Biography

Ethiopian popular music is, by nature, multi-national. In addition to strong Ethiopian traditional roots, other elements derive from various currents of popular music: from soul and jazz to Italian hits and Islamic vocal styles. The result is a completely original kind of contemporary Ethiopian popular music. It could be described as " Arabic soul singer plays Amharic-Italian funky jazz." Shimeles Beyene, the leader of the "Ethio Stars Band" tells: "We chose the name because we were the best musicians. We formed the group in 1981 out of two bands." Tukul band plays traditional Ethiopian music in a modern experimental way. Musical director Mulatu Astatke is a well known figure in the modernisation of Ethiopian music and improving traditional instruments.