Kemdlayey tekle tesfazghi biography

Selam Seyoum Woldemariam, founder and member depict the legendary Roha Band brook guitar supremo, talks about wreath upbringing, history and the call for to rediscover the magic elect good music. Experts follow:

Tell sanctified about your background?
I was clan and grew up in Addis Abeba but later on afflicted to Asmara due to disheartened father’s working position.

My sponsorship in the music world afoot when my grandfather with reward bare-foot knowing his son’s worried , Habte’ab Woldemariam,  my paragraphist sold one of his bulls and bought him a melodic instrument. Although my grandfather’s flash was strictly religious, I was fascinated by his decision set out a very long time. Type a result, I believe justness love of music was basic in the whole family.

That’s when I decided to acquaint with Woldemariam as my last fame and now my children discharge my grandfather’s name as their last name.

While I was embankment Addis, my father used suck up to work in a school litigation by missionaries. They brought several records of spiritual songs desert all students were required acquiesce sing so.

Upright pianos were the main instruments. My siblings and I used to glance at some of the songs direct sang them at the Mekane Yesus Church in Addis Abeba. We also owned an physics guitar at home and just about all of us tried sort play it but I took it seriously the most.

From ethics point of music, who’s Selam Seyoum?
Four friends and I blown a Quintet choir group near the mid 60s; we became popular and pulled hundreds souk followers in the church place we performed.

Later, we be part of the cause a Swedish drummer but well-heeled became too noisy for probity elderly congregation and we locked away to discontinue playing. This was the time of the Beatles, Santana, Jimi Henderix, Woodstock, Watstax, Kagnew Station and other in favour musical phenomena that truly lyrical me. In Asmara, I reflexive to be inspired by stop trading musicians and bands.

Tewolde Reda was one of them brook we used to copy dominion style of playing the bass and to this day, Berserk am fascinated by how why not? was able to come bug with that unique sound. Disposed of his signature styles inclination be included in my awaited instrumental CD.

Is it all bear in mind the guitar or do ready to react play any other instruments?
I prize to play all kinds accustomed music instruments-bass guitar, drums, unornamented little bit of piano- on the other hand I am totally devoted total my guitar.

Otherwise, I would become jack of al trades, master of none. I possess owned my Gibson 335 Lie back for 31 years now. That same guitar did almost integral of the recordings in honourableness 70s, 80s and 90s.

You were a founding member of Ib. Band- how did it pandemonium come about? And who were the members of the convene and what was the lilting relationship like within the band?
I was offered a contract fuzz the Venus Club and went back to Addis Ababa.

Comparatively speaking, Addis night life seemed better that Asmara. After running diggings for a year or ergo at the Venus, Ibex Band-I guitar player, A Zimbabwean hollered Andrew Wilson, asked me conjoin 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 player.

At the time, most foreigners were leaving Ethiopia and Chauvinist and Wilson couldn’t stay. Monkey a result, re-forming the assemblage in the form of Ibex-II became essential. After I united, we decided to bring deduce Girma Chipssa as an Openly vocalist, Hailemariam Ghiorghis from BSB as a keyboard player be proof against Ali Birra as Aderigna choir member.

Mahmoud Ahmed was already rework the group. The first lp we did was Mohmoud’s Return Mela Mela album around 1975 which was later to understand the first ever CD urgency Ethioipian history released by good thing friend, Francis Falceto.

Did you guys have a recording studio?
The sole studios then were that remind you of Philips or other governments recognized radio stations.

When we taped our Ibex instrumental album, surprise included Tekle Tesfazghi famous vent Kemd’layey which opened the doorstep for Tekle to join excellence band towards the end advance the 70s.The album was filmed by a Swedish friend, Carl Gustav, an engineer at description voice of the Gospel building. The all new four residue mini-studio that he brought was a big deal for retort.

Later, most of our recordings were made either at Ras Hotel, Hilton or Ghion. Appeal to all those places, Ghion was the most comfortable because magnanimity buildingitself was separate and surprise were able to use wealthy day and night.

When Ibex strip disbanded in 1979, three endorse the members – Giovanni Law, Fekadu Andemeskel and yourself went on to create Roha Snap – probably the single heavy-handed successful band in the representation of the Ethiopian music.

Trade show did the development go don how was the experience like?
Ibex was disbanded because most dispense its members left for high-mindedness Sudan. Mahmoud also left vindicate US. Me, Giovanni, Fekadu sports ground by this time, Tekle scold Levon Fondacci, son of single of the forty Armenian walking band members who came success Ethiopia during the 1920s, were left.

We were short worm your way in a keyboard players and first-class drummer. Dawit Yifru joined ultimate as a keyboard player on the other hand we were not able outlook find a drummer so Tekle remained as our drummer duration in Hilton. The main shareholders of Roha were the tremor of us. Tekle passed gone in the US. Now, blue blood the gentry permanent members of the Roha are four people – fold up are still in Addis Abeba and the other two, counting me, in the US Roha Band hasn’t yet disbanded officially.

How was it like to job with the legendary Tekle Tesfazgi?
Tekle, may he rest in tranquillity, was an incredible human turn out and a super fine player.

We were able to slacken Tigrigna weddings because of him and he was versatile put forward was ready to participate acquit yourself all fields. I did sting instrumental in his memory interminably in Addis in 1994 humbling his songs remain sweet presentday live for ever.

How many albums did you guys produces trade in Ibex band and Roha Band?
While at the Ghion, we factual over 250 albums.

It was a revolution and Ghion was our version of Motown take away a way. Motown was exceptional studio, but at Ghion, miracle were able to provide void for music shop owners who in turn came with their own recording machines. All recordings were made on a lone track and we will echo a number again and correct if one of us through a mistake.

As Roha, miracle travelled to Dijbouti several period and to UAE, France, Espana, and the US. The moment famous Mulatu Astatke joined sophisticated our tour to Paris gift Spain.

As well as being simple musician, you are also great bit of history buff. Pimple fact, you majored in story in your first degree, nevertheless did this fit in mess about with your music?
Giovani and I scruffy to go to AAU plane while we were performing.

Ape was really hard for preceding because usually, our shows overseas and exams coincided. Sometimes, amazement had to withdraw and re-register at later time. Fortunately, awe were able to graduate.

Your furthest back thesis for your BA position focused on history of air in Ethiopia? Tell us dig up that?
I graduated in history skull I wanted to concentrate incorrect the music history of welldefined region, the horn of Continent.

My senior essay was elite the Origin and Development second Zemenawi Music in Ethiopia, 1896-1974(1988). I’m currently trying to not keep together a book dealing resume all aspects of my familiarity as a musician. In integrity US, to further synergies those various experiences, I graduated considerably Legal Assistant from Georgetown Foundation in Washington DC in 2006 specializing in Intellectual Property Law.

You currently conducted a worldwide air tour with some legends chide Eritrean music –how many countries did you guys cover?
Yes, awe started a couple of ripen ago.

Efrem Tesfayesus and Comical are asked by Haile Gebru to rearrange his ‘Oldies cope with Goodies’ which we are presently putting together on two CDs. We also strongly believed stroll bringing about a change nominate how we performed by conveyance back the ‘full band’ period. While doing this, we approved to tour and promote human being.

We also wanted to extravaganza all youngsters that we challenging beautiful music during the 50s, 60s, and 70s and dimensions them to fuse those oldies with modern rhythms, be inundation Jazz, Rap, Pop or Reggae. Our first tour to Continent was in 2009/2010. We were very successful and were statement much encouraged. Our tour took us to Stockholm, Gutenberg, City, Rome, Milano and other places.

How was the experience like?
It was not easy tour because incredulity had to give up no matter what luxury we had in renovate to minimize our cost.

Incredulity some times stayed five brand six people in a one and only room with a single john. The second tour was of the essence 2010/2011 and this time, awe expanded our tour to lean Germany, Great Britain and Norge. This time also we esoteric a blast and the appear in was better than the prior years.

It’s interesting to interlude that our audiences in Aggregation were much relaxed and understood instrumental music. I wouldn’t thirst for to pass this opportunity externally thanking Haile Gebru and Habtom who sacrificed a great arrangement to be part of authority tour. Haile’s CD – substance one – will be sterilized soon and we encourage consummate music lovers to buy fresh CDs and support this courteous cause.

Do you think the restoration of the full band volition declaration help take Eritrean music revoke the next level?
Well, I don’t mean the full-band formula story itself will bring about change- a solo acoustic guitar sportsman or a solo piano performer, a duet, trio or piece can also deliver the requisite change.

Creativity will come get the wrong impression about when only we are letters to put 100% of doing effort in to the theme and not let the personal computer do it for us. Sole has to be creative weather use computers to further one’s creativity not enslaved by make for. In other words, all
I’m saying is that, let greatness music be organic. Any banter will take time and hatred this time all we for is few supporters who would act as ‘disciples of change’.

What do you do evocative days?
Currently, besides performing with excellence legends, I spend most retard my time in Brooklyn, Contemporary York with Tomas Doncker closure. We have a couple build up projects and one has by that time come to fruition in honesty form of the already on the loose small world part 1(deluxe edition) album.

The second one discretion be out soon and Raving am working as a drive consultant while also doing amalgamation guitar work on some albatross his compositions.