Biography
The Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa provides the base for quartet Qwanqwa, an Amharic term signifying "language," whose approach delivers a fresh experimental take on national musical traditions. Their output comes across as energetic, spontaneous, and organic, achieved through distinctive methods that include distortion pedals along with assorted found objects as instruments. Formation occurred in 2012 once Käthe Hostetter, the violinist from Boston-based Ethiopian funk group Debo Band, settled in Addis Ababa to investigate local musical practices and join forces with area players. The remaining members consist of veteran composer/arranger Mesele Asmamaw handling electric krar, a bowl-shaped stringed instrument, Dawit Seyoum on electric bass krar, and percussionist Samson "Sami" Sendeku. Primarily instrumental, the ensemble's music targets a broad listenership, yet numerous collaborations have taken place with Ethiopian singers such as Hamelmal Abate, Selamnesh Zemene, and Etenesh Wassie. Additional partnerships have involved clarinetist Dawit Frew, Norwegian drummer Paal Nilssen-Love, and saxophone player Jeroen Visser, who also performs in Trio Kazanchis alongside Asmamaw. Concerts often occur in nonstandard locations to connect with listeners who avoid nightclubs and similar common performance spaces. Chicago-based FPE Records issued the debut release, Volume One, on cassette during 2014, then followed with Volume Two on CD and LP the next year.
Albums
