Ethiopian bass guitarist Tommy T (aka Thomas Gobena), best known as the bassist for gypsy punk band Gogol Bordello, just released a solo album titled The Prester John Sessions. Gobena’s solo music is heavily influenced by his Ethiopian roots (he was born and raised in Addis Ababa), and there are definitely a few tracks that have that classic Ethiopian folk guitar sound. However, the album is not a single-note or monolithic take on Ethiopian music. He did some serious crate digging and looked deep into the diversity of the people and music of Ethiopia for inspiration. He also blends in styles from all over the globe, including dub, jazz and funk. The album came out November 10th on Easystar, the same guys that brought you Dubside of the Moon and Radiodread.
Tommy T ft. Gigi- The Response (direct dowload link)
This really is an album you should buy in good ol’ CD format, because the liner notes really complete the experience. Although the album is mostly instrumental, the songs are ripe with meaning. The titles are all references to Ethiopian histories and sites, and the liner notes are filled with interesting tidbits about them and why Tommy T chose to reference them. Read together with the music, it’s like an ethnomusicology class.
Oh yeah… You’re probably asking yourself “who the hell is Prester John?” Apparently, he was a mighty 12th century Christian king that ruled an kingdom in Ethiopia and was known throughout Europe and the Middle East. The idea is that this album will also be noticed througout the world and put Ethiopia on the map in a big way.
