TO WESTERN EARS, the music seems both foreign and familiar. Its mood stretches from sultry and haunting to upbeat and vibrant. Soulful Western undertones are audible, yet the overall impression is ...

Once a music star in Ethiopia, Hailu Mergia moved his life to Washington, D.C., more than 35 years ago. But while today he can often be found behind the wheel of a taxi, he also has returned to ...

In its first two years, D.C.-based record label 1432 R has stood out for its ethos and its ear, but also for a more curious reason. Even though 1432 R takes its name from a District street address, ...

Jorga Mesfin, the legendary saxophonist and keyboardist, was a budding jazz musician in college in 1997, exploring the vast universe of music. While in the ...

When most Americans hear the word “Ethiopia,” the thoughts running through their heads probably are similar to the ones that run through mine: images of famine and war, mainly, and not a lot else.

What makes an artist great? The answer to this question might be tough but one thing is clear. An artist achieves greatens at least by creating something that has not been created before him and keeps ...

A very rare jazz album from a legendary Ethiopian artist is now a lot easier to get a hold of. Hailu Mergia, who’s lived in the DC area for years, debuted “Tezeta” in 1975 with the Walias Band. The ...

Éthiopiques (Ethiopian in French) collection of Ethopian popular music is certainly extensive; 28 volumes produced so far to my knowledge on France’s Buda Musique label, and probably more volumes have ...

A t first glance: Plain but immaculate, this narrow storefront just across from the AFI Silver and Roundhouse theaters is painted in deep reddish-brown, spicy shades that echo the food. A TV showing ...