Perhaps because of its own internal diversity, Ethiopia seems particularly open to external musical influences.  Christianity was adopted as the official state religion in the 4th century, although on third of the population is Muslim.  Four ethnic groups are dominant, but eighty (!!) different ethnic groups presently exist within Ethiopia.  So this collection of reworked Ethiopian hits of the 1950s and 1960s is quite the eye-opener, with its seamless mix of East African, Latin and American jazz styles.

As the liner notes explain, the overthrown of Emperor Haile Selassie in 1974 gave rise to a much more aggressive electric sound in Ethiopian music subsequently, with Ethio-jazz, R&B and pop artists such as Mahmoud Ahmed and later, Aster Aweke and Gigi attracting the attention of world music enthusiasts.  But the electric style was preceded by the acoustic, which featured guitars, accordion, double bass, mandolin, clarinet, oud, drums and miscellaneous percussion.  The music on this CD has a mellow vibe, occasionally bordering on “smooth jazz,” and the seemingly effortless playing the by the six native Ethiopian musicians in the band transports the listener to hip, smoky cafes that would have flourished during the period.  Most of the fifteen songs on the program use the classic pentatonic (five-note) scale, although adherence to the scale is more or less strict, depending upon the arrangement.  The prominent use of clarinet and accordion as dual lead voices is reminiscent of Jewish klezmer music at times.  The music is most distinctive and “Ethiopian” when it combines modal scales and loping but highly complex time signatures (5/4, 6/8), as on the gorgeous “Ambassel” and “Yigermal.”  Elsewhere though, influences are more tangled and subtle.  The rhythm foundation on a number of pieces is predominantly Latin (the ostinato riff and rhythm of “Yetintu Tiz Alegn” comes very close to Santana’s version of “Black Magic Woman”), while melody lines and orchestration can suggest everything from Argentine tango to Celtic music.  Leader, arranger and guitarist Girum Mezmur has clearly listened to a good deal of jazz guitar (Jim Hall, Wes Montgomery, Kenny Burrell, etc.) and he integrates tasty but highly nuanced jazz lines into a number of tunes.  Indeed, an ethnomusicologist would find this music to be a veritable treasure trove, although one doesn’t have to analyze it in order to enjoy it.  For Ethiopians, a great deal of nostalgia is undoubtedly wrapped up in these pieces, but for everyone else, the pure musicality of the CD will be quite sufficient.  In fact, after a few spins, the music will likely insinuate itself into the listener’s consciousness to the extent that it will take up permanent residence.  Highly recommended.