Aster Aweke

Aster Aweke (* 1960 in Gonder ) is an Ethiopian singer. Aster Aweke is often referred to as the " Aretha Franklin of Africa " and lived the last years in the United States in Washington. She grew up in Addis Ababa, the daughter of a high government officials, and began already at the age of thirteen to sing, her model was Bizunesh Bekele.

Her career began in the mid-seventies as a singer at the traditional Hager Fikir Theatre in Addis Ababa. She also sang in local Ethiopian bands. It was eventually replaced by one of the famous Ethiopian music producer Ali Tango, discovered and promoted. On their very first recordings she was accompanied on the flute by Sakari Kukko, the head of the Finnish jazz folk band Piirpauke, who was at the time in Addis Ababa. Aster Aweke then sang in the band established Roha, but left after a short time because of the troubled and uncertain political situation during the revolution again.

1981 Aster Aweke decided to leave the country and came across California to Washington, where she has lived ever since.

Discography

• Ethiopian Groove - The Golden Seventies, Paris, 1994, Buda Musique (contains three of her very first recordings )
• 1989 Aster (Columbia Records)
• 1991 Kabu (Columbia Records)
• 1993 Ebo ( Barkhanns )
• 1997 Live in London ( Barkhanns )
• 1999 Gaunt ( Kabu Records)
• 2002 Sugar ( Kabu Records)
• 2004 Asters Ballads ( Kabu Records)
• 2006 Fikir