Ethio revival.

Somehow it's funny. Somehow it's not. 

There's a lot of Ethio-jazz released these days. But most of it is the work of non-Ethiopian bands. Those bands are good, play either in a traditional way either in a fusion trend, and are comprised of passionate musicians who, like common listeners, were introduced to Ethiopian music through the notes and voices of Mulatu Astatke, Mahmoud Ahmed, Tilahun Gessèssè and others. No need to emphasize here the huge role played by Francis Falceto and his "Ethiopiques" series on these guys current devotion. 

Among other bands, let's name the following ones : Akalé Wubé, Arat Kilo, Badume's Band, The Heliocentrics, Woima Collective, Wudasse Band, uKanDanz, Eth, Le Tigre (des platanes) (they stopped their Ethio era though), Imperial Tiger Orchestra, Either/Orchestra... 

As you can see, the scene is getting some attention, especially from "abroad", and there might be an Ethio-jazz band in concert near you right now, and you don't even know it. 

As I implied, this is a good thing for music. This is not a good sign for Ethiopia. As in other parts of Africa, Ethiopian music is taking the digital slide. Sometimes it's still creative, sometimes it's boring. A few tracks played in the clubs are very enjoyable, and you might feel like doing the shoulder dance while listening to some current hits. But still, the references are still the same and point towards the previous decades... 

Now, maybe it's the same in the Western world, and I don't acknowledge it because I can't take the step backwards necessary to have a clear view of the situation. 

Anyway, the good thing is that Mulatu Astatke is currently recording a new record in London. No need to stress how important this is for the Ethiopian music world. Let's hope fellow Ethio stars like Mahmoud Ahmed would do the same ; well, Mahmoud still records music, but the CD's and tapes do not benefit from a worldwide distribution. Recent albums are available in Ethiopia, and some of them are even recorded in the USA, where Mahmoud Ahmed now resides. So, how come they aren't available elsewhere ?  

And when it comes to developing the knowledge of Ethiopian instruments, who is the main actor ? Mr. Astatke again.

Alright, don't feel like I send shots in this post, it's just  regular raving and ranting. Thanks to all the actors of this Ethio revival, both for keeping the music alive and for provoking the re-discovery of ancient gems.