Addis Ababa to host unique Jazz Festival on Sunday

ADDIS ABEBA – Addis Jazz Festival will be held on Sunday, October 6, at the Embassy of Sweden, its organizers said.

Showcasing some of the most acclaimed and emerging talents, the festival brings together both Ethiopian and international artists.

“The festival is unique in its kind as a platform for cultural exchange, high-quality entertainment, and professional artistic expression,” they said in a statement sent to The Monitor.

World-famous pioneers such as Mulatu Astatke has made sure to put both the genre of Ethio-Jazz and Ethiopia as a country and culture hub on the global map through a unique fusion of Ethiopian traditional music and jazz.

Even though the origins of Mulatu Astatke’s Ethio-Jazz dates back to the 1960s, its appearance and wider popularization in the capital of Addis is a fairly new development.

Addis Jazz Festival 2019 presents a legendary line-up comprised of artists Hailu Mergia, Samuel Yirga, Alemayehu Eshete, Kibrom Birhane, and Kaÿn Lab.

Worth some special attention, the performance of Hailu Mergia will mark his comeback on the Ethiopian stage after decades of absence.

The festival is also accompanied by various entertainment activities including DJ performance and a selection of foods and drinks.

Addis Jazz Festival is brought to you by Selam Sounds, event management and production company working in collaboration with the Embassy of Sweden and Selam Ethiopia.

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Caption: Hailu Mergia is expected to perform for fans of his rediscovered ‘70s and ‘80s work and his new album.