Melaku
Retta Press Release
Ethiopian
musician Melaku Retta is launching a solo career after years
of touring and recording with renowned international acts,
including Ziggy Marley and Dallol.
Melaku
first studied music in his native land, Ethiopia. He learned
to play piano when he was still in grade school. Later, he
formed a band with other Ethiopian teenagers, playing a mixture
of African, American and Reggae music.
In
1979, Melaku and his fellow Ethiopian musicians came to the
United States and formed the group Dallol. With Melaku on
lead vocals and keyboards, the band developed a strong following
in Chicago, its home base, and other U.S. cities.
In
1982, a meeting with Rita Marley began a long and productive
relationship Melaku and the Marley Family. That year Dallol
moved to Jamaica and recorded several 45's on Bob Marley Music,
followed by an album, Land of the Genesis, which was produced
by Tuff Gong and distributed by Shanachie. The band then toured
the United States, becoming well known for their unique blend
of reggae with traditional Ethiopian rhythms.
In
1986, the members of Dallol leased and later purchased the
"Wild Hare", the landmark Chicago reggae club. With
live bands seven nights a week, the Wild Hare is one of the
country's most important supporters of local and international
reggae musicians.
In
1987, Dallol began a two-year collaboration with Ziggy Marley
and the Melody Makers. In 1988, they recorded Conscious Party,
an album that sold more than a million copies and received
a Grammy. This was followed by One Bright Day in 1989. Melaku
and two other Dallol members composed and performed the Ethiopian
background vocals for the hit song "Black My Story".
With
Ziggy, Dallol toured through Europe, the Caribbean, North
America and Israel. They made numerous television appearances
(the Aresenio Hall Show, SoulTrain, the NAACP Annual Awards,
and NBC "Hard Rock Extravaganza") and also recorded
a Cinemax special video. In 1990, Melaku returned to recording
and performing his own songs, both as a member of Dallol and
later Baaro.
In
1994, Melaku recruited local Chicago musicians to take his
solo career on stage. The band enjoyed immediate success and
was awarded "Best New Artists" by Martin's International
Awards.
In
1995, Melaku released his first single, "Let Your Love
Shine", on the Modern Culture Mix reggae compilation
album. This album featured other great Reggae performers including
Bunny Rugs and Charlie Chaplin.
In
July of 1996, Melaku returned to the studio to complete his
first solo album entitled, Tenayistilign. Tenayistilign is
an Amharic word meaning, greetings and a wish of health and
peace, its literal translation is: may God grant you health
on my behalf. This record features songs in both Oromo and
Amharic, two of the main languages spoken in Ethiopia, while
the music styles range from traditional Ethiopian to Reggae.
In
April of 1999, Melaku released a brand new album Live at the
Wild Hare, recorded in September of 1998. This album features
the latest work to date by Melaku and captures the magic of
his live shows.
As
a solo artist, Melaku draws from his roots in the highlands
of East Africa and his many years of professional experience.
His music is "World Music", combining the sound
of Ethiopia with flavors from Africa, The Caribbean and America.
