Ethiopian Review

By Tibebeselassie Tigabu

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (SSI) – A music festival organized by Selam and the Swedish East African Music Network started on, April 30, and ended on May 2.
Selam Music Festival brought East African artists together so their voices can be heard and also can exchange experience.
The different components of the festival are being held at different venues. At the Ghion Hotel workshops are being held to give a glimpse into the music scene is in East Africa. The opening day will include music surveys of Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Ethiopia.
The discussion on women in the music industry will involve successful women like Jaqee, Njambi Koikai, Dj fatty, Muthoni Ndonga, Abigail-precious Ambweni, Zeritu and Tsedeniya.
Record production and distribution, African Jazz music school, and the Tanzania House of Talent will also be discussed by professionals from the field.
Many different genres, including reggae and hip-hop, will be performed live in Club Alize. The shows will offer a chance to see live African artists like Jaquee and the kookonuts, who got a Swedish Grammy nomination for two albums which include ‘A letter to Billie,’ – a record inspired by the American singer Billie Holiday.
Addis Acoustic Renaissance group is a group who has received admiration for singing music from the Ethiopian golden age of the 1950s and 1960s. The group includes veteran musicians such as Ayele Mamo, Shaleka Melaku Tegegn and the contemporary musicians Girum Mezmur, Henock Temesgen, Natnael Tessema, Dawit Frew and Mesale Legesse.
Sauti sol, a young group from Kenya, who just released a first album, is also part of the festival.
The multi-talented artist, songwriter, poet and a music video script writer GNL Zamba, who uses Luganda and English, is a Ugandan hip- hop artist who adores civilisations – his initials stand for the saying of the ancient Aztec civilisation regarding the highest degree of self expression: you achieve greatness of no limits.
The Tanzanian Kora Award nominee Ay (Ambwene Allen Yessayah) who started his singing carrier in the Tanzanian rap group is also appearing.
The young hip Swedish reggae artist Million Stylez, who is known for his single, Miss Fatty and who worked with celebrated artists like Beyonce, Loon, Smif N Wessun, Mr Vegas will be here to perform.
The Ethiopian band Mehari Brothers will also bring their flavour to the show and DJs like Dj Dudu, Phat su, Jah prince and Fya Mummah will be spinning records through the night.
Teshome Wondimu, the founder of Selam, added that there is also a plan to hold a training session on how to build a mobile studio.
This is the first Selam festival to be held and organisers are planning to make it an annual event.