Tadias Magazine
Events News
Published: Thursday, January 9th, 2014
New York (TADIAS) — The legendary Ethiopian keyboard player Hailu Mergia and the Washington DC-based Ethio-Jazz group Feedel Band will make an appearance at Drom in New York City this weekend as part of a musical showcase sponsored by the record labels Electric Cowbell and Barbes.
Hailu, who spends six days a week driving a cab to and from Dulles Airport in DC, emerged from obscurity this month hitting the performance stage for the first time since 1991. “Little of his customers are probably aware of the fact that the cabbie once was Ethiopia’s most popular keyboard player and band leader of the legendary Walias Band (which featured Mulatu Astatke, among pillars of the Addis scene),” Drom noted in its announcement. “The Walias Band’s much sought-after LP Teche Belew goes for thousands of dollars on EBAY (if it can be found there at all) and features the original version of the monstrous Muziqawi – arguably the best known Ethiopian tune worldwide.”
Feedel Band will also be playing at Silvana in Harlem on Friday, January 10th with saxophonist Moges Habte who was featured on the Ethiopiques Volume 13 album. Feedel Band is currently working with Producer Thomas Gobena who previously produced Debo Band’s self-titled debut album.
“Since our inception as a cohesive unit we’ve performed in numerous venues, for very diverse audiences,” Feedel Band said in a press release. “Our most recent collaboration was with Aster Aweke as her band, on her current Ewedihalehu U.S. tour. Our journey now brings us to New York City; hope you can join us for an evening of music and fun.”
At Drom on Saturday, Feedel Band starts at 10:15pm, while Hailu Mergia takes the stage at 11:00pm accompanied by a new band featuring multi-instrumentalist and producer Nikhil P. Yerawadekar of Low Mentality and Antibalas.
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If You Go
Hailu Mergia & Feedel Band at Drom NYC
Saturday, January 11th, 2014
85 Ave A (b/w 5th & 6th)
New York City, 10009
(212) 777-1157
www.dromnyc.com
Video: Hailu Mergia Takes Off
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