Krar Collective

(World Music Series)

• Date: 07/20/2016 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM 07/20/2016 12:00 PM 07/20/2016 1:00 PM  
• Location: Rochester Public Library
  101 2nd St SE
  Rochester, Minnesota 55914

• Intro Text Krar Collective serve up a colourful feast of mind-blowing Ethiopian grooves. Led by Temesgen Zeleke, a former student of Ethiojazz legend Mulatu Astatke, Krar Collective perform a rootsy yet contemporary take on traditional music from Ethiopia based on other-worldly modes and driven by hypnotic rhythms. The traditional acoustic krar lyre is associated with the azmari minstrel tradition; electrified, in the hands of Zeleke it becomes a gritty, ancient rock guitar. Accompanied just by traditional kebero drums played by Grum Begashaw and fronted by the stunning vocals of Genet Assefa, Krar Collective with a minimal line up create a surprisingly full band sound, leading them to be dubbed ‘The Ethiopian White Stripes’. This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts & cultural heritage fund.
• Artist Website URL http://www.krarcollective.com/

Krar Collective serve up a colourful feast of mind-blowing Ethiopian grooves. Led by Temesgen Zeleke, a former student of Ethiojazz legend Mulatu Astatke, Krar Collective perform a rootsy yet contemporary take on traditional music from Ethiopia based on other-worldly modes and driven by hypnotic rhythms. The traditional acoustic krar lyre is associated with the azmari minstrel tradition; electrified, in the hands of Zeleke it becomes a gritty, ancient rock guitar. Accompanied just by traditional kebero drums played by Grum Begashaw and fronted by the stunning vocals of Genet Assefa, Krar Collective with a minimal line up create a surprisingly full band sound, leading them to be dubbed ‘The Ethiopian White Stripes’. This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts & cultural heritage fund.