Ahmed Mahmoud Biography

In Ethiopia, the word is eskeusta, which generally translates to ecstasy; more precisely, it is a shaking feeling that starts at the shoulders and moves down the spine to the legs and feet. And, of all the great male vocalists Ethiopia has produced (don't laugh, there have been many), none can make eskeusta like Mahmoud Ahmed. For the past 30 years, Mahmoud Ahmed has deftly combined Ethiopian traditional Amharic music (basically a five-note scale with jazz-style singing offset by complex circular rhythm patters that give the music a distinct Indian feel) with pop and jazz, yielding some of the most adventurous, passionate, ear-opening, and downright surrealistic sounds this side of the deepest, darkest, dub or the funk. In fact, words scarcely do Ahmed's sweeping multi-octave voice justice unless you've heard it in full exercise mode. He, like the late great Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, needs to be heard to be believed and appreciated. Ahmed has become a sensation in Ethiopia nearly since he began recording. His soaring vocals, complemented by the carefree jazziness of the Ibex Band (with whom he recorded his masterpiece Ere Mela Mela), are considerably distinct from what is typically categorized as afro-pop. The rhythms are repeated and powerful, comparable to Fela, but a little less harsh. But it's Ahmed's voice that stands out: whirling high notes that seem like they're chasing each other, perfect tone and phrasing. By singing in this way, Ahmed has sought to bridge the gap between the past and the present. When it comes to performing older Ethiopian music, he is not an elitist; rather, he sees commonalities in Ethiopian pop that have thrived through time and is eager to bring them together. As Western critical attention to afro-pop concentrated on Sub-Saharan African music, Ethiopian musicians such as Ahmed and Hirut Bekele, Ali Birra, and Alemayhu Eshete were less likely to gain journalistic notice. Recently, newer singers such as Aster Aweke (who immigrated to the United States in the mid-1980s) and Netsanet Mellesse have gotten greater attention, allowing those interested to delve further into the music that impacted them. And for those who are interested, that means getting to know excellent, demanding, but unknown artists like Mahmoud Ahmed. All Music Guide's John Dougan

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