Der Soundtrack von... Hailu Mergia - der Podcast (English)

Hailu Mergia is one of Ethiopia's most virtuoso keyboard magicians. On the accordion, keyboard, piano or melodica, he conjures up playful and mystical melodies. He is inspired by traditional folk songs of his homeland and underlays them with modern funk and jazz grooves. Imagine you get into a taxi, and at the wheel is a legendary keyboardist from Ethiopia! Hailu Mergia spent almost 20 years ferrying customers around Washington DC, jamming on his instrument while waiting for the next ride. His unusual career began in the rural province of Sheva, where he was born in 1946. In the 70s, he became part of the Walias Band, the house band at Addis Ababa's hip Hilton Hotel. He experienced first-hand the difficult time around 1974 when Emperor Haile Selassie was overthrown by the DERG regime. To get around the curfew, his Walias Band simply played non-stop from midnight to five o'clock. In the 80s, he moved to the USA, where he kept his head above water with various jobs, but never forgot his love for music. In 2013, he made a comeback after the label "Awesome Tapes From Africa" reissued his classics. In the soundtrack, he tells us about companions like Mulatu Astatke, role models like Jimmy Smith and about the turbulent times in Ethiopia in the 70s. | Shownotes at www.wdr.de/k/soundtrackvon