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Munit: Making Waves in Addis

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Photo by: Nolawi Taddesse

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Photo by: Ifa Mesfin

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Photo by: Abiy Demilew

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Photo by: Abiy Demilew

Munit Mesfin, a talented up and coming musician, spent the past two years traveling between Addis Abeba and Alexandria, Virginia, where she makes her home in the United States. Although Munit had always considered singing a hobby, performing at jazz jam sessions and supporting musicians like Wayna and other Ethiopian artists, it wasn't until she met Jorg Pfeil, a German guitarist in Addis Abeba, that she started to consider a career in music seriously. This interview takes place after her most recent trip to Ethiopia.

You travel frequently to Ethiopia. How have your experiences been and what did you accomplish this time?

This was a very interesting, challenging and rewarding trip that lasted from October ‘08 till March ‘09. It was my third trip to Ethiopia since the Millennium in 2007, when I first started performing music more seriously. For the Millennium, I had the pleasure of supporting some of Ethiopia’s stars, including Aster, Theodros (Taddesse), Gosaye, Abenet and Hamelmal, and rubbing shoulders with the Black Eyed Peas. Another highlight was performing with Luciano and Mikey General at the Gaslight (Sheraton). I also met Jörg Pfeil, a German guitarist currently living in Addis Abeba, through a mutual friend and we started performing together as a duet.  We had such a good time performing we decided to record our show for promotional purposes (Live @ the Coffee House, 2007).

The second trip was from April till June in 2008, during which time we released our live album at the Gaslight and performed at the Alliance Ethio-Francaise sponsored 7th Annual Ethiopian Music Festival. It was a memorable concert with an amazing audience. I had the honor of playing Gash Girma Beyene’s songs in his presence (the Festival was in his honor). We also performed weekly at Club Alize, another excellent location for acoustic music, and put together a concert at the Hager Fikir Theatre, one of Africa’s oldest theatres. The other exciting aspect of this trip was meeting many talented and wonderful individuals, such as promoters, graphic designers, poets and artists, in the city.  It was great to see the potential and the talent that exists. 

This final trip was to record a second album while the momentum was alive. We managed to finish the recording and it’s currently in the mixing and mastering phase with Abegaz K. Shiota. We’ve released a single which was received very positively, for which we are very grateful. It’s a song called “Noro Noro”, which translates loosely to “if only” and speaks of seizing the moment and living our truths so that we do not live a life of regrets.  In this trip, we continued our weekly performances at Club Alize, which was amazing in terms of both the attendance and the energy of the crowd! We also organized another concert at Hager Fikir Theatre, and performed for a new festival, “Reggae by the Nile”, held in Bahir Dar by Lake Tana (an amazing location) as well as a monthly poetry and art program, “YeBerehan Meshet” (An Evening of Light), full of some the country’s most talented poets (it’s currently in its fifth month). Overall, it was a very productive, stressful and rewarding trip.

What’s the music scene like in Addis Abeba?

The scene in Addis is very vibrant and growing. Even if it’s with just a keyboard and vocalist, one can find live music every night in all directions and with tremendous diversity as well.  From jazz to pop to reggae, in English, Amharic or no words at all, there are clubs that cater to all types and styles.  There are several excellent bands currently playing around town with new ones forming constantly, each with their own dedicated fan base. The drawback I have seen so far is that most bands tend to play the same set list for a long time, which leads to the memorization of entire shows. However, the scene is significantly more vibrant than it used to be five years ago, and it also shows tremendous signs of growth with talented musicians rising and many returning. There are also excellent venues for traditional music, both “azmari” houses and traditional cultural showcases. If we combine the two, it can be hard to get bored in Addis.

What are some of the challenges facing musicians and Ethiopian music?

Some of the challenges are the lack of music schools where one can get the right kind of training on both their specific instrument and also on performing and arranging as a band. For a long while, it was only the Yared School of Music with a very limited capacity (approximately 200 students total). However, there are currently new music schools opening up, some more expensive than others, and it is encouraging to see that there are students willing to pay the price and are highly motivated and disciplined about improving their craft.  

Another significant challenge is, particularly for budding musicians, the lack or unaffordability of musical instruments. There are many talented musicians that can only practise on others’ instruments, which means that they don’t have the freedom and ability to practise and/or play when they want. 

Finally, there are still limited venues and limited audiences for certain styles of music, which makes the city a competitive place to earn one’s income. The same challenge here applies there on income and survival as a musician. Many do it with wedding gigs, while others might turn into hobby musicians because of the lack of continuous income. 

Is there a role that you see the diaspora or diaspora musicians playing in Ethiopia?

Currently, there are many returned Ethiopian and African American musicians living and playing in the city. There are folks like the “Right On” band, a funk band entertaining crowds in the Sheraton, musicians like K’Alyn living, performing, arranging, recording and producing music in the city and of course the many reggae artists that have repatriated from England, the “Islands” and are living in Shashemene that liven up the music scene. 

From the Ethiopian Diaspora, individuals like Abegaz K. Shiota, Henock Temesgen, Fasil Wuhib, Teferi Assefa, Theodros Taddesse, Jorga Mesfin etc. have, in the past 5 years, returned to Ethiopia after many years abroad. One significant impact that their return has made has been the opening of the African Jazz Music School in October of 2008, where they are currently teaching approximately 80 students in music theory, history and practice. I actually had the honor of teaching vocal lessons for approximately 5 weeks to about 30 students, both an intimidating and rewarding exercise! They have also invigorated the music scene and are part of some of the “hottest” bands in town, and serve as tremendous inspiration to budding artists who have the opportunity to watch their heroes perform! 

There are also Europeans that are living and working in Addis Abeba that are also significantly impacting particularly the jazz and gospel music scene, in performing, arranging and teaching. So, the Diaspora can definitely play a significant role in diversifying and improving music and the arts in Ethiopia. 

How would you describe contemporary Ethiopian music?

Well, as I have seen it, there is both a tremendous amount of creativity and diversity as well as a lot of repetition and similarity. It’s a little hard to explain! There are days when I listen to the radio in Ethiopia and the songs seem extremely similar in sound and almost formulaic in arrangement. At times, you can tell who the arranger/producer is in the first thirty seconds, and as there are some dominating producer personalities that many go to and emulate, there is a sense of duplication and repetition in a lot of contemporary music. Even when a unique sound comes through, as was seen with Eyob Mekonnen or some of the innovative styles that Teddy Afro creates, there will then be an almost exact duplication effort to sound like Eyob or Teddy.

Definitely, at this point, contemporary Ethiopian music is very, in my humble opinion, over produced, electronicized and feels duplicated. It would be nice to see more people pushing the envelope with live instruments and even more experimental arrangements, although the challenges, such as prohibitive cost and limited resources, are many.

Who are some of the artists you really enjoy?

From the Ethiopian crowd, I really enjoy listening to, in no particular order, Theodros Taddesse, Aster Aweke, Gigi, Bizunesh Bekele, Ali Birra, songs of Girma Beyene, Lemma Demissew, Muluken Melesse, Mahmood Ahmed, Tilahun Gessesse and the list goes on and on. 

From beyond, I think I have an eclectic ear. The other day, I was loving Tori Amos and right after that was digging the Afro-Peruvians and then marinating in Nina Simone. I love roots, rock and reggae, with a touch of jazz and soul. Many move me.

How would you describe your music?

Well, if you listen to the live album, I would call it slightly pschizophrenic with a combination of old school English and Amharic, including bands like The Police, Bob Marley and Carol King and Gash. Lemma Demissew. Then, there are our originals which are kind of pop and folkish and then rockish. It is best to hear it and judge for one’s self,  but it is definitely an acoustic sound (guitar and voice) but in style, it is very everywhere.

Who or what are some of the influences shaping your sound?

Well, I had never really thought about playing in a duet and had rarely heard duets prior to meeting Jörg. He is a very big fan of the voice and guitar coupling and had worked in a duet setting for several years with various German vocalists. He first wanted to play in a duet when he heard Sting and Branford Marsalis playing “Roxanne” together. I think it was one of those “Aid for Africa” shows. It was an amazing performance! I think he also fell in love with Sade then (laughs). But yeah, some of his favorite duet artists include Tuck and Patti and Frank and Fellow, and there are also amazing recordings of Ella Fitzgerald with Joe Pass that have made an impact in his vision for a duet. I bring the reggae and Ethiopian vibe into the mix, we arrange together, and it seems to all work out somehow! 

Some of the artists that we are both very into, and helped in our musical bonding, are artists like The Police, Michael Franti, Jimi Hendrix, Queen and Phil Collins.

What are some of the things that need to be done for Ethiopian music to reach a global audience?

I think Ethiopian music is definitely getting a wide audience with artists like Gigi, Mahmood Ahmed and, in Europe, artists like Minyeshu Kifle who performs a very well arranged, big band supported traditional set. Also, there are many Ethio-Europeans and Ethio-Americans, like Emelia and Wayna and Kenna, for instance, who have amazing hits and have achieved great recognition. They might not “sound” Ethiopian, but it is still Ethiopian music as Ethiopia is in its roots.

I think we need to reach out more, even within Africa, by going to the Festivals, entering the competitions, widening our network so that it’s not only Ethiopians playing to an Ethiopian audience but crossing boundaries, as well. I love Brazilian, Indian, Cape Verdean music and I don’t understand most of what they’re saying! It is about creating works that are well arranged, musically, and then gritting our teeth and entering the global game and not staying within our comfort zone. 

With music schools opening and with the vibrant discussions on arranging and composing, and also with the doors that those that have come before us are opening, I believe that the next decades will see many Ethiopian artists and our music travelling a wider distance. Collaborations are also a key method in getting there--collaborating with other artists whenever the opportunity arises, and plugging what is “Ethiopian”, be it rhythm, scales, melody, language etc., into the mix!

There’s a lot of discussion around the idea that Ethiopian music was at its most developed in the 60’s. What are your thoughts on this?

I think there definitely has been a lot of “and it all ended in 1974” type of conversations, particularly while I was in Addis and with a lot of interviews that I read of Francis Falceto (Ethiopiques). I cannot speak very authoritatively on the topic as of yet, but there was an “Aha!” moment one day, when I was thinking about when I was born and what music I was born into during the 80’s. I remembered that I was highly entertained with amazing singers and songwriters throughout my lifetime, and amazing performers like Theodros Taddesse, Muluken Melesse, Kuku Sebsebe, Kennedy Mengesha and the list continues! There were many artists that were actually “created” or that were developed during the Derg period by the de-centralization of the arts from Addis Abeba and from elite institutions like the “Kibur Zebegna” (Royal Guard).  From the few musicians that had access to the few music educators, during the 80s, there was recruiting of talented individuals from both rural and urban areas, and many bands and vocalists were created throughout the Kebeles that reached all the neighborhoods of the city. Also, there were amazing productions like “Hezb le Hezb”, which has yet to see its equal, and theatres opened their doors for traditional and contemporary works. So, from these observations, I have decided that I need to do further research to find out why such statements that claim a slight death of Ethiopian music in the 70s, after the revolution, have been declared and then echoed until I almost believed it myself! 

I will have to come back to you on this one!