''The Rough Guide to the Music of Ethiopia'' is a world music

compilation album A compilation album comprises Album#Tracks, tracks, which may be previously released or unreleased, usually from several separate recordings by either one or several Performing arts#Performers, performers. If by one artist, then generally the tr ...

originally released in

2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 6 ...

. Part of the

World Music Network World Music Network is a UK-based record label specializing in world music. The World Music Network website features news, reviews, live music listings, and guide sections on world music. It also features an online "Battle of the Bands" compet ...

Rough Guides Rough Guides Ltd is a British travel guide book and reference publisher, which has been owned by APA Publications since November 2017. In addition to publishing guidebooks, the company also provides a tailor-made trips service based on customer ...

series, the release covers the

music of Ethiopia Ethiopian music is a term that can mean any music of Ethiopian origin, however, often it is applied to a genre, a distinct modal system that is pentatonic, with characteristically long intervals between some notes. The music of the Ethiopian Hig ...

, focusing largely on 1960s pop. The compilation was curated by

Francis Falceto Francis Falceto is a contemporary French musicologist and music producer, specialising in World music and in particular music of Ethiopia which he helped propagate internationally from 1986 onwards.

, who also produces

Buda Musique Buda Musique is a French record label specializing in world music. It was founded in 1987 by Gilles Fruchaux and Dominique Buscall. After Buscall died in 1990, Fruchaux became the sole owner. The label is especially known for its ''Éthiopiques' ...

's ''

Éthiopiques ''Éthiopiques'' is a series of compact discs featuring Music of Ethiopia, Ethiopian singers and musicians. Many of the CDs compile songs from various singles and albums that Amha Records, Kaifa Records and Philips, Philips-Ethiopia released during ...

'' series. Phil Stanton, co-founder of the World Music Network, was the producer. This album was followed by a second volume, focusing on music of the early 21st Century, in 2012.

Critical reception

The compilation's release was met with generally positive reviews.

Robert Christgau Robert Thomas Christgau ( ; born April 18, 1942) is an American music journalist and essayist. Among the most well-known and influential music critics, he began his career in the late 1960s as one of the earliest professional rock critics and ...

compared it with ''Éthiopiques'' (which had reached eighteen volumes by 2004), calling the recording "peaky" & "fluent". Writing for

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

, Adam Greenberg described it as an "outstanding album" portraying an "entirely unique" sound.

Track listing

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Rough Guide to the Music of Ethiopia (2004 album), The 2004 compilation albums World Music Network Rough Guide albums Albums by Ethiopian artists