Continuing the series, the second song picked …
The interest being on the song rather than the artist; these are songs which I personally deem greatest songs in modern Ethiopian music history.
Tizita, I probably do not need to say much her; this song has been around so long that no one knows the true origin. Tizita has been sang more times that any song in Modern Ethiopian Era, and for the longest period of time. If you are an Ethiopian vocalist, you basically have to have your own version. From Kuku Sebsebe to Aster Aweke and from Alemayehu Eshete to Mohamud Ahmad; almost every major Ethiopian vocalist has one, if not more. It's impossible to pick one version; it is all the same song, the same meaning. It is all about the memories. So I pick Tizita as the most influential Ethiopian song in the modern era.
Non-Ethiopians describe it as the Ethiopian version of the blues. For Ethiopians it’s a lot more that just blues, it is memories. The melancholy is not sadness, it is recollection of collective and individual reminiscence.
It is truly one of the greatest songs ever sang in not just contemporary but also in traditional Ethiopian musical history. My personal favorites include ones sang Asnakech Worku, Tilahun Gessesse and even Chachi Taddesse.
Podcasted is Tizita featuring the Krar and Gitem of the legendary Ethiopian female vocal styling of Asnakech Worku. The second podcast is a recent classical recording done in the US for the Haile Gebreselassie biographical documentary by Disney called Endurance.
Tizita - Asnakech Worku: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download Instrumental Sondtrack Endurance: Play Now | Play in Popup | DownloadSend this post to a friend
Nolawi - Very nice..and the kirar sounds beautiful. Talking about Kirar, I don’t know if Kassa Tessema has done his version of Tizita, I don’t think I have heard one, but he is one of my all time favorites. His voice is so powerful and soothing at the same time, and when combined with the sound of the Kirar, it is just incredible.
What I find mysterious about Tizita is that it is always new. There does not seem to be much difference between the different versions but it always sounds fresh. I wonder what the secret is.
On the other hand, I totally disagree with equating Tizita with blues. Blues is a style but Tizita is a song. Blues is called blues because it was used by blacks to sing their blues away and most of the lyrics they used was bluesy. Some poeple even musicians try to associate the blues scale to a bluesy feeling but that is more a perception than anything.
I love blues and I don’t feel blue when I hear it. My description of blues is sweet. It really is sweet but if you listen to older blues from the early twentith century you can tell why they called it blue.
Lulu,
Yes he has done one.
Tizitaye lene tizitaye lanchi
Yemiluat Zefen Yemiluat zefen
TachawteGnalech bichayen sihon
Dinich - Yes, yes, you are right…now I remember. How could I have forgotten? It reminds me so much of my childhood, especially of my dad. He listened to Kassa all the time. Beautiful memories!!
but you have to agree to a certain extent that there is a bluesy feel to tizta.. a certain melancholy similar to that of tizita songs… not equating persay but no denying the similarities malete nuew…
here Lulu
http://www.ethiopianow.com/music/kassa/
Emfraz - Thank you! I am going to enjoy it.
lulu or Emfraz did the website work for u guys? i can’t get it to play the songs it keeps telling me to save it and even after that it is not playing the songs! HELP:(
Oreo - No, unfortunately I had the same problem
Great pick, Nolawi! Tizeta is truly classic and timeless. I love Tizeta!
Despite the fact tha there are different versions of this same song (with slight variation in lyrics, but same tune), every time someone comes up with another ‘version’ of it will still sound great. The person(s) who composed and produced Tizeta is(are) genius.
I agree with you Nolawi on the fact tha Tizeta is much more than just blues. Often times, the song rekindles nostalgic feelings. The tone/tune of the song in which it is sung might, however give it its melancholic nature which is probably why some might categorize it under blues.
Some of my favourite versions of Tizeta include Mahmoud’s, Aster’s, Getachew Kassa’s, Bezawork’s, Hana Shenkute’s and Yirdaw’s.
Oreo and lulu - I just checked it out and it seems to work just fine for me. I used Internet Explorer and Real Player. I think you need to have Real Player installed on your computer. For some reason it wouldn’t work with Firefox, at least not on my computer.
Hope this helps
Dinich & Nolawi,
I believe Tizita is also a style…there are 4 styles in Amharic music in all - Anchi Hoye, Bati, Tizita and Zelesegna I think? This is all from elementary school (6th grade or so music class but I think that is right). Someone let me know if I am wrong or if I mixed things up…
Mengedegna - Thanks…I had to associate the type of file with Real Player and it now works…ye!
Temari,
TIZITA the scale and TIZITA the song are two different things. Yes, The song TIZITA is played in the TIZITA scale most of the times but it is sometimes palyed in the other scales, BATI etc…
A shopkeeper in the center of Amsterdam, after enquiring if I am Ethiopin, asked me what Tizita meant and told me he has been listening to Mahmouds version for more than a decade now and he still can not get enough of it. The power of tizita!!! It is truly nostalgic and healing. Almost all versions are great, can not decide which singer sung it best. The greatest thing about tizita is the seemingly simple poetry in every version has an undying verse in it, which is usually unique to the singer.
[quote comment="13686"]Dinich & Nolawi,
I believe Tizita is also a style…there are 4 styles in Amharic music in all - Anchi Hoye, Bati, Tizita and Zelesegna I think? This is all from elementary school (6th grade or so music class but I think that is right). Someone let me know if I am wrong or if I mixed things up…[/quote]
thought the 4th scale was Anbassel and not zelesgna ? I’m probably wrong. Btw, always wondered why Tilhaun, as one of the legends, never did a version of Tizita, or did he ?
great selections Nol. I especially love the piece from Endurance.
florNueva,
The fourth scale indeed is Ambassel not zeleseNa. I could be wrong but I think the greatest have not recorded a “tizita” song though a great deal of his songs are tuned to the tizita scale. He has played many songs that were not recorded, tizita could be one of them.
I thought Ambasel and Zelesegna were the same???
Aren’t there any KigNit officianados at Bernos?
Temari, Ambassel = Zelesegna , really ? esti I shall investigate.
zgent,
Surprising, Tilahun did not record Tizeta considering how that song is the staple for most artists.
My favorite Tizeta is one by Bezawork. I remember hearing as a kid when ppl used to say ‘demsua yeMoten yeKesekesal…”
She is great!
Mengedegna Thanks:)
eehm, hi everyone,
I must tell you I sucked everything you posted like a sponge! Great stuff, just marvellous!
A quick question though, can anyone tell me where, if @ all, I can find records on vinyl( sheklla?)
much love and respect!
Here is an interesting interview with Mulatu Astatke & Russ Gershon/Musician-Producer Ethiopiques, Vol, 20. They also discuss Tizita.
http://www.podcastdirectory.com/podshows/115356
this song is by far my favorite song of all time and all type. thanks nolawi. finally!
soj—i remember an ethopian music store around adams morgan however i cant remember what’s called. maybe u can find vinyl records there. noles what is that store called?
Dinich is on point, tizita has two meanings, the tizita style and the tizita song…
Meron Soj, the store is called Ethio Sound
Ethio Sound
2409 18th St. NW
Washington, DC 20009
232-0076
pretty good collection there, but I doubt there are records,… its a huge store so there might be
thanks Lulu!
My pleasure Nolawi…Besides being an entertaining and educational blog, Bernos has become a great place to exchange ideas, information between people from all walks of life, and sometimes even a place to vent frustrations. We may disagree at times on some issues, but that’s what makes Bernos what it is.
Kudos to you and all Bernosoch for keeping it going. With all honesty I can say, I am glad I found Bernos. I have learned a lot.
try the press… if you haven’t already! LULU
እንደምን ከርማችሗል ቲሸርታችሁ በጣም ደስ ይላል ሳሚ
ሐረር
thanx nolex
but I have to say that the best tizita ever done was by Kuku Sebsebe period!
I can’t wait till somebody remaster that joint. Otherwise we need to get crackin with soundforge.
peace
hey guys, thank y’all for the tip,
btw for all of you jazz aficionados,plz check out Harlem Jazz, Coffee House, African Jazz Mender, if and when you go to Addis, you’ll be surprised!
dayuuuuuum! Nolawi, you didn’t have to hurt me like that! That beautiful song is making me reach back…waaay back…and I’m about to burst into tears to express the feelings.
There are no words–to “Tizita” the song or the general feeling/s. Btw, thanks for the Asnakech version. Been listening to M.A. version a quite a bit.
peace
Oh no I disagree,Nyalasmoke!! You should listen to Asenaqech Worku…. She is awesome. her tizitas are vey witty, flirty and bluesy…. I love her.
Nolawi – Wow! The Kirar is so pure and soothing that I have chills running down my body! Tizita is something that Ethiopians should be proud of, and a God given gift to us. From lyrics to voice, the old Ethiopian artists have it all. I am sad that the new generation is adapting to the Western culture and not sustaining our own culture. But another one that I think is good Tizita is by the new TedyAfro… “400 Fikir” .
Nolawi,
This is the best version of Tizita i have ever heard, i love it!
Thanks
excellent love it mark!
Hi Everyone at Bernos.org
I know this is an ad, but you’re all gonna like it anyway.
http://www.ethiopiques.info
It’s a fansite set up to celebrate the release of a 2CD pack of classic Ethiopian groove.
Just thought you might be interested.
Best wishes
Ideed great site Tim!
Anchi hoye, batti, ambasel and tizta are the four types of ethiopian unique music style. temari u mixed it. zelesegna is the way of singing, how the voical changed form the high pitch to the lower not included with those four types.