Well, we’ve managed to make two trips to Ethiopia and Tanzania in the last two years, thanks to your support.  We hope that you’ve gotten a taste of what we traveled there for, through the videos, audio tracks, and photos we’ve shared with you.  But nothing really tells the story like seeing it with your own eyes.

In September, Debo Band is finally bringing the big tour home.  Our collaborators from Ethiopia are making their first trip to America to tour with Debo, in a short jaunt down the East Coast, then hitting up the venerable Chicago Work Music Festival and it’s little sister, Global Union in Milwaukee.

We couldn’t be more thrilled.

And we hope that all of you who have supported us these last 4 years, and who have helped us realize our dreams of traveling to Africa not once but twice, will come see the very stage show we believed in enough to bring it all the way to Zanzibar.

We can’t wait to introduce you to Asrat on keberu/drums, Selamnesh’s gigantic voice (you’ll recognize her from our current 7″), and Zinash and Melaku, two of Ethiopia’s standouts in regional folk dance.

We don’t know when or if this will ever happen again.  So if you’re a Debo Band supporter, please don’t miss these shows.  We would love to share with you a little bit of what we learned in East Africa.

Check out our tour page on Flipswitch: http://www.flipswitchpr.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/current.press_release/project_id/484.cfm

“Adderech Arada” is a beloved traditional Ethiopian song about a woman who, after breaking out of her lawful marriage, falls into sin by traveling to Arada, or Addis Ababa’s red-light district. and falling into sin. Recorded live in Ethiopia in May 2009, Debo Band’s version of Adderech Arada is inspired by the Haile Selassie I Theater Orchestra’s recording arranged and conducted by Nerses Nalbandian. And on the flipside, Kiddid’s haunting remix deconstructs Debo Band’s performance with elements of dub, ambient electronica, and experimental hip-hop.

http://thephoenix.com/bmp/boston/2010/WorldMusicAct/

Best World-Music Act in Boston

Debo Band

Given Berklee on the one hand and a hearty immigrant population on the other, Boston will never run short on exciting new sounds from every corner of the world. Few bands, however, have had an itinerary like Ethiopian pop throwbacks Debo Band. Over the past nine months, the massive group have jetted with fiddles, accordions, guitars, saxophones, and tubas to Addis Ababa and Zanzibar twice on the good will of local café owners and festival organizers, all while holding down a residency here at the Western Front. With their roots in Eastern European rhythms, Middle Eastern timbres and scales, and ’60s American funk and soul, Debo Band can mine a vein of pop that sounds fresh and enticingly foreign to local listeners, and that makes for tasty material when they team up with Ethiopian rappers, dancers, and filmmakers for a full résumé of projects. Coming this year: an album, finally!

http://www.ethiopianfilminitiative.org/component/content/article/34-rotator/314-ethiopian-filmmaker-zelalem-woldemariam-wins-at-the-tarifa-african-film-festival

Ethiopian Filmmaker Zelalem Woldemariam wins at the Tarifa African film festival

Lezare Wins Best Short Film Youth Jury Award at the Tarifa African Film Festival Zelalem Woldemariam, Producer/Director, is selected as winner of “Best Short film Youth Jury Award and claimed a trophy and 2000 Euros.

Tarifa, Spain May 29, 2010– Lezare a short film produced and directed by Zelalem Woldemariam, has been selected as a winner of the best short film youth Jury award. “Lezare” was chosen from a pool of nominees worldwide by an international jury of experts. The TARIFA competition was very competitive this year, 15 films from over ten countries on the African continent were competing in the Short Film category.. The competition took place from May 21-29 in Spain. Here the list of Awards and the winners of this year’s awards: 1. Best Female Actress, IMANI from Uganda, directed by Caroline Kamya 2. Best Actor, FROM A WHISPER from Kenya, directed by Wanari Kahiu 3. Best Director, IMANI from Uganda, directed by Caroline Kamya 4. Best Short Film Young Jury Award, LEZARE, directed by Zelalem Woldemariam 5. Best Short Film RTVA Award, LE ICHA from Tunisia, directed by Walid Taya 6. Best Documentary Film, LES LARMES DE L’EMIGRATION from Senegal, by Alassane Diago 7. Prize of the Audience, ATLETU from Ethiopia, by Rasselas Lakew-D.Frankel, and EHKI YA SHAHRAZADE from Egypt, by Yousry Narsrallahr 8. Best Full Length Movie, Teza from Ethiopia, by H. Gerima “Lezare” is a revealing and touching story about a homeless boy in a small village in Southern Ethiopia. A powerful message and beautifully shot film about global warming, shortsightedness, and the danger posed for the future generation when we think for today. “Lezare” is a short feature film that was produced in May 2010. This short film has a running time of 14 minutes and was shot in full HD format. The music scoring is done by the Debo Band located in Boston, MA. The music was mixed with traditional Ethiopian instruments and usual western orchestra sound found in many films. This short film was shot in Hawassa and was produced by Zeleman Production in association with Access Entertainment. During the screenings of Lezare at the festival the audience cheered and expressed their feelings of appreciation for the film. “Lezare” world premiered in this festival, however, it will be premiered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia at the inauguration of “Images that Matter Short film Festival “on June 14. 2010. Zelalem was also part of a jury on the photo competition that took place in this festival. For more information on the festival check this website: www.fcat.es For more information about the production company: www.zelemanproduction.com

The deets:

• Artist: Debo Band
• Date: Thursday, May 27th 2010
• Time: 9:00pm
• City: Debo Band in Cambridge, MA
• Venue: Club Oberon
• Address: 2 Arrow St.
• Country: United States
• Admission: $10
• Age restrictions: 18+
• Notes: Uhuru Afrika’s Monthly Live Music sister party ‘JUMP’ returns! JUMP Presents special guests: DEBO BAND – Ethio-Groove Collective Alongside Resident Urban Griots : ADAM GIBBONS & MAX PELA Selekting the hottest dance tracks from Africa and across the Diaspora. With Malian Master Percussionist SIDY MAIGA. If you could not join us for our launch party with Lamine Toure & Group Saloum, you missed an amazing evening of Music and dance in a new venue with so much space for dancing and lounging. However, that was just the beginning. Now every month you can dance, party, lounge, listen with us. We hope to see you on this special occasion!
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View Debo Band’s EPK

We’ve updated our website to give you all the latest news about where we’ve been, and what we’re up to next. Check out the Videos page for loads of footage from our trip to Africa, our upcoming shows for some special events (including a record release party, what?), and the latest news – we’ve been nominated for the Boston Phoenix Best Music Poll in the “World Music” category!

www.bestmusicpoll.com