Ethiopian keyboardist Hailu Mergia next up on Awesome Tapes From Africa

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    Wed, Apr 27, 2016, 19:01
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  • Bran Shimkovitz's label will issue a tape that Mergia recorded with the Dahlak Band in 1978.
  • Ethiopian keyboardist Hailu Mergia next up on Awesome Tapes From Africa image
  • Hailu Mergia and Dahlak Band will release Wede Harer Guzo on June 17th via Awesome Tapes From Africa. Mergia is an Ethiopian keyboardist and accordion player currently living in Washington, D.C. Wede Harer Guzo, his second album for Awesome Tapes From Africa, is a tape he made in 1978 with the Dahlak band, who were residents at Addis Ababa's Ghion Hotel club at the time. It was a follow-up to his 1977 album with The Walias, Tche Belew which is considered a cornerstone of the Ethio jazz-and-funk golden age of the '70s. The original version of Wede Harer Guzo was released through the now-defunct Sheba Music Shop. Mergia's copy of the cassette is the only known source for the recording. The label tapped Jessica Thompson at Coast Mastering to clean up layers of hiss, flutter and distorted frequencies, which were exacerbated by years of storage. Listen to album cut "Sintayehu" below. For more from Awesome Tapes From Africa, check out this week's RA podcast from label head Brian Shimkovitz here.
    Tracklist 01. Embuwa Bey Lamitu 02. Sintayehu 03. Bati Bati 04. Migibima Moltual 05. Yene Nesh Wey (Amalele) 06. Wede Harer Guzo 07. Yemanesh Ayinama 08. Almaz Eyasebkush 09. Anchin Kfu Ayinkash 10. Minlbelesh Awesome Tapes From Africa will release Wede Harer Guzo on June 17th, 2016.
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