Y’Anbessaw Tezeta
2CD Terp AS-21/22
Release date: November 1
Vertrieb: Cargo
https://www.terprecords.nl/as21.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Getatchew_Mekurya
https://www.theex.nl
Quite unexpectedly, last year, while here in Europe for several summerfestivals,
Getatchew Mekuria at the age of 76, expressed an urge to make one more recording.
With The Ex. Probably the last one in his life. A great responsability!
We recorded in December, in Wormerveer and Addis Abeba. The result is stunning.
Deep, old, classic melodies. Very different from the last one. Instrumental, more senti-tive and fragile, deeper. Amazing hornriffs and solo’s. But also dancable, with up-tempowar-chants. Many things. He called it: „Y’Anbessa Tezeta“. ‚In memory of the Lion‘. Memories on 65 years of playing music! But also always new and forward.
But there is more. We wanted to make something special. We added an extra CD, with
some historical recordings, including Getatchew and the Instant Composers Pool, Haile
Selassie 1 Theatre Orchestra (1960!) and a live performance with the Ex in Montreal.
Plus a 40-page booklet. With great photos by many photographers. Matias Corral specially came to Addis to shoot some Getatchew portraits in addition to his already striking black & white live photos. We decided to make this a benefit CD for Getatchew. Everyone contributed for free. After almost 65 years of playing music, we thought this amazing person deserves some kind of pension!
The first time we met Getatchew was early 2004. We were intrigued by his music, we
knew from an old cassette. What an orinigal sound! We went to Addis to find him.
Getatchew agreed right away to come to Holland. To our 25th anniversary party in Amsterdam, November 2004.He played with the ICP, the Instant Composers Pool, and he loved it. But he was also intrigued by The Ex and wanted to play and record with us. We
invited some great hornplayers and things have never stopped since.
We recorded the Moa Anbessa CD and in some eight years we’ve done almost a hundred concerts in 15 countries.Jazz-, worldmusic- and rock festivals and venues all over the world. Lincoln Centre Out of Doors in New York, the French 8 ‚o clock news with 8 million viewers, Rio Loco in Toulouse to 20.000 people and broadcasted on TV in Ethiopia.
Getatchew Mekuria – Saxophone, Clarinet
The Ex:
Arnold de Boer – Trumpet
Andy Moor – Guitar
Terrie Hessels – Guitar
Katherina Bornefeld – Drums
Friends:
Xavier Charles – Clarinet
Ken Vandermark – Baritone
Saxophone, Bass Clarinet
Brodie West – Alto Saxophone
Joost Buis – Trombone
Wolter Wierbos – Trombone
Colin McLean – Bass
Melaku Belay – Dance
Including Bonus CD with a.o. Getatchew Mekuria & The ICP Orchestra, Haile Selassie 1 Theatre Orchestra and live with The Ex.
Recorded December 6/7 2011, Februari 24/28 2012, April 5/23 2012 in Jottum, Wormerveer, Holland. And May 3 2012 in Fendika, Addis Abeba, Ethiopia.
Engineer Jottem: Maarten Tap. Co-engineered: Andy & Arnold. Engineer Addis: Arnold. Mixed by Arnold & Andy at Andy’s home and in Jottum. Produced by The Ex. Mastered by: Frank
van der Weij. Artwork: Emma Fischer. Photos by: Matías Corral, Emma Fischer, Andy Moor, Pavel Strá?ay, Nanni Angeli, Barbora Fabianova, Christina Halstrom, Nick Helderman, Leul Mekonnen, Paul Till. The Getatchew archival photos come from his own private photo-albums