Ibex Band
Legendary outfit Ibex Band has played a central role in defining the sound of 1970s Ethiopian music, modernizing traditional rhythms and arrangements into a contemporary form. Through innovative guitar work and groove-driven interplay, they became both an influence on and the driving force behind many artists from the so-called Ethiopian Golden Age of Music: a rich blend of Ethio-jazz, funk, soul and hypnotic pentatonic melodies. Guitarist Selam Woldemariam and bassist Giovanni Rico embody the spirit of the group as a whole: creating and defining a new, danceable and innovative sound. Ras Hotel—where the Ibex Band held musical residencies and recorded the iconic Stereo Instrumental Music—was to Ethiopia what Motown was to the USA: a hotbed of musical creativity and innovation.
