Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Heywete - Kidane, Tesfa-Maryam
2. Yekermo Sew - Astatke, Mulatu
3. Yekatit - Astatke, Mulatu
4. Enken Yelelebesh - Beyene, Girma
5. Ewnet Yet Lagegnesh - Bahta Gebre-Heywet
6. Gubelye - Astatke, Mulatu
7. Ere Mela Mela - Ahmed, Mahmoud
8. Metche New - Ahmed, Mahmoud
9. Tchero Adari Negn - Eshete, Alemayehu
10. Telantena Zare - Eshete, Alemayehu
11. Muziqawi Silt - Wallias Band
12. Gedawo - Mesfin, Ayalew & Black Lion Band
13. Tchuheten Betsemu - Gessesse, Tlahoun
14. Tezeta - Wesnatchew, Menelik

Disc 2:

1. Mother's Love - Guebrou, Tesegue-Maryam
2. Sema - Gessesse, Tlahoun
3. Milenu - Redda, Tewelde
4. Embi Lla - Habte, Beyene
5. Tezeta - Astatke, Mulatu
6. Set Alamenem - Beyene, Girma
7. Yemendjar Shega - Mellesse, Muluqen & Dahlak Band
8. Antchi Hoye - Mekurya, Getatchew
9. Kulun Mankwalesh - Gessesse, Tlahoun
10. Shellela - Mekurya, Getatchew
11. Mela Mela - Yohannes, Seyfu
12. Atawurulegn Lela - Ahmed, Mahmoud
13. Fetsum Denq Ledj Nesh - Ahmed, Mahmoud
14. Abatatchen Hoy (Pater Noster) - Aga, Alemu

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5548 in Music
• Released on: 2007-08-13
• Number of discs: 2
• Format: Enhanced
• Dimensions: .28 pounds

Customer Reviews

Universally adored, listen & find out why for yourself
There is undoubtedly a buzz around Ethiopian music at the moment: Jim Jarmusch was determined to make it a key component of Broken Flowers and Gilles Peterson has been championing it on Radio 1. And it seems to have garnered a rather star-studded following: Damon Albarn, Elvis Costello, Robert Plant, Tom Waits and Brian Eno amongst them.

However, it's the reaction from my circle of friends that convinced me this music really has something: everyone loves it- from the heads to the most conservative of tastes, they all dig it. There are few albums I can play at a party that get respect from the music savvy without getting groans from the uninitiated (and vice-versa).

There's a great web site where I first heard the music, you can also watch clips, read reviews, discuss the music etc there. Don't think I'm allowed to include web addresses but do a search on 'The Very Best of Ethiopiques' and you'll find it. Enjoy!

Ethio picks
I haven't got this CD but I do have the first 17 volumes of the series that it is the 'best of', so be warned, it is seriously addictive music. I absolutely love the series. The other reviewers have described the music so I won't bother. It covers such a range of styles that it's hard to do so anyway.

There are a lot of CDs in the series but if you like this and want to know which others to get I recommend volumes 1&3 as good compilations, volume 4 (instrumentals), 6&7 (Mahmoud Ahmed) and 14 (Getatchew Mekurya - sax player). But they're all good. Also, check out the Zanzibara series on the same label. All these CDs can be bought for about £5/£6 each from other sellers overseas, via amazon, such as Caiman.

P Dowding (below) is obviously an imbecile and should stick to Busted.

At last - love this stuff
Saw a postcard for this release at Womad last weekend. If you've never heard it it's really incredible. Hard to describe - jazzy, funky, dreamy -not like anything else you've ever heard. There's something like 25 releases on the original series - far too many to know which to buy. Looks like this best of has got a bit of everything on it though so great place to start. Do yourself a favour and discover as the sticker on the front from Elvis Costello says