The Life and Times of Menelik Wossenachew December 24, 2009 marked the one year anniversary of the passing of the wonderful, incredibly talented singer, music writer and lyricist, Menelik Wossenachew. Below is a piece I wrote for Horizon Ethiopia’s November issue. What makes one artist a legend and another with equal or more talent obscure? [...]
Published by December 30th, 2009 in African, Music and Podcast.Archive for the 'Podcast' Category
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 [...]
Published by November 10th, 2009 in African, Music, Podcast and Shameless Plug.At a New York tribute for the late great Miriam Makeba, I was lucky enough to be sitting in close proximity to my personal old man crush, Mr. Harry Belafonte (he may be old but he’s still hot) when this new artist hit the stage and performed one of my favorite Makeba hits, “Soweto Blues” [...]
Published by October 22nd, 2009 in African, Music, Personal and Podcast.Track 5: Teddy Yo’s Album ‘Albaw Mesaraya*’ Called 904. Every year, I go to the ESFNA Soccer I find one or two albums that are worth buying. Ethiopian music is completely junk these days. They ruined it, and the public at least in Ethiopia doesn’t have good taste. So they listen and party with Ethiopian [...]
Published by July 14th, 2009 in Music, Podcast and Social.I travel through time embracing an identity foreign to my thinking faculties My soul however is not new to this place I have been here before This desert paradise where even the grains of sands tell a story Strum the guitar Pluck a kora string Whisper sweet nothings my Mandinka king Take me to the [...]
Published by March 30th, 2009 in Music, Podcast and Poetry.
