On a pilgrimage to Jerusalem in January 1924, Haile Selassie witnessed a marching band of Armenian refugees, all survivors of the Ottoman genocide. Moved by their plight and impressed by their music, he invited all 40 of them to become his state band in Addis Ababa. Over the next 50 years, countless Ethiopian bands followed the same line-up and forged a stately brand of jazz-funk, fostering unique talents such as Mulatu Astatke, Mahmoud Ahmed and Alemayehu Eshete
January 1924: Number 3
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