Samuel Yirga

Samuel Yirga is a young and gifted pianist who grew up in the capital of Ethiopia. He is a musician and composer signed to Peter Gabriel's Real World Records. His musical interest began at a tender age prompting him to enroll at Yared School of Music in Addis Ababa at the age of 16. He was later dismissed for his tendency of experimenting and his insistence on playing traditional and contemporary Ethiopian music, instead of adhering to the classical curriculum.

He is a leader of a band whose music is a combination of traditional azmari music, Ethio-jazz, dub, reggae, jazz, Latin and classical music.

'Guzo' is his debut album that was recorded in Addis Ababa and Real World Studios. The album explores Ethio-jazz, soul and funk, American jazz, and Latin and classical music. Whilst there are deeply virtuosic piano solos, there are also more upbeat songs which feature guests vocalists The Creole Choir of Cuba, a Cuban choir whose songs go back to their Haitian roots, Mel Gara, a British singer whose origins are in Iraq and Nicolette, a Nigerian-British singer, famous for her collaborations with Massive Attack. The album ws produced by Dubulah (aka Nick Page), the British musician and producer behind Transglobal Underground, Syriana and Dub Colossus.