Ethiopian music has a millennium-long tradition of oral transmission. Microtonal scales and stripped-down melodies portray the country’s rich history’s battles and sorrows. Ethiopian popular music has evolved over time, eliminating some of the harsher elements of traditional songs while remaining popular among ordinary Ethiopians. The Ethiopian highlands are the birthplace of the country’s famed oral-literary culture as well as its music. Azmaris, or itinerant musicians who are well-liked in their villages, are the primary performers of traditional music. As this musical style became more popular across the country, it stole elements of local cultures, customs, and faiths. Ancient Christians in the Yared region recognized these customs and complemented them with biblical stories. A Muslim musical genre known as manzuma arose in the northeastern lowlands. Manzuma was first performed in Amharic, but it later made its way to Harar and Jimma, where it is currently performed in Oromo. The trips listed here are just a taste of what’s on offer. These itineraries can be used as a starting point or a source of inspiration. Then get in touch with us and let our team of experts assist you in creating the perfect schedule for you. Music stayed in this stage until the arrival of industry and the gradual but steady spread of western influence in the form of colonization, laying the groundwork for history, culture, and news, albeit in a semi-static state. Strange sources, on the other hand, influenced music in the United States in the early 1900s. Halie Selassie was motivated to purchase a variety of western instruments after seeing an Armenian brass band perform in Jerusalem in 1924. He initially introduced them to the Ethiopian Orchestra. Large orchestras accompanied concerts during the conclusion of WWII; the Army Band, Police Band, and Imperial Bodyguard Band were the most well-known orchestras. From the 1950s to the 1970s, the country’s popular music evolved, including some western masterpieces, and culminated in the establishment of the Ethio-Jazz genre. Mahmoud Ahmed, Alemayehu Eshete, and Tilahun Gessesse were among the renowned musicians of the time. During the late 1960s Ethio-Jazz burst, there was a modest but persistent folk rebirth, which is still going strong now.
