ethiopia, and he considers himself both Ethiopian and Israeli.
In addition, there are collaborating musicians from places as diverse as Iraq, Yemen, Morocco, India, and Suriname. Their only cultural commonality is that they are all Jewish and found themselves living in the Israeli “mosaic” of cultures.
Teanastellen,
A Lover of Ethiopia
Hi thanks for the info… they are cool peeps.
very fine article. i promise to implement some of these in my blog…
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