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How Ethiopia brewed its own brand of jazz
Discover how a group of Armenian orphans, ancient five-note scales, and a visionary vibraphonist combined to create Ethio-jazz, one of the world's most hypnotic musical styles.
4 chapters76 assets
by choko · Sep 21, 2026
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Chapter 1
Orphans, emperors, and the birth of a beat
1The royal brass band of orphans
2Mulatu Astatke goes to school
3The swinging capital of Addis Ababa
4The rebel record label
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Chapter 2
The mathematical magic of the Amharic modes
1Five notes are all you need
2The four moods of the qenet
3The haunting call of Tizita
4Mixing the old with the new
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Chapter 3
Nightlife in the golden era of swinging Addis
1Midnight at the Hilton Addis
2The legendary Walias Band
3The vinyl boom of the seventies
4Curfews and the sudden silence
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Chapter 4
The global rediscovery and modern legacy
1The French producer's treasure hunt
2Ethio-jazz meets Hollywood
3Sampled by hip-hop royalty
4The new wave of global grooves
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