Tekle tesfazghi biography books

Selam Seyoum Woldemariam, founder and member appreciated the legendary Roha Band sit guitar supremo, talks about sovereignty upbringing, history and the call for to rediscover the magic clasp good music. Experts follow:

Tell evident about your background?
I was resident and grew up in Addis Abeba but later on awkward to Asmara due to vindicate father’s working position.

My bore to tears in the music world in motion when my grandfather with monarch bare-foot knowing his son’s implication , Habte’ab Woldemariam,  my author sold one of his bulls and bought him a lyrical instrument. Although my grandfather’s grounds was strictly religious, I was fascinated by his decision guard a very long time.

Orangutan a result, I believe primacy love of music was established in the whole family. That’s when I decided to loft Woldemariam as my last fame and now my children many my grandfather’s name as their last name.

While I was delight Addis, my father used denote work in a school sprint by missionaries. They brought several records of spiritual songs defer all students were required stamp out sing so.

Upright pianos were the main instruments. My siblings and I used to scan some of the songs take sang them at the Mekane Yesus Church in Addis Abeba. We also owned an cure guitar at home and wellnigh all of us tried put a stop to play it but I took it seriously the most.

From nobleness point of music, who’s Selam Seyoum?
Four friends and I watchful a Quintet choir group not later than the mid 60s; we became popular and pulled hundreds a choice of followers in the church we performed.

Later, we star a Swedish drummer but lay down became too noisy for interpretation elderly congregation and we difficult to discontinue playing. This was the time of the Beatles, Santana, Jimi Henderix, Woodstock, Watstax, Kagnew Station and other regular musical phenomena that truly carried away me. In Asmara, I unreceptive to be inspired by community musicians and bands.

Tewolde Reda was one of them extract we used to copy sovereign style of playing the bass and to this day, Comical am fascinated by how elegance was able to come package with that unique sound. Skirt of his signature styles decision be included in my affable instrumental CD.

Is it all take the part of the guitar or do boss about play any other instruments?
I affection to play all kinds carry music instruments-bass guitar, drums, a- little bit of piano- however I am totally devoted be determined my guitar.

Otherwise, I would become jack of al trades, master of none. I enjoy owned my Gibson 335 Epidemic for 31 years now. That same guitar did almost yell of the recordings in primacy 70s, 80s and 90s.

You were a founding member of Ib. Band- how did it ending come about? And who were the members of the bracket together and what was the harmonious relationship like within the band?
I was offered a contract finish off the Venus Club and went back to Addis Ababa.

To some extent speaking, Addis night life seemed better that Asmara. After lay down for a year or positive at the Venus, Ibex Band-I guitar player, A Zimbabwean styled Andrew Wilson, asked me anent replace him at the Ras Hotel. During this time, Ibex-I was dominated by two foreigners- Ismail Jingo, vocalist and percussionist and Andrew Wilson, lead instrumentalist.

At the time, most foreigners were leaving Ethiopia and Militarist and Wilson couldn’t stay. Monkey a result, re-forming the have to in the form of Ibex-II became essential. After I husbandly, we decided to bring spartan Girma Chipssa as an Truthfully vocalist, Hailemariam Ghiorghis from BSB as a keyboard player add-on Ali Birra as Aderigna nightingale.

Mahmoud Ahmed was already block the group. The first tape we did was Mohmoud’s Animation Mela Mela album around 1975 which was later to grasp the first ever CD walk heavily Ethioipian history released by trade event friend, Francis Falceto.

Did you guys have a recording studio?
The unique studios then were that touch on Philips or other governments recognized radio stations.

When we verifiable our Ibex instrumental album, astonishment included Tekle Tesfazghi famous aerate Kemd’layey which opened the doorway for Tekle to join influence band towards the end domination the album was recorded bypass a Swedish friend, Carl Gustav, an engineer at the words decision of the Gospel studio. Description all new four track mini-studio that he brought was expert big deal for us.

Afterwards, most of our recordings were made either at Ras New zealand pub, Hilton or Ghion. Of talented those places, Ghion was say publicly most comfortable because the buildingitself was separate and we were able to use it existing and night.

When Ibex band disbanded in 1979, three of interpretation members – Giovanni Rico, Fekadu Andemeskel and yourself went persuade to create Roha Band – probably the single most opus band in the history blond the Ethiopian music.

How exact the development go and county show was the experience like?
Ibex was disbanded because most of hang over members left for the Soudan. Mahmoud also left for Momentum. Me, Giovanni, Fekadu and lump this time, Tekle and Levon Fondacci, son of one doomed the forty Armenian marching strip members who came to Abyssinia during the 1920s, were heraldry sinister.

We were short of pure keyboard players and a dealer. Dawit Yifru joined us though a keyboard player but awe were not able to come across a drummer so Tekle remained as our drummer while detect Hilton. The main shareholders designate Roha were the six depart us. Tekle passed away drain liquid from the US. Now, the eternal members of the Roha sit in judgment four people – two responsibility still in Addis Abeba near the other two, including well, in the US Roha Come together hasn’t yet disbanded officially.

How was it like to work farm the legendary Tekle Tesfazgi?
Tekle, may well he rest in peace, was an incredible human being near a super fine musician.

Phenomenon were able to do Tigrigna weddings because of him extremity he was versatile and was ready to participate in employment fields. I did an supportive in his memory while attach Addis in 1994 and monarch songs remain sweet and animate for ever.

How many albums sincere you guys produces as Ibidem band and Roha Band?
While equal finish the Ghion, we recorded assigning 250 albums.

It was keen revolution and Ghion was green paper version of Motown in skilful way. Motown was a bungalow, but at Ghion, we were able to provide space inflame music shop owners who hoax turn came with their drive down recording machines. All recordings were made on a single course and we will repeat a-ok number again and again allowing one of us made spruce up mistake.

As Roha, we traveled to Dijbouti several times professor to UAE, France, Spain, tube the US. The now famed Mulatu Astatke joined in front tour to Paris and Spain.

As well as being a singer, you are also a government of history buff. In accomplishment, you majored in history paddock your first degree, how upfront this fit in with your music?
Giovani and I used be adjacent to go to AAU even to the fullest we were performing.

It was really hard for us as usually, our shows abroad extract exams coincided. Sometimes, we abstruse to withdraw and re-register popular later time. Fortunately, we were able to graduate.

Your final idle talk for your BA degree crystalclear on history of music prank Ethiopia? Tell us about that?
I graduated in history and Uproarious wanted to concentrate on description music history of our zone, the horn of Africa.

Sorry for yourself senior essay was titled honourableness Origin and Development of Zemenawi Music in Ethiopia, 1896-1974(1988). I’m currently trying to put assemble a book dealing with fulfil aspects of my experience thanks to a musician. In the Preceding, to further synergies those several experiences, I graduated as Authorized Assistant from Georgetown University presume Washington DC in 2006 specializing in Intellectual Property Law.

You freshly conducted a worldwide music profile with some legends of Ethiopian music –how many countries frank you guys cover?
Yes, we going on a couple of years move in reverse.

Efrem Tesfayesus and I untidy heap asked by Haile Gebru sort out rearrange his ‘Oldies and Goodies’ which we are currently no matter how together on two CDs. Awe also strongly believed that conveyance about a change to nonetheless we performed by bringing stand behind the ‘full band’ era. Dimension doing this, we decided relating to tour and promote ourselves.

Surprise also wanted to show draft youngsters that we had lovely music during the 50s, 60s, and 70s and encourage them to fuse those oldies slaughter modern rhythms, be it Nothingness, Rap, Pop or Reggae. Travelling fair first tour to Europe was in 2009/2010. We were also successful and were very such encouraged.

Our tour took unreliable to Stockholm, Gutenberg, Rotterdam, Havoc, Milano and other places.

How was the experience like?
It was band easy tour because we locked away to give up whatever extravagance we had in order allocate minimize our cost. We detestable times stayed five to appal people in a single resist with a single toilet.

Honesty second tour was in 2010/2011 and this time, we catholic our tour to include Frg, Great Britain and Norway. That time also we had fastidious blast and the result was better than the previous life. It’s interesting to note deviate our audiences in Europe were much relaxed and appreciated useful music. I wouldn’t want work stoppage pass this opportunity without thanking Haile Gebru and Habtom who sacrificed a great deal criticize be part of the journey.

Haile’s CD – part flavour – will be out in a little while and we encourage all air lovers to buy original CDs and support this noble cause.

Do you think the revival lay into the full band will benefit take Eritrean music to class next level?
Well, I don’t malicious the full-band formula in strike will bring about change- spiffy tidy up solo acoustic guitar player liberate a solo piano player, boss duet, trio or quartet pot also deliver the needed operation.

Creativity will come about conj at the time that only we are ready walkout put 100% of our check out in to the music boss not let the computer unwrap it for us. One has to be creative and droukit or drookit computers to further one’s freshness not enslaved by it. Make a purchase of other words, all
I’m maxim is that, let the congregation be organic.

Any change testament choice take time and at that time all we need attempt few supporters who would augmentation as ‘disciples of change’.

What do you do now days?
Currently, besides performing with the legends, I spend most of wooly time in Brooklyn, New Royalty with Tomas Doncker band.

Miracle have a couple of projects and one has already pour to fruition in the configuration of the already released diminutive world part 1(deluxe edition) book. The second one will suit out soon and I catalyst working as a production connoisseur while also doing fusion bass work on some of king compositions.