Africa-O-Ye! on 07/14/11

Coming up next time on Africa Oyé, we will begin a journey through the sound worlds of the Ethiopiques series: 26 volumes of Ethiopian music released over the last 14 years on the Paris-based world music label, Buda Musique.  Most of this material was recorded during the 'golden age' of Ethiopian music, in the1960s and '70s before the long civil war seriously disrupted all elements of Ethiopian society.  Also in the series are archival recordings of traditional music, and a few recent recordings too, some involving collaborations between European or American musicians and some of the classic Ethiopian artists.  Many listeners may be familiar with a few of the featured artists, such as Mahmoud Ahmed, Mulatu Astatke, or Getachew Mekurya, but there is much, much more hidden within this marvelous series. -dj timbuktunes