Ethio Jazz: A Beginner’s Guide to Ethiopia’s Soulful Music
The Genesis and Golden Age of Ethio-Jazz: A Fusion of Cultures
Ethio Jazz is a genre that intertwines the improvisational spirit of jazz with the rich, distinctive musical traditions of Ethiopia. At its core, it uses the Ethiopian pentatonic scale, a five-note scale that contrasts with the seven-note Western scale, and imbues the genre with a uniquely resonant, hypnotic quality. Another key influence comes from the zema, the chants and hymns sung by priests in the country’s Northern regions, grounding Ethio Jazz in Ethiopia’s sacred traditions and adding profound emotional depth.
The genre emerged during the 1950s and 1960s, during which the country experienced intense cultural and political change that inspired a reawakening of national identity and inspired much artistic experimentation. Ethio Jazz took shape through the efforts of several pioneering artists, who began merging traditional sounds with modern ones, including through a frequent fusion of such instruments as the krar (a lyre) and kebero (a type of drum) with modern jazz staples such as saxophones, keyboards and vibraphones.
Musicians like Getatchew Mekurya, a legendary saxophonist, brought Ethiopian war songs into a jazz framework, creating compositions like “Muziqa heywété” that became iconic representations of Ethio Jazz. However, the genre’s most celebrated figure is Mulatu Astatke, who is often referred to as the “Father of Ethio Jazz,” and whose musical journey took him to the United Kingdom and the United States, where he was embraced by a burgeoning experimental and avant-garde jazz scene.
Astatke also studied at Berklee College of Music in the 1960s, where he immersed himself in jazz theory and performance techniques. There, he mastered the vibraphone, an instrument that would become central to his style. His time in America exposed him to Latin jazz, bebop and other genres, which he eventually combined with Ethiopian scales and rhythms to craft an innovative sound, greatly contributing to the creation of a new musical language that resonated deeply in Ethiopia and captivated audiences abroad.
Suppression and Survival Under the Derg Regime
The mid-1970s marked a pivotal shift in Ethiopia’s history, as the rise of the Derg, a military council that took hold of the nation, ushered in an era of political turmoil and repression. Under this regime, strict restrictions were placed on art and media, stifling freedom of expression and subjecting many forms of cultural output to censorship. However, Ethio Jazz managed to survive in the face of challenges stemming from this period.
While works by vocalists like Tilahun Gessesse tended to either be banned or silenced, Ethio Jazz remained very popular in the country, especially in its instrumental form and particularly in the capital city of Addis Ababa. Without relying on lyrics that could attract the scrutiny of censors, musicians continued to perform and create, keeping the genre alive and becoming a symbol of hope for the future.
This period also saw the exile or silencing of several key figures in the Ethiopian music scene, including pioneers like Mulatu Astatke, who was living abroad during much of The Derg era. Their work on the international stage helped Ethio Jazz capture the attention of global audiences, particularly in Europe and the United States, becoming a cultural symbol and a way for Ethiopia to maintain its musical identity in the face of political adversity.
The eventual overthrow of The Derg regime in 1991 brought a renewed sense of freedom and creativity to Ethiopia, lifting the harsh restrictions on art and culture. With the political climate now more permissive, many musicians who had been silenced or forced into exile returned to Ethiopia, eager to rekindle the country’s cultural spirit and rebuild its once-thriving music scene.
The Revival and Enduring Legacy of Ethio-Jazz
In the 1990s, Ethio Jazz experienced a resurgence as artists reclaimed their voices and embraced creative freedom. A key factor in this revival was the Éthiopiques series, a collection of compilation albums by the Paris-based Buda Musique label. These albums, starting in the late 1990s, reintroduced the golden age of Ethiopian music to global audiences, highlighting artists like Getatchew Mekurya and Hailu Mergia, whose work had been suppressed during the years of the Derg regime.
In recent years, the genre has experienced a revival, igniting a new wave of creativity both within Ethiopia and beyond. Ethiopian artists like Hanna Mekonnen and Kibrom Birhane are reinvigorating Ethio Jazz by adding their own modern influences. International groups, such as The Sorocers from Britain and Akalé Wubé from France, have also embraced Ethio Jazz, blending it with their diverse musical backgrounds and pushing the genre in exciting new directions.
Ethio Jazz’s enduring appeal lies in its remarkable ability to transcend time and cultural boundaries. Its unique fusion evokes a sense of nostalgia, transporting listeners to a different era and place, while simultaneously feeling fresh and innovative. Today, it continues to thrive, attracting both new fans and longtime aficionados, while remaining an important cultural bridge between Ethiopia’s rich musical heritage and the global musical landscape.
Listen to our carefully curated playlist, celebrating Ethio Jazz, some of its greatest interpreters, its global resonance and enduring legacy, via the player below.
