Ethio-jazz icon keyboardist Hailu Mergia has a new album soon, his first in a couple of years. Called Yene Mircha in the Amharic language (''My Choice'' in English) it is to be released in late-March on the Awesome Tapes From Africa label. Drawn from the album, 'Abichu Nega Nega' (meaning ''How Are You, Abichu?'' a Mergia arrangement of a traditional piece) is streaming.
Setegn Atenaw who plays the mesenqo (a single stringed lute), vocalist Tsehay Kassa and saxophonist Moges Habte are among the album's personnel. Blessed with an open feel and plenty of space for experimentation the groove has a 1970s feel, Mergia adding rhapsodic highly absorbing flourishes as the instrumental decants into declarative vocal and then develops a whole new motific direction as vocals dip in and out of his charismatic solo line.
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