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Getatchew Mekuria & The Ex & Guests
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Description: | Collaborative CD on Terp |
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| Format: | CD | |
| Genre(s): | Experimental/Math/Noise Rock | |
| Label: | Terp | |
| Price: |
£13.19
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| Availability: | In stock. Dispatched in 1 working day. |
Getatchew Mekuria is the most revered veteran of the Ethiopian saxophone. In his seventies, he is still in full voice, with his own, powerfully distinctive style of playing. His huge vibrato, both forceful and fragile, plays around the vocal lines, using typical Ethiopian embellishments. He is the inventor of a musical style called the Shellele, which originates from a heroic war-chant, translated to the saxophone. When he plays it, he dons a lion's mane and cuts loose with furious solos that are a kind of free jazz, from before free jazz existed.
The Ex, often descibed as an avant-ethno-improv-punk band, toured Ethiopia twice and fell in love with its music. The Ex had their 25th year anniversary party in 2004 and they invited Getatchew to perform there with the ICP, the Instant Composers Pool, Holland's most amazing free-improvising jazz group. It was his first time traveling outside of Ethiopia but he accepted the ICP as if they were his own band, donned his lion's mane and blasted everyone off stage. He suggested to The Ex he should record his next CD with them. The result is unique; Getatchew's Ethiopian melodies and solos mesh with The Ex's rhythms, noise and vocals, supported by a guest horn section, like they were made for each other.
