Sep 21/06
Amharic in Harlem
Benn loxo listener, Tristra, sent me some really great new music the other day. Bole 2 Harlem are an Ethiopian-American group out of NYC who combine traditional Ethiopian sounds with hiphop and other contemporary American styles.
The album grew out of Saturday night jam sessions at NYC Moroccan-French restaurant L’Orange Bleue. The mix of Ethiopian, American and Malian musicians who played together there everntually decided to put out an album.
I’m all about fusion and getting people otherwise not bothered about African music to give it a listen. It’s great, then, to see groups like this who make something that sounds cool to the young, urban American ear even while incorporating foreign styles.
You’ll hear this album played at parties and in taxis in both Ethiopia and North America.. that kind of successful musical bridging is rare. It’s also cool to hear some contemporary Ethopian-inspired sounds that aren’t from the “golden age” of Addis Ababa in the 1960s and 1970s.
You can grab Bole2Harlem on Amazon or at a good record shop after it’s release in the US on November 21st. Check-out their web site for more info. I’m loving the second track, Home, this morning…
Bole 2 Harlem – Bole 2 Harlem
Bole2Harlem – Home
Home is off the chain! Got them moving in Sydney and Brisbane last week. Thanks for the post.
very nice music. Thanks for the tips!
ooooh, very smooth.
[...] Yesterday I featured a Rock Paper Scissors project, Bole 2 Harlem, so today I’d thought I’d explore another of their chosen groups, Tartit. [...]
i couldn’t belive such tayp of music would come form ethiopians b/c of the repetaion keep the good work.
keep the good work
Thanks for this info. after ordering downloading fro iTunes, I loved every track, good energey and lyrics!!!! I speak Amharic and the lyrics and music is freash for my ears!! It’s true this is NOT your typical Ethiopian Traditional music even though it has many traditional elements and children songs, but the Ethiopian Artists and Amercan producers put together musical new catagory.
Hope to see Vol. 2 Tigist and Maki as well as Bala really performed superved!!
Keep up the good work.
AUTHENTIC ETHIOPIAN SOUND…. NEW MUSIC ENERGY & NEW LYRICS STYL. I AM ALSO ETHIOPIAN AND NEVER HEARD ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE. FOR ALL AFRICAN HIP-HOP ARTISTS AND MUSIC ADMIRERS, ETHIOPIAN HIP-HOP AND WORLD MUSIC FUSION MOVMENT HAS BEGUN!
WATCH OUT WORLD.
can any one type Bole 2 harlem LYRICS>…? of Ensarelangojo
to my ID pavanster@gmail.com