The Nazarenes formed as an Ethiopian roots reggae duo around brothers Medhane Tewolde and Noah Isac Tewolde, both accomplished vocalists, songwriters, arrangers, and studio producers. Raised during the 1970s in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the siblings found their path early when Medhane acquired his first guitar at age twelve; Noah soon followed by adopting the bass. Their careers took them across Europe, where they settled in Sweden and performed with multiple ensembles. In the mid-nineties Medhane joined the touring bands of Zqulah, Mama Booker, and Culture Knox, while Noah secured a Virgin Records contract in 1992 that yielded three singles and one full-length album issued under the name Anbessa. The siblings resumed their partnership in 1996 and adopted the name the Nazarenes, issuing their first collection, Orit, on Insteel Sounds in 2001. Heartbeat Records brought out the concept album Songs of Life across Europe in 2004; Rounder Records handled its American reissue the following year. Anchored in classic roots reggae yet lifted by their sharp compositional and arranging instincts, the pair’s Ethiopian heritage set them apart as one of the scene’s most distinctive acts in recent memory.
