If we agree with Vinicius de Moraes in defining the encounter as an art, then this album offers us the opportunity to enjoy an Art that boldly claims the capital letter.
Getatchew Mekuria, Ethiopian tenor saxophonist, born in 1928, starting from the transposition of traditional melodies from his country, had already arrived in the '50s at a "style" that the New Thing would canonize only in the mid-'60s. The Ex, Dutch anarchist punk group that, starting from the raw black and white protest of crassian stencils, over time had the talent to betray the form to remain faithful to the spirit of their message: in their evolution, the group stumbled upon the monographic volume of the splendid "ethiopiques" series dedicated to the saxophonist. Having fallen in love with his music, to celebrate their 25 years of activity, they decided to gift themselves the opportunity to play live as Mekuria's backing band, giving us the joy of listening to the results.
11 old compositions of the "negus of Ethiopian sax" find in the mutant punk-rock of The Ex in expanded formation a valid instrument to come back to life and burn with an intensity that makes the hands clench in fists of anger and spread in sensual caresses; the elderly musician, for his part, draws from his instrument a grit that makes people half his age pale, continuing to earn his old nickname. The live recording contained in the album offers a vitality and commitment that sweeps away much of the junk currently marketed by multinationals as punk, dispensing emotions in various forms but always in massive doses: firewood for the winter and a fire around which to form a circle to continue to resist, resist, resist.
Tracklist
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