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
What does the word 'Tizita,' the name of Ethiopia's most famous musical mode, translate to?
choko Match the glowing sound shapes to learn how Ethiopia invented its own style of jazz.
choko Ethiopian music uses four distinct modes to express specific emotions from deep grief to heroic pride.
Which of the four Ethiopian modes is traditionally associated with epic storytelling and geography?
choko Amharic Qenet Modes
Tizita, Bati, Ambassel, and Anchihoye—four magic Qenets making the Ethio-jazz groove!
choko The most famous Ethiopian musical mode represents a deep, sweet longing similar to the blues.
Vibraphone pioneer: Mulatu Astatke was the first musician to bring a vibraphone, a metal-keyed mallet instrument, into Ethiopia.
Which metallic percussion instrument did Mulatu Astatke famously introduce to Ethio-jazz?
What traditional five-stringed lyre is often blended with modern instruments in Ethio-jazz?
A traditional pentatonic musical scale or tuning system of Ethiopia. Mulatu Astatke fused these five-note scales with Western jazz in late 1960s Addis Ababa.