Trio Kazanchis is an Ethiopian-Swiss-French trio featuring legendary Ethiopian krar (the tringed bowl-shaped lyre) player, vocalist, and songwriter Mesele Asmamaw, who passed away in late 2024, and who has played with the trio of the great Mohammed Jimmy Mohammed, and recorded with Mats Gustafsson and Paal Nilssen-Love (Baro 101, Tep, 2012); Swiss, Zürich-based bandleader and multi-instrumentalist Jeroen Visser (who released the album via his 121234 label); and French, Toulouse-based drummer-vocalist Fabien Duscombs. The trio was formed in 2008 when Visser found himself jamming with Asmamaw and Duscombs in various venues in the music Mecca of Addis Ababa, the district of Kazanchis, and was once described as «African jazz’s answer to The Who».
Sheger ሸገር is the third studio album of Trio Kazanchis, augmented by masenqo (a single-stringed bowed lute) player Endris Hassen of Fendika (who frequently collaborates with The Ex). The title of the album refers to the nickname of Addis Ababa (and, literally, means in Amharic the center of the old and the new generation’s artistic, social, and urban life). The album was recorded in 2018 at the tiny Studio de la Trappe near Toulouse, and expands Trio Kazanchis’ psychedelic-tinged Ethio jazz funk or punk.
The ten pieces, some sung in Amharic, suggest a steamy and spicy stew of innovative krar (Asmamaw used beer bottles for sliding sounds) and psychedelic masenqo playing, openly emotional vocal delivery, infectious grooves, and subversive, experimental punkish spirit relying on improvisational dynamics. The album is a mental tour of the restless and bustling Addis Ababa, in the past as well as in the future (with some sounds from the city). Some of the songs are inspired by the beggar songs from the Wollo area in Ethiopia, where Asmamaw grew up. The beautiful, uplifting album is dedicated to the memory of Asmamaw, «the man with the golden krar touch», and thanks the late, great Ethiopian sax player Getachew Mekuria (who also collaborated with The Ex) for «being such an Anbessa!» (lion in Amharic).
Eyal Hareuveni
Mesele Asmamaw (krar, vocals), Jeroen Visser (vocals, baritone saxophone, Farfisa organ, synthesizer, bass, clarinet), Endris Hassen (vocals, masenqo), Fabien Duscombs (vocals, drums)
