Orphans, emperors, and the birth of a beat
The mathematical magic of the Amharic modes
Nightlife in the golden era of swinging Addis
The global rediscovery and modern legacy
Which city was Mulatu Astatke studying in when he became Berklee College of Music's first African student in 1959?
Who were the Arba Lijoch, the musicians who introduced Western brass instruments to Ethiopia in 1924?
choko Conduct the Emperor's brass band to learn how Ethiopia invented its own jazz style.
choko The father of Ethio-jazz combined his British and American music education to invent a whole new genre.
choko The Birth of Ethio-Jazz
Forty children groove, forty children groove, Hear the royal brass make the whole room move.
choko A booming economy and royal patronage turned 1960s Addis Ababa into a legendary music hotspot.
What subject was Mulatu Astatke originally sent to Wales to study before he switched to music?
Orphan band origin: The first modern Ethiopian royal marching band was composed entirely of 40 rescued Armenian orphans.
What was the name of the first independent Ethiopian record label founded by Amha Eshete in 1969?
A group of musicians playing brass instruments and often percussion. In 1924, Prince Ras Tafari recruited forty Armenian refugees to form Ethiopia's first imperial brass band.