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Mahmoud, who arrived onstage at 1:45 a.m. Traces of traditional Ethiopian modes could be heard in the vocal melodies, but the hour-long set’s epic number, “Tikur Sew” (black man), sounded as much U2 as East Africa. It commanded the music, whether the cadence was a loping reggae beat or a straightforward funk-rock rhythm. Kennedy with the ousted Ethiopian leader at the White House.Īfro has a penetrating tenor, not unlike that of Senegal’s Youssou N’Dour. Video images also cued the crowd, notably during “Haile Selassie,” which was accompanied by pictures of John F.
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The audience sang along, often providing the rejoinder for the call-and-response choruses, as hundreds of arms pumped the air. The band was soon joined by Afro (born Tewodros Kassahun), who began with the first of several anthemic numbers about his native land and home continent. The live music didn’t begin until 12:35 a.m., when a sextet began to play dub-style reggae. The crowd was initially greeted by DJs who played a mix of Ethiopian pop and Jamaican dance-hall video screens displayed pan-African symbols and the former Ethiopian flag, which has been redesigned several times since Emperor Haile Selassie was deposed in 1974 - an event that also interrupted Mahmoud’s career. The concert was the biggest in a week of shows scheduled to complement this year’s Ethiopian Sports Tournament.