Qwanqwa

Based in Ethiopia's capital city Addis Ababa, the quartet Qwanqwa (whose name is Amharic for "language") create an inventive, experimental interpretation of the country's traditional sounds. Qwanqwa's music is vibrant, free-flowing, and natural-sounding, and the band utilizes unique instrumental techniques involving distortion pedals and found objects. The group began in 2012 after Käthe Hostetter, violinist for Boston-based Ethiopian funk group Debo Band, moved to Addis Ababa in order to explore the country's musical culture and collaborate with local musicians. The other ban...