Hailu Mergia and Dahlak Band

Hailu Mergia & Dahlak Band — Wede Harer Guzo

To my surprise, Hailu Mergia (keyboard/accordion-player and bandleader of Ethiopian origin) sent me his only copy of this cassette-only release from 1978, Wede Harer Guzo. I knew of Dahlak Band but I didn’t know he recorded with them. The soulful, smokey reinterpretations of seminal Ethiopian standards, along with two Mergia originals, make a considerable impact on your heart, if only you’re still human in these strange and challenging times.

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Details about Hailu Mergia & Dahlak Band:
Hailu Mergia & Dahlak Band’s Wede Harer Guzo is the third release on Awesome Tapes From Africa for Ethiopian keyboard and accordion maestro. In the years since Shemonmuanaye, Mergia has revamped his touring career, playing festivals and clubs worldwide, including a recent tour supporting Beirut. By 1978, Addis Ababa’s nightlife was facing challenges. The ruling Derg regime imposed curfews, banning citizens from the streets after midnight until 6:00 am. But that didn’t stop some people from dancing and partying through the night. Bands would play from evening until daybreak and people would stay at the clubs until curfew was lifted in the morning.

One key denizen of Addis’ musical golden age, Hailu Mergia, was preparing a follow-up to his seminal Tche Belew LP with the famed Walias Band. It was the band’s only full-length record and it had been a success. But his Hilton house band colleagues were a bit tied up recording cassettes with different vocalists. Still Mergia, amidst recording and gigs with the Walias, was also eager to make another recording of his instrumental-focused arrangements. So he went to the nearby Ghion Hotel, another upmarket outpost with a popular nightclub. Dahlak Band was the house band at Ghion at the time. Together they made this tape Wede Harer Guzo right there in the club during the band’s afternoon rehearsal meetings, with sessions lasting three days.

Dahlak Band catered to a slightly more youthful, local audience, while Mergia’s main gig with the Walias at Addis’ swankiest hotel had a mixed audience that included wealthy Ethiopians, foreign diplomats and older folks from abroad. Therefore, their sets featured lighter fare during dinnertime and a less rollicking selection of jazz and r&b. Meanwhile, Dahlak was known more for the mainly soul and Amharic jams they served up for hours two nights a week to a younger crowd.

Mergia released Wede Harer Guzo (“Journey to Harer,” a city in eastern Ethiopia)  with Sheba Music Shop, which was located in the Piazza district but has long since shut down. His cassette copy is the only known source we could find. Jessica Thompson at Coast Mastering managed to restore the recording to clean up layers of hiss, flutter and distorted frequencies, made worse by years of storage. Although there are some remaining sonic artifacts of the era’s recording and cassette duplicating quality, this reissue captures the band’s inimitable vibe.

Recalling the audience’s positive reaction to Wede Harer Guzo’s novel arrangements, he says it sold well and found many fans. However, as no trace of the tape can be found online, there’s no indication as to why the cassette appears largely forgotten until now.

16 Comments

Join the discussion and tell us your opinion.

tomreply
July 17, 2016 at 10:05 am

….very beautiful strange music.

Bluereply
November 5, 2016 at 1:45 am
– In reply to: tom

Wham bam thank you, ma’am, my quoinsets are answered!

Adamreply
August 2, 2016 at 11:11 am

Only complaint is that I wish the LP came with a download code.

Joereply
November 26, 2017 at 6:55 pm
– In reply to: Adam

I got his other LP and it came with the download code.. i was really surprised and felt a little jipped this one didn’t

Théoreply
August 25, 2016 at 10:07 am

Magic… Sintayehu is a groovy gem !!

Mawulireply
March 9, 2017 at 1:54 pm
– In reply to: Théo

Super amazing…

Sunday Short Cuts | the little dog laughedreply
September 18, 2016 at 10:28 am

[…] Awesome tapes from africa continues releasing the great ethio jazz LP´s by hailu mergia – so here´s the “Wede Harer Guzo” LP with Dahlak band […]

Loganreply
October 7, 2016 at 10:24 am

Remarkable! I’m diggin’ this a lot

Aster Aweke – Awesome Tapes From Africa Awesome Tapes From Africareply
December 6, 2016 at 6:09 pm

[…] So smooth, such a rainy night vibe. Aweke’s voice soaring. Mid- or late-1970s, I believe.  The backing band I suspect is Roha Band (nee Ibex Band)… mellow af. Reminds me of the recent Hailu Mergia & Dahlak Band reissue. […]

Hailu Mergia & Dahlak Band – idleformat.comreply
December 26, 2016 at 12:59 am

[…] Hailu Mergia & Dahlak Band — Wede Harer Guzo. This is a revelation, particularly the track Sintayehu. Wonderful music to end a bewildering year. You can read more at awesometapes.com: […]

Benhurreply
December 26, 2016 at 10:17 pm

What a Gem

Shadows & Reflections: Ian Preece – Caught by the Riverreply
December 29, 2016 at 1:00 am

[…] Ossie’s ‘Gay Drums’; Lambchop; Laura Gibson; Mary Lattimore; Marisa Anderson; Nick Cave; Hailu Mergia’s 1978 live LP on Awesome Tapes from Africa; Roy Montgomery’s RMHQ Headquarters; Wes Tirey’s Black Wind. I keep quoting John Andrews from […]

Hailu Mergia vuelve a poner el Ethiojazz en boca de todosreply
May 29, 2017 at 11:53 pm

[…] revolucionó a los amantes del ethiojazz en 2013. El “rescate” y reedición de Wede Harer Guzo (“Viaje a Harer”, una ciudad del este de Etiopía), un cassette que Hailu Mergia grabó […]

breno dallasreply
December 27, 2017 at 2:00 am

beautiful!!!

Awlachew Wondiradreply
January 3, 2019 at 11:51 pm

one of the oldest music in ethiopia modern time.

manguereply
October 20, 2019 at 4:26 am

Just came across this BBC interview with Hailu: https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-us-canada-43804958/the-music-legend-who-drives-a-taxi
Watch it and afterwards listen to his music again, will be even more enchanting!

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