#deboband

Debo Band Reimagined Okinawa

They combine saxophones and sousaphones, accordions and electric violins. Part Ethiopian pop and jazz, part American funk, part Eastern European brass ensemble, Debo Band is about as eclectic as musical fusion groups get.

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Well, now even more eclectic.

On their new CD, “Ere Gobez,” the group adds yet another…

MYRIAD is a new monthly party celebrating the universal language of getting weird. Open Loop & Boston Hassle have teamed up to bring you live guests and great tunes from around the globe. Expect a funky good time! our special guests for MYRIAD #2: Wax & Gold groovy experimentalism from members of Debo Band + DJ Won't & everydayisamixtape spinning international disco, boogie, funk, electro, house, post-punk, dub, & beyond... @ Good Life Boston

"This might not seem like the perfect recipe for a great party band, but hear Debo Band out. Take nine disparate musicians who play everything from electric guitar to sousaphone. Add a lead singer who usually sings in Amharic, which, despite being the main language of Ethiopia, is going to sound deeply obscure to a non-Ethiopian audience. Mix in traditional and modern Ethiopian songs and a handful of originals. Step back and let the groove roll out.

Wait, what?

Despite all apparent barriers, Debo Band — a group from Boston founded by Ethiopian-American saxophonist Danny Mekonnen — is charged up on a beguiling mix of riotous energy and sinuous swing. Its amazing singer is Bruck Tesfaye, whose voice swoops and flutters brilliantly while he stitches hundreds of tiny ornaments into his melodic lines with easy grace. The blend is best imbibed on a sweaty club floor late at night, but plenty of fire still comes through on this self-titled album debut."