Mulatu Astatke, 79, pioneer of Ethiopian jazz – the fusion of local music and western jazz is looking to integrate Ethiopian and Turkish music to regale audiences and inspire musicians. Speaking to ...

Left: Ayalew Mesfin [Photo by Hannah Brooks]. Right: Hailu Mergia [Photo courtesy of the artist] For many people outside of the Habesha community, their first experience with Ethiopian music came from ...

As we move from one place to another, we carry with us not just our belongings, but also our cultures, backgrounds and heritages. On Thursday, Ethiopian American singer, songwriter and composer Meklit ...

Ethiopia is still recovering from the after effects of civil war and dictatorship. Even though it is now 18 years since the end of Mengistu’s corrupt Marxist regime, the repercussions of draconian ...

Were the non-Ethiopian musicians at The Ex Festival chosen either because of existing connections to Ethiopia (e.g. Paal and Han) or because there’s something in their music that has a similar spirit?

I once read the artist Dan Clowes describe Chopin’s Nocturnes as “like listening to ice water”. That description has often resonated with regards to the sound of a solo piano, but never more so than ...

What makes an artist great? The answer to this question might be tough but one thing is clear. An artist achieves greatens at least by creating something that has not been created before him and keeps ...

Ethiopian-Israeli musician Gili Yalo wonders if it was his destiny to become a singer. During a horrific famine in 1984, he and his family fled the northern Ethiopian city of Gondar, walking with a ...

We need to be upfront with you. The Reader is free. Producing it isn’t. And without your support, we can't continue. So we need you to chip in, even if it’s just a few bucks. The average donation is ...

Kay Kaufman Shelemay received fellowships and grants for the research and publication process for this book from the National Endowment for the Humanities; the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial ...