Emahoy Tsege Mariam Gebru - Souvenirs (Gold Vinyl)

Emahoy Tsege Mariam Gebru - Souvenirs (Gold Vinyl)"The first vocal album by beloved Ethiopian nun, composer, and pianist Emahoy Tsege Mariam Gebru profound and deeply moving home cassette recordings made amidst political upheaval and turmoil. These are songs of wisdom, loss, mourning, and exile, sung directly into a boombox and accompanied by Emahoys unmistakable piano. Though written and recorded while still living at her familys home in Addis Ababa, Emahoy sings of the heartache of leaving her

"The first vocal album by beloved Ethiopian nun, composer, and pianist Emahoy Tsege Mariam Gebru - profound and deeply moving home cassette recordings made amidst political upheaval and turmoil. These are songs of wisdom, loss, mourning, and exile, sung directly into a boombox and accompanied by Emahoy’s unmistakable piano. Though written and recorded while still living at her family’s home in Addis Ababa, Emahoy sings of the heartache of leaving her beloved Ethiopia, a reflection on the 1974 revolution and ensuing Red Terror in her homeland, and a presentiment of her future exile in Jerusalem. In the 21st century, Emahoy has become known worldwide for her utterly unique melodic and rhythmic style. Commonly misinterpreted as 'jazzy' or 'honky tonk,' Emahoy’s music actually comes from a deep engagement with the Western classical tradition, mixed with her background in Ethiopian traditional and Orthodox music. These songs, recorded between 1977-1985, are different from anything previously released by the artist. Rich with the sound of birds outside the window, the creak of the piano bench, the thump of Emahoy’s finger on the record button, they create a sense of place, of being near the artist while she records. Emahoy dreamt of releasing this music to a larger audience before her passing in March of 2023. We are proud to release this music, in collaboration with her family, now, in what would have been her 100th year. LP comes with a 16-page booklet full-color booklet." - Mississippi Records

tracklist: 1. Clouds Moving on the Sky 2. Ready to Leave 3. Is It Sunny Or Cloudy in the Land You Live? 4. Tenkou! Why Feel Sorry? 5. Ethiopia My Motherland 6. Where Is the Highway of Thought? 7. Don't Forget Your Country 8. Like the Sun Shines on Meadows