Tadias Magazine
Events News

Published: Saturday, June 15th, 2013

Washington, D.C. (TADIAS) – Members of the new Ethiopian rock band, Jano, will make their U.S. debut on July 4th, 2013 at the historic Howard Theatre in Washington, D.C. during this year’s gathering of Ethiopians in the District for the annual soccer tournament and cultural festival.

Organizers told Tadias that the group recently gave an interview to CNN while in Addis Ababa to mark the launch of their highly anticipated international tour.

“They have progressive sounds. It’s very new and very different. Nothing like this ever came out of Ethiopia,” the band’s New York-based producer Bill Laswell told Tadias last summer, speaking about the young ten-member team that fuses Ethiopian sounds with heavy guitar, drum and other instruments. “You hear old songs by singers from the 60′s inside of the rock,” he said. “Another interpretation that might upset some people but carries on the tradition in a modern way.”

Laswell added: “These are modern instruments but it does not overlook the kirar, it does not overlook masinko, it does not overlook the traditional singing, the church music and the power of the tradition. It does not take that for granted. They don’t join the ranks of Ethiopian music, they break the rules.”

Watch: The Ethiopian Rock Band Jano – Interview with Producer Bill Laswell (TADIAS)

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If you go:
Jano: Direct from Ethiopia
Thursday, July 4th, 2013
The Howard Theatre
620 T Street, Northwest,
Washington, D.C.20001
Phone: (202) 803-2899
More info on the show: 201 220 3442
Thehowardtheatre.com

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Related:
Summer of Ethiopian Music: Jano to Fendika, Teddy Afro to Mahmoud Ahmed (Tadias)

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