An hour of spellbinding solo piano recordings from one of the most fascinating musicians of the past century. Born Yewubdar Guèbrou in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, into an upper class family, she was classically trained in piano and violin. The Emperor Haile Selassie cruelly vetoed this project, to the young artist's great dismay. Her dream cruelly dashed, she sank into a deep depression. From then on, she had no other thought but to withdraw from the world and turn to religion.
She spent the rest of her years living out these holy orders, first in Addis, and eventually in Jerusalem, and she continued to write and record music – a truly singular style of piano composition, as indebted to the proto-ambience of Erik Satie as it is to the Ethiopian tradition.
This mix, selected by NTS, features recordings from "Church of Kidane Mehret", a new archival release from Mississippi Records, including previously unheard material.
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Manchester-based label Kaizen has already seen releases from the likes of Silas and Snare, Surgeon and Biome. Co-founder Madam X heads up the label showcase once a month to delve into the murky ends of the UK's grime and techno scenes.
Manchester-based label Kaizen has already seen releases from the likes of Silas and Snare, Surgeon and Biome. Co-founder Madam X heads up the label showcase once a month to delve into the murky ends of the UK's grime and techno scenes.