Alemayehu Eshete 1941 - 2021

Alemayehu Eshete (Amharic: ዓለማየሁ እሸቴ?) (also written Alèmayèhu Eshèté in French) was an Ethiopian Ethio-jazz singer active since the 1960s who primarily sung in Amharic. Eshete's talent was recognized by colonel Rètta Dèmèqè who invited the young singer to perform with Addis Ababa's famous Police Orchestra. Eshete had his first hit ("Seul") in 1961 before moving on to found the orchestra Alèm-Girma Band with Girma Bèyènè. Over the course of 15 years, Eshete released some 30 singles until the arrival of the communist Derg junta, which forced Eshete and many other artists into exile.

Alemayehu Eshete has since gained fame in Europe and the Americas with the release of Buda Musique's Ethiopiques series of compilations on compact disc. Ethiopiques Volume 9 is devoted entirely to recordings of Eshete's earlier music, and Volume 22 covers his career between 1972 and 1974. Other songs have also appeared on Volumes 3, 8, 10, and 13 or the series. In 2008 Eshete toured the United States with fellow Ethiopian singer Mahmoud Ahmed, backed by Boston's 10-piece Either/Orchestra.

Alemayehu Eshete was just recently noted as one of the living legends of modern Ethiopian popular culture (before his death) and one of the outstanding Ethiopian vocalists who emerged during the golden age of Ethiopian popular culture in the turbulent 1960s. Alongside Mahmoud Ahmed, Tilahun Gessesse and Bizunesh Bekele, he was among the first to adopt elements from rock-n-roll and American soul, including body movements, dance and hairstyles, eventually coming to be known as "the James Brown of Addis." In the following years, Eshete released over 30 albums that became enormous hits in Ethiopia and led various orchestras, including the famous Police Orchestra and groups that he himself established.

Following the rise of the military junta, like many other artists, Eshete left Ethiopia and established himself in Europe and the US as a vibrant and exciting vocalist, including performances alongside Ahmed. The highly regarded Ethiopiques series devoted two albums to his works, the first focusing upon his earlier works and the second, upon his career during the early 1970s.

Willber Willberforce