Ayalew Mesfin stands aside the likes of Mulatu Astake, Mahmoud Ahmed, Hailu Mergiaand Alemayehu Eshete as a legend of 1970s Ethiopia. Mesfin’s music is some of thefunkiest to arise from this unconquerable East African nation.

Mesfin’s recording career, captured in nearly two dozen 7” singles and numerousreel-to-reel tapes, shows the strata of the most fertile decade in Ethiopia’s 20th centuryrecording industry, when records were pressed constantly by both independent upstartsand corporate behemoths, even if they were only distributed within the confines of thisEast African nation.

Though Mesfin was forced underground by the Derg regime that took control of Ethiopiain 1974, he has returned almost 50 years later with this triumphant set albums – the firsttime that his music has been presented in this form.

Che Belew gives us a chance to discover a rare & beautiful moment in music history, inan anthology built from his uber-rare 7” single releases.

• 1. Yetembelel-Loga (Tall and Graceful)
• 2. Che Belew (March Forward)
• 3. Ho Bilo Hede (He Went Marching)
• 4. Teregew Nebere (You Used To Understand)
• 5. Neye Temelesh Belwat (Tell Her To Come Back)
• 6. Wegene (My Countryman)
• 7. Rehab (Rehab)
• 8. Ambassel (Ambassel)
• 9. S Doing)
• 10. Tizitash Zewetir (Your Memories Always)
• 11. Wubalem (Stunning)
• 12. Ayish Ayishina (I See and I See You)
• 13. Turi Turi Nafa (Lies and More Lies)
• 14. Sew Malet Esunew