Hailu Mergia - Yene Mircha review I Ammar Kalia's global album of the month

The Guardian 80

(Awesome Tapes from Africa)
On his second solo album, the Ethiopian multi-instrumentalist plots an audacious route through jazz, funk and traditional sounds

Ethiopian multi-instrumentalist Hailu Mergia’s backstory is one of “world music” cliche. Gaining fame in his home country as the organ and synth player for 70s jazz-funk outfit Walias Band, he relocated to Washington DC in the 80s, released a solo album in the US to little acclaim and ultimately gave up music to drive a cab. In 2013, though, Mergia was “rediscovered” by Awesome Tapes from Africa’s Brian Shimkovitz, who reissued that 1985 solo accordion odyssey, Hailu Mergia and His Classical Instrument, and a star was (re)born.