Abate Berihun & Addis Ken

The soulful and groovy project of the international saxophonist and singer Abate Berihun is coming to Mazkeka. A thrilling music performance that weaves soul and blues music with a spiritual exploration into the depths of Ethiopian-Hebrew music.

Addis Ken – አዲስ ቀን (“New Day”)
is the name of the exciting project by saxophonist and singer Abate Berihun and pianist Roy Mor. Berihun is one of the greatest musicians of Ethiopian descent active in the country. As a child, he fell in love with the sounds of the march he heard from the military base near his home in Addis Ababa; later, he played in orchestras and theaters in Ethiopia and accompanied great creators like Mahmoud Ahmed and Mulatu Astatke. When he arrived in Israel, he started from scratch again, but after a few years, he also gained recognition here as an exciting and gifted creator whose playing is compared to that of John Coltrane. Since then, he has led influential ensembles like “Kuluma,” the “Tezeta” ensemble, and the “Ras Deshen” duo, and regularly performed alongside Ehud Banai, Ariel Zilber, Yossi Fine, and other artists.

The “Addis Ken” project is all about soul, blues, and spiritual exploration. Berihun is an international artist and one of the greatest musicians of Ethiopian descent active in the country. He weaves Jewish-Ethiopian soul music with infectious groove, bringing together ancient prayers with a contemporary stage and complementing it with heart-melting charisma and inviting muses. Together with pianist Roy Mor, bassist David Michaeli, and drummer Amir Bar Akiva, he brings to the forefront original material combined with music passed down through generations and ancient, mysterious texts. The result is an exciting encounter between ancient Ethiopian traditions and the heritage of a modern jazz ensemble, infused with musical adventure, deep groove, and the spirit of the blues.