Getatchew Mekurya
Getatchew Mekurya (Amharic: ጌታቸው መኩሪያ) (born 1937) is an Ethiopian jazz saxophonist.
Career
Mèkurya began his musical studies on traditional Ethiopian instruments such as the krar and the masenqo, and later moved on to the saxophone and the clarinet. Upon reaching adolescence, he began his career in 1949 as a part of the Municipality Band in Addis Ababa. In 1965 he joined the famous Police Orchestra. He was also one of the first musicians to play an instrumental version of the Ethiopian war chant "Shellela." With the album Negus of Ethiopian Sax (since re-released as part of the Ethiopiques CD series), Mekurya became known internationally as one of the most important proponents of Ethio-jazz.
He has had a long career working alongside many of the biggest orchestras in the Ethiopian capital. He has also accompanied Alemayehu Eshete, Hirut Beqele and Ayalew Mesfin. In 1974, he became a professor of police orchestras[clarification needed][citation needed] in Addis Ababa. He still lives in Addis, and shows up regularly at the Sunset Bar at the Sheraton.
Collaboration with The Ex
The album Negus of Ethiopian Sax caught the ears of Dutch avant-garde/punk band The Ex who invited the septuagenarian sax player to perform at their 25th anniversary show in Amsterdam. In turn, Mekuria asked the Ex to be the backup band for his 2006 album, Moa Anbessa. The Ex and Mekuria toured The Netherlands, Belgium and France together in 2006 and 2007, and then the United States in 2008 and Canada in 2009.[1]
Discography
- Ethiopiques Volume 14: Negus Of Ethiopian Sax (recorded in 1972)
- Moa Anbessa (with The Ex and other guests) (2006)
- Ethiopiques Volume 20: Either/Orchestra Live in Addis [one track: Shellella] (recorded in 2004)
- Getatchew Mekurya & The EX + Guests [DVD, Ethiosonic/Buda Musique]