One of the best times I spent during my short break home was with my emama. On one of these occasions I was tickled to learn that we have ETV2. A second Ethiopian Television channel that ends at 10:00pm. My mom doesn't own a satellite dish, in fact she hates the television. The only reason the TV is turned on is so that the house won’t be quiet. Well, one night as I was enjoying my tea with lemon and my mom her White Horse with ambo, I heard a familiar tune. I was suprised to see a young Abesha dude on Masinko and a white dude on drums jamming to “Yematebela Wof.”
The song has always been a favorite of mine. "Yematebela Wef" was written and performed first by the late great Assefa Abate. In this instance it was being performed by Dereb Desalegn and Nicky Bomba. The song was funky to say the least. What amazed me was that that apart from Dereb the remaining musicians were Caucasian. The tune captivated me so that the next morning I was searching for their CD/Cassette. I was extremely disappointed when I was told that the CD had not been released yet. The moment I returned I searched for the album and any information I could find about them.
Continue reading ‘Drums and Lions’
Published by Ethio Jazz February 21st, 2007 in Music and Podcast.
One of the biggest drawbacks on online marketing is social networking sites. Meaning that site like Myspace and Facebook are dominating the webspace.
Dominating is an understatement; these sites are webspaces of their own. They control almost half the web and half of the people we want to attempt to reach. Some of the user have even stopped using email and started using messaging services within these sites. Think of Myspace and Facebook as a separate internet with its own community.
To top that off, the Ethiopian community that you find on Myspace and Facebook is extremely large and this community can not be reached outside of these sites. Continue reading ‘My Bernos Book!’
Published by DawitK February 18th, 2007 in Bernos.
I don't have an outright favorite singer. In my opinion to choose one is close to being impossible. It's easier for me to put them in categories. Voice, Socially Conscience, Love, etc… As we celebrate Valentines Day, I'm here to pay the ultimate tribute to the KING of love songs, Muluken Melesse . Listening to his songs actually makes you want to be in love.
Of all his songs the one that says "I'm in love, and I'm here to profess it" is "Mewdedain Wedekut" Muluken is backed by the legendary Dahlak Band which consisted of Dawit Yifru(keyboard), Tilaye Gebre(sax), Shimeles Beyene(trumpet), David Kassa(guitar) Abera Feyessa(bass), and Tesfaye Tesemma(drums). Continue reading ‘Oldies but Goodies II: The Valentine Day Special’
Published by Ethio Jazz February 14th, 2007 in Music and Podcast.
This is where I post some of the songs I was kindly asked to bring from Addis during a short visit.
M. Ahmed,T. Gesesse,Tefera Kassa,Esatu Tessema & Tezera Haile Michael
The first song featured is "Yehem Ale Leka" by Girma Tefera. The original was sang by his father, Tefera Kassa, when he was with the Imperial Body Guard and not by Tilahun Gessesse as I initialy thought. Though this version does not come close to the original it will have to do for now, at least until I track the original. This version has Abiyou Solomon on Bass but have not yet confirmed the other musicians. Continue reading ‘Oldies But Goodies I’
Published by Ethio Jazz February 13th, 2007 in Music and Podcast.
It might seem like we have been quite the last four weeks or so, but it hasn’t been quite. We had the launch of the Bernos Press on January 17th. It was a huge success more so than anyone expected.
We quadrupled the number of page loads per day for the Bernos domain; to about an average of 10,000 per weekday. We as a group, member of the ‘BP,’ term coined by Bernos Press user; have molded what the Bernos Press really is.
It’s an exclusive platform for members that seem to be consistence with the Bernos theme; remembering Ethiopia. It is private for various reasons; we limit the number of readers and increase the amount of participation. Continue reading ‘Not Quite…’
Published by Bernos February 8th, 2007 in Bernos and Design.
