Alèmayèhu Eshèté

Alèmayèhu Eshèté's blend of traditional Ethiopian folk music, jazz, and Afrobeat made him a pioneer of the Ethio-jazz genre. One of his homeland's most popular singers since the 1960s, he earned an international audience during the late-1990s and early-2000s, when several volumes of the Ethiopiques compilation series highlighted his music. He was born in Jimma, Ethiopia, in June 1941, and began performing during the 1950s as a member of the Police Orchestra, having been recruited to the group by Colonel Rètta Dèmèqè. His first hit was 1961's "Seul," and he followed the song's success by launching the Alem-Girma Band with composer Girma Bèyènè. He also recorded music as a solo artist, releasing nearly thirty singles over the course of 15 years with the label Amha Records. Despite his celebrity status, Alèmayèhu Eshèté was forced into exile in France during the mid-1970s, following the overthrow of the Ethiopian Empire. His career slowed to a crawl during his time in France, although 1992's Addis Ababa — an album recorded with French musicians like guitarist Jean-François Pauvros — helped resurrect his popularity, as did Buda Musique's Éthiopiques series. Éthiopiques Volume 3: Golden Years of Modern Ethiopian Music was released in 1998 and included four Eshèté songs, while 2001's Éthiopiques Volume 9 focused exclusively on his music. 2007's Éthiopiques Volume 22 was likewise devoted to Eshèté's music, contributing to a surge of popularity during the final decades of his life. He later suffered a fatal heart attack on September 2, 2021, passing away in Addis Ababa at 80 years old.

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