Amha Eshete

Amha Eshete

History

Despite a 1948 Imperial edict banning the distribution of Ethiopian pop music, Amha Eshete launched a record label, Amha Records, and released 103 singles and a dozen albums by Ethiopian artists between 1969 and 1975. In addition to making Ethiopian music known throughout the world, Eshete helped to spark a modern period of creativity in his homeland. During an interview in the early '90s, Eshete said "I had a gut feeling that it was the right thing to do. I took the risk." The governmental resistance against Eshete's efforts ultimately proved insurmountable. By the mid-'90s, Eshete had immigrated to the United States.

Profile

Amha Eshete

Movies

Ethiopiques: Revolt of the Soul
Ethiopiques: Revolt of the Soul
The story of how the Western world was first introduced to the musical history of Ethiopia, through the `Ethiopiques' CDs and the mastermind behind them, French music journalist, Francis Falceto.
Under African Skies: Ethiopia
Under African Skies: Ethiopia
First aired on TV on the BBC Two on 29 September 1989, this second episode of the documentary series "Under African Skies", a grand project aimed at presenting the rich diversity of contemporary African music of those days and known for its unforgettable memento "A celebration of the new sounds of a continent. " traverses the nostalgic roots and the euphoric contours of Ethiopian music of the '80s.