Normally I would do a review on this, but given my time constraints, I’ll just write about my thoughts on this album. In a recent post, I wrote about how I am now rehearsing with Raw Earth, an African/World drumming group based in St. Louis. One of the musicians passed on this album to me as it was an artist that I was unfamiliar with.
Through my first listening, there were a lot of things about this album and saxophonist that I didn’t find surprising, and some parts I wasn’t expecting. Getatchew Mekurya is still considered to be the premiere saxophonist in Ethiopia, and I was surprised to learn that he still is around and playing today. The overall haunting mood of this album was what I was expecting, full of African influences. There are usual high and low points to every song, creating a lot of excitement to me as the listener. These recordings were done in the 1970’s and Mekurya’s sound reminds me of players from the past and his own generation. He plays with a big sound with inflections and often a wide use of vibrato that makes his sound appealing and it doesn’t become dull after the first listening.
I was surprised to find that most of this music has form and keeps it throughout the song. Though I would consider Mekurya’s playing to have avant garde influences (or maybe vice-versa), he still plays and responds to the ensemble. I also love the use of the organ, another part of this album I didn’t expect.
Overall, if you want a great example of the Shilela, a popular type of Ethiopian song, check out this album. Though Mekurya can seem complex to the listener, there is no denying that he plays with real human qualities.
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