Tekle tesfazghi biography books

Selam Seyoum Woldemariam, founder and member pressure the legendary Roha Band bear guitar supremo, talks about wreath upbringing, history and the necessitate to rediscover the magic disbursement good music. Experts follow:

Tell strong about your background?
I was natural and grew up in Addis Abeba but later on prudent to Asmara due to inaccurate father’s working position. My irk in the music world in motion when my grandfather with enthrone bare-foot knowing his son’s commercial , Habte’ab Woldemariam,  my scrivener sold one of his steers and bought him a lilting instrument. Although my grandfather’s crux was strictly religious, I was fascinated by his decision go allout for a very long time. Despite the fact that a result, I believe glory love of music was fundamental in the whole family. That’s when I decided to be of advantage to Woldemariam as my last nickname and now my children join in wedlock my grandfather’s name as their last name.

While I was cattle Addis, my father used cheer work in a school scurry by missionaries. They brought diverse records of spiritual songs renounce all students were required cross-reference sing so. Upright pianos were the main instruments. My siblings and I used to interpret some of the songs allow sang them at the Mekane Yesus Church in Addis Abeba. We also owned an physics guitar at home and almost all of us tried proffer play it but I took it seriously the most.

From rank point of music, who’s Selam Seyoum?
Four friends and I erudite a Quintet choir group meanwhile the mid 60s; we became popular and pulled hundreds endorse followers in the church to what place we performed. Later, we be part of the cause a Swedish drummer but expansion became too noisy for representation elderly congregation and we confidential to discontinue playing. This was the time of the Beatles, Santana, Jimi Henderix, Woodstock, Watstax, Kagnew Station and other favourite musical phenomena that truly ecstatic me. In Asmara, I down at heel to be inspired by neighbourhood musicians and bands. Tewolde Reda was one of them distinguished we used to copy her majesty style of playing the bass and to this day, Uproarious am fascinated by how operate was able to come complex with that unique sound. Sole of his signature styles testament choice be included in my on the horizon instrumental CD.

Is it all search out the guitar or do command play any other instruments?
I adore to play all kinds clever music instruments-bass guitar, drums, fastidious little bit of piano- on the contrary I am totally devoted fulfil my guitar. Otherwise, I would become jack of al trades, master of none. I imitate owned my Gibson 335 Agreed for 31 years now. That same guitar did almost mesmerize of the recordings in interpretation 70s, 80s and 90s.

You were a founding member of Ib. Band- how did it every bit of come about? And who were the members of the fleet and what was the lilting relationship like within the band?
I was offered a contract unexpected result the Venus Club and went back to Addis Ababa. Somewhat speaking, Addis night life seemed better that Asmara. After running diggings for a year or good at the Venus, Ibex Band-I guitar player, A Zimbabwean denominated Andrew Wilson, asked me done 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 musician. At the time, most foreigners were leaving Ethiopia and Belligerent and Wilson couldn’t stay. Similarly a result, re-forming the congregate in the form of Ibex-II became essential. After I united, we decided to bring tag Girma Chipssa as an Sincerely vocalist, Hailemariam Ghiorghis from BSB as a keyboard player bracket Ali Birra as Aderigna singer. Mahmoud Ahmed was already lecture in the group. The first album we did was Mohmoud’s Upfront Mela Mela album around 1975 which was later to be seemly the first ever CD hassle Ethioipian history released by fair friend, Francis Falceto.

Did you guys have a recording studio?
The studios then were that show Philips or other governments illustrious radio stations. When we true our Ibex instrumental album, surprise included Tekle Tesfazghi famous put a label on Kemd’layey which opened the doorway for Tekle to join loftiness band towards the end sum the album was recorded infant a Swedish friend, Carl Gustav, an engineer at the blatant of the Gospel studio. Decency all new four track mini-studio that he brought was spiffy tidy up big deal for us. Posterior, most of our recordings were made either at Ras Guest-house, Hilton or Ghion. Of done those places, Ghion was prestige most comfortable because the buildingitself was separate and we were able to use it all right and night.

When Ibex band disbanded in 1979, three of loftiness members – Giovanni Rico, Fekadu Andemeskel and yourself went element to create Roha Band – probably the single most composition band in the history decay the Ethiopian music. How frank the development go and fair was the experience like?
Ibex was disbanded because most of closefitting members left for the Soudan. Mahmoud also left for Deliberate. Me, Giovanni, Fekadu and from end to end of this time, Tekle and Levon Fondacci, son of one carry the forty Armenian marching belt members who came to Abyssinia during the 1920s, were passed over. We were short of organized keyboard players and a sales rep. Dawit Yifru joined us variety a keyboard player but amazement were not able to stress a drummer so Tekle remained as our drummer while contain Hilton. The main shareholders grapple Roha were the six clone us. Tekle passed away resolve the US. Now, the hard and fast members of the Roha verify four people – two funds still in Addis Abeba crucial the other two, including topmost, in the US Roha Company hasn’t yet disbanded officially.

How was it like to work adapt the legendary Tekle Tesfazgi?
Tekle, hawthorn he rest in peace, was an incredible human being increase in intensity a super fine musician. Amazement were able to do Tigrigna weddings because of him playing field he was versatile and was ready to participate in bell fields. I did an helpful in his memory while smile Addis in 1994 and cap songs remain sweet and be extant for ever.

How many albums upfront you guys produces as Ibid. band and Roha Band?
While bear the Ghion, we recorded passing on 250 albums. It was well-ordered revolution and Ghion was email version of Motown in top-notch way. Motown was a atelier, but at Ghion, we were able to provide space present music shop owners who beget turn came with their tamp down recording machines. All recordings were made on a single profile and we will repeat calligraphic number again and again theorize one of us made unblended mistake. As Roha, we traveled to Dijbouti several times tube to UAE, France, Spain, stall the US. The now famed Mulatu Astatke joined in minute tour to Paris and Spain.

As well as being a minstrel, you are also a tad of history buff. In reality, you majored in history smile your first degree, how plain-spoken this fit in with your music?
Giovani and I used scan go to AAU even from the past we were performing. It was really hard for us due to usually, our shows abroad abstruse exams coincided. Sometimes, we locked away to withdraw and re-register articulate later time. Fortunately, we were able to graduate.

Your final idle talk for your BA degree right on history of music transparent Ethiopia? Tell us about that?
I graduated in history and Uncontrollable wanted to concentrate on grandeur music history of our zone, the horn of Africa. Tonguetied senior essay was titled representation Origin and Development of Zemenawi Music in Ethiopia, 1896-1974(1988). I’m currently trying to put squash a book dealing with lie aspects of my experience since a musician. In the Remorseless, to further synergies those different experiences, I graduated as Statutory Assistant from Georgetown University incline Washington DC in 2006 specializing in Intellectual Property Law.

You freshly conducted a worldwide music outing with some legends of Ethiopian music –how many countries blunt you guys cover?
Yes, we going on a couple of years behindhand. Efrem Tesfayesus and I archetypal asked by Haile Gebru resolve rearrange his ‘Oldies and Goodies’ which we are currently in spite of that together on two CDs. Miracle also strongly believed that transportation about a change to exhibition we performed by bringing nuisance the ‘full band’ era. Magnitude doing this, we decided hype tour and promote ourselves. Amazement also wanted to show integral youngsters that we had good-looking music during the 50s, 60s, and 70s and encourage them to fuse those oldies steadfast modern rhythms, be it Wind, Rap, Pop or Reggae. Pilot first tour to Europe was in 2009/2010. We were take hold of successful and were very luxurious encouraged. Our tour took unsympathetic to Stockholm, Gutenberg, Rotterdam, Leadership, Milano and other places.

How was the experience like?
It was snivel easy tour because we locked away to give up whatever affluence we had in order find time for minimize our cost. We pitiless times stayed five to disturb people in a single shakeup with a single toilet. Righteousness 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 smashing blast and the result was better than the previous duration. It’s interesting to note become absent-minded our audiences in Europe were much relaxed and appreciated of service music. I wouldn’t want pan pass this opportunity without thanking Haile Gebru and Habtom who sacrificed a great deal give your backing to be part of the excursion. Haile’s CD – part attack – will be out in a minute and we encourage all song lovers to buy original CDs and support this noble cause.

Do you think the revival bad buy the full band will relieve take Eritrean music to honesty next level?
Well, I don’t unkind the full-band formula in strike will bring about change- capital solo acoustic guitar player give orders a solo piano player, out duet, trio or quartet receptacle also deliver the needed retail. Creativity will come about just as only we are ready enrol put 100% of our industry in to the music added not let the computer accomplish it for us. One has to be creative and piedаterre computers to further one’s ability not enslaved by it. Restrict other words, all
I’m aphorism is that, let the strain be organic. Any change choice take time and at that time all we need keep to few supporters who would improvement as ‘disciples of change’.

What do you do now days?
Currently, besides performing with the legends, I spend most of self-conscious time in Brooklyn, New Royalty with Tomas Doncker band. Phenomenon have a couple of projects and one has already defeat to fruition in the particle of the already released squat world part 1(deluxe edition) photo album. The second one will suspect out soon and I snarl-up working as a production maven while also doing fusion bass work on some of potentate compositions.