Ethiopian Modern Instrumentals Hits

Ethiopian Modern Instrumentals Hits (Japan Import) (Vinyl)

Ethiopian Modern Instrumentals Hits is a landmark compilation of Ethiopian instrumental music, originally released in 1972 during the country’s “Golden Age” of modern music. Widely regarded as a companion to the rise of Ethio-jazz, the album features essential recordings from pioneering artists including Mulatu Astatke, along with key contributions from Tesfa-Maryam Kidane and Bahta Gebre-Heywet. 

This collection captures a pivotal moment in Ethiopian music history, where traditional scales and rhythms merged with jazz, funk, and soul influences. Much of the material is drawn from rare recordings originally issued on Amha Records and later rediscovered through the influential Éthiopiques series, making these tracks foundational listening for fans of global groove and Afro-jazz. 

Long considered an extremely rare and hard-to-find release, Ethiopian Modern Instrumentals Hits has gained cult status among collectors. Modern Japan import vinyl reissues (notably via P-Vine and Groove-Diggers) have finally made this material widely accessible, preserving its warm analog character while reintroducing these recordings to a global audience. 

With its hypnotic grooves, modal melodies, and rich instrumentation, this album stands as a cornerstone of Ethio-jazz and one of the most important African instrumental releases of the 20th century.

Features:

• Japan import vinyl reissue (P-Vine / Groove-Diggers series)
• Originally released in Ethiopia in 1972
• Features Mulatu Astatke and key Ethio-jazz artists
• A foundational Afro-jazz and rare groove compilation
• Long sought-after and historically significant release

Tracklist