Ethiopiques, Vol. 6

Description

Product Description Before she became famous as a singer and a player of the krar -the traditional Ethiopian lyre- Asnatqèch Wèrqu' was well-known as an actress and a dancer. Inspired by the art of the 'azmaris', the Ethiopian wandering minstrels, she found the voice to transform the vicissitudes of life into poignant laments or sarcastic ditties. Review "...unique, challenging, sensuous styles of music ever produced--a sound that is sly, slippery and designed for world-class booty shaking." -- San Francisco Weekly P.when('A').execute(function(A) { A.on('a:expander:toggle_description:toggle:collapse', function(data) { window.scroll(0, data.expander.$expander[0].offsetTop-100); }); }); From the Artist Before Asnaqètch Wèrqu became famous as a singer and krar player, she was well known for her brilliant career as an actress and dancer. Wèrqu was the last great singer, storyteller and free-thinker to carry on the tradition of "poetic jous ting." She did not just experience the vicissitudes of life, she constantly found the voice to transform them into poignant laments or sarcastic ditties, which have earned her respect and recognition to this day! About the Artist From Rolling Stone, April 2004: The Lady with the Krar By Pat Blashill "MORE HIGHLIGHTS FROM A STELLAR ETHIOPIAN MUSIC SERIES Now well into the double digits, the consistently amazing Ethiopiques series compiles Ethiopian pop and traditional music that was recorded in the early seventies, a brief window of artistic freedom for Ethiopian musicians between the imperial rule of Haile Selassie and a repressive communist regime known as the Derg. The sixteenth volume focuses on the spare, haunting music of Asnaqeth Werqu, who accompanies herself on the traditional Ethiopian lyre, called a krar. On the unrequited love song "Ende lyerusalem" ("Like Jerusalem"), Werqu attacks the strings of her instrument and scatters notes in every direction as she sings, in an eerie wail, "I have come to the point of desiring him and his wife at the same time." It's as minimal and tortured as the American blues of Robert Johnson - like Johnson, Werqu regards love as something that burns like acid. See more