Afropop Worldwide

After a few days in Kenya, his ancestral homeland, President Obama heads to Ethiopia. It's been a while since Afropop got the chance to visit Addis Ababa, so we reached out to musician Cory Seznec to give us an update on what's new with the Addis music scene. So if Barack has a free evening and feels like catching a show, here are Cory's suggestions:  Ethio-traditional Every other Friday night in an invariably jam-packed azmari bet (traditional music club) called Fendika in the Kazanchis neighborhood of Addis Ababa, the scorching hot traditional band Ethiocolor holds court. Here, people cram together, sitting on beer crates and drinking tej (honey mead). Run by Melaku Belay, an electrifying dancer and in many ways the Ethiopian cultural ambassador of the hour, Fendika brings together some of the finest musicians, dancers and singers from Ethiopia’s many diverse regions. At the center of it all is Ethiocolor: One of the few traditional bands that tour internationally, they recorded their debut album with the Ethio-Swedish cultural outfit Selam. However, to get the most out of their music, one must see them in their element at Fendika. There, they kick things off with an hour-long jam that showcases their virtuosic talent and determination to bring the music in new directions, spiking their Abyssinian grooves with funk riffs, Afrobeat and jazz harmony. Following the jam, the regional singers and dancers take the lead and push the atmosphere into a feverish frenzy of joyous, sweat-drenched energy.