Ethio-Jazz Legends Meet a New Generation
The Ghion Hotel’s Ballroom in Addis Ababa is set to become the center of a musical reckoning from February 6 to 8, 2026, as the Addis Jazz Festival marks its fifth edition. This year’s theme—“The Ethio-Jazz Legends Meet Contemporary Mastery”—signals both a celebration and a turning point, bringing together the architects of Ethiopia’s jazz tradition and the artists reshaping it for a new era.
With organizers projecting more than 3,000 attendees each day, the three-day festival underscores Addis Ababa’s growing stature within the global jazz conversation. Long regarded as the birthplace of Ethio-jazz, the city is increasingly positioning itself not merely as a historical reference point, but as a living, evolving center of musical innovation.
The 2026 program reflects that ambition. Among the headliners are Dawit Yifru, performing alongside Girma Beyene, as well as Selam Seyoum and Giovanni Rico of the Ibex Band, whose work helped define the genre’s formative years.
A centerpiece of the festival will be the long-awaited homecoming and album release of Tilaye Gebre with the Dhalak Band. They will be joined by leading contemporary figures, including Samuel Yirga, Dibekulu Tafesse, and Jorga Mesfin in collaboration with the Admas Band.
Alongside established names, the festival continues its commitment to emerging talent. Artists such as Zerubabel Mola, Addis Legesse, and Mergitu Workineh will share the stage with international fusion collaborators, creating dialogue between Ethiopian traditions and European jazz sensibilities. The result, organizers say, is not nostalgia but exchange—an active reimagining of Ethio-jazz for a global audience.
Guided by the refrain, “Jazz was never meant to be boxed in, neither was Addis,” the festival seeks to reinforce the capital’s reputation as a destination for serious jazz audiences. Organizers describe the event not simply as a concert series but as a cultural platform—one that integrates music with visual art, design, and cuisine to present Addis Ababa as a city of layered creative expression.
Beyond honoring trailblazers such as Mulatu Astatke, the festival places equal emphasis on Ethiopia’s genre-defying roots and its contemporary innovators. This year’s edition will extend beyond music performances to include curated art installations, handcrafted design showcases, and culinary experiences drawn from the city’s diverse neighborhoods.
“We are spotlighting Ethiopia’s deep musical roots while giving space to today’s sonic innovators,” festival representatives said. “This is artistic excellence, curated with purpose.”
In a departure from traditional, closed-off festival models, organizers are also expanding performances into public spaces—parks, plazas, and city squares—aiming to “activate” the urban landscape and make culture more accessible. By reclaiming public venues for artistic expression, the festival seeks to transform the city itself into a stage, fostering encounters between local legends, international artists, and new audiences.
Organizers argue that the significance of the Festival extends well beyond the arts. They frame the cultural sector as a critical engine for employment, development, and social cohesion—an argument they hope will resonate with policymakers.
“The cultural sector creates jobs, drives development, builds peace, and fuels democracy,” representatives said, describing the festival as evidence that creative industries are not ornamental but essential.
In that spirit, the 2026 edition will also host pop-up markets and immersive installations designed to encourage dialogue about the future of Ethiopia’s creative economy by placing artists and industry leaders at the center of these conversations.
As preparations continue for the upcoming Festival, members of the Admas Band have been reflecting on a journey that stretches back more than four decades. Their story, rooted in collaboration and quiet experimentation, mirrors the evolution of Ethio-jazz itself.
The band’s origins trace to the return of Abegaz Kibrework from abroad, when a loose collective of musicians gathered for what was intended to be a one-off recording session. That experiment resulted in Admas, a seven-track album that would later become one of the region’s enduring—and initially overlooked—recordings.
“At the time, we recorded the album, sold a few copies, and moved on to other projects,” Abegaz recalled. “We essentially forgot it existed.”
For years, the album remained largely obscure. Its rediscovery came only five years ago, when a music curator unearthed the recording and reintroduced it to a new generation of listeners. The response surprised even its creators. Renewed demand prompted the band to revisit the material, re-recording the album while preserving its original spirit—a revival that now culminates in a featured performance at the Ghion Hotel’s Ballroom.
Though long absent from the spotlight, Admas exerted a quiet but lasting influence on Ethiopia’s music scene. Band members note that the album inspired a wave of younger artists, including Girum Mezmur, who sought to follow the professional path established by figures such as Abegaz and Henok Temesgen.
That dialogue between generations remains a defining feature of the Addis Jazz Festival.
Among this year’s headliners is Samuel Yirga, who will take the stage alongside a distinguished lineup.
Samuel began his professional career at 16 and later gained international recognition with his debut album, Guzo, praised for its intricate fusion of Ethio-jazz, soul, and funk with American jazz, Latin, and classical influences.
This year marks Samuel’s fifth appearance at the festival, but the performance carries particular significance. For the first time, he will be part of a cross-cultural collaboration with an international artist.
“For this edition, I’ll be collaborating with Stephanie Lottermoser, a saxophonist from Germany,” Samuel said. “Given the caliber of the musicians performing that night, I expect something truly special.”
For Lottermoser, the invitation represents both a professional milestone and a cultural exchange. She described it as a privilege to perform in Ethiopia and to share the stage with Samuel, calling the collaboration a highlight of the festival’s growing international profile.
Both musicians view the festival as a vital platform—one that honors Ethiopia’s genre-defying musical roots while amplifying contemporary voices pushing those traditions forward.
That sense of continuity resonated with Dibekulu, who said he felt honored to perform alongside artists he has long regarded as mentors. He credited his artistic growth to years spent working with founders of the iconic Roha Band, including Selam and Giovanni Rico.
“Their guidance shaped who I am as a performer,” he said, noting that the shared professional history prepared him for a moment such as this.
Similar reverence was expressed by Zerubabel, a vocalist and instrumentalist representing the festival’s youngest generation. He cited the late Muluken Melesse as a formative influence, recalling how growing up in the same neighborhood helped crystallize his ambition to pursue music professionally.
He described his sound as the product of both Ethiopian legends and international influences encountered over years of study and performance. Sharing the stage with his predecessors, he added, carries deep personal meaning.
“This is a major milestone for me,” he said. “I’m performing alongside the artists we grew up listening to—the music that shaped our lives.”
As the Addis Jazz Festival approaches, organizers and performers alike have extended an open invitation to jazz audiences. The coming showcase, they say, is not only a celebration of sound, but a rare convergence of memory, mastery, and momentum—played live, in the city where it all began.
