The Ethiopiques series of world music keeps slowly widening its arc, and this time around it's come up with some very interesting vintage (circa 1972) material. Ethiopiques, Vol. 14: Negus of Ethiopian Sax features Getatchew Mekurya, a sax player whose inspiration comes from traditional warrior music: the kind meant to whip soldiers into a frenzy before battle. And frenzied his playing truly is, with several shades of free jazz at its most abandoned (which, curiously, he claims never to have heard). It's wild stuff -- but wild only on the sax. The band behind him exists strictly for melodic and rhythmic function. While they perform admirably, they add little to the music itself, while the sax takes off on weird and wonderful paths. It's stirring, and demands a lot of a Western listener unfamiliar with the tradition. But it's perhaps best ingested in small doses. And while it's interesting, certainly, it's not on a par with the rest of the series. ~ Chris Nickson, Rovi
Ethiopiques, Vol. 14: Negus of Ethiopian Sax
2003 | Buda Musique
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CD
$15.99ETHIOPIQUES 14
05/06/2003
All Music Guide Review
Ethiopiques, Vol. 14: Negus of Ethiopian Sax Track Listing
Credits of Ethiopiques, Vol. 14: Negus of Ethiopian Sax
- Wilfrid Harpaillé
- Restoration, Tape Transfer
- Karen Albrecht
- Translation
- Jack Garnier
- Graphic Design
- Traditional
- Composer
- Getatchew Mekurya
- Arranger, Sax (Tenor)
- Desta Atlaw
- Photography
- Gétatchèw Dègèfu
- Organ, Piano, Keyboards
- Shimèlis Dèsta
- Photography
- Eshètu Haylé
- Drums
- Maurice Lachin
- Liner Notes
- Kassa Mehrèté
- Photography
- Leul Mekonnen
- Photography
- Mèkonnen Mèrsha
- Trumpet
- Bogalè Wèldè Hanna
- Maracas, Saxophone
- Dimitry Weliachew
- Liner Notes
- Alemayehu Eshete
- Bass
- Francis Falceto
- Liner Notes, Editing, Production Executive, Series Editor






