Hailu Mergia, Wallias Band – Tche Belew

Tche Belew is a 1977 instrumental album by Hailu Mergia and the Walias Band that blends Ethio-jazz, funk, soul, and blues into a richly textured sound. The arrangements showcase Mergia on organ, piano, and keyboards, supported by horns, guitar, bass, drums, and vibes by guest Mulatu Astatke. Tracks like Musicawi Silt, Yikirta Lemminalehu, Lomi Tera-tera and Eti Gual Blenai reveal a balance between delicate melodic lines and powerful rhythmic grooves. The album’s instrumental focus allows space for each musician to breathe, yielding an immersive listening experience that highlights both virtuosity and atmosphere.

The record also holds cultural and historical resonance. Recorded after Ethiopia’s 1974 revolution, it stands as a distinction among its era: fewer recordings of this scale and style were made in the years that followed, and this album has since become a collector’s cherished item. Its sound evokes both the golden era of Ethiopian popular music and the adaptation that followed, with traditional Ethiopian scales and sensibilities filtered through funk and jazz influences. The result is a work that is both rooted and exploratory, accessible yet richly detailed for fans of global jazz, instrumental funk, and vintage grooves.

Reviews:

“Dozens of cherished recordings were made during the legendary ‘golden age’ of Ethiopian music, which is considered to be the period from the early 1960s to the mid-1970s. However, the instrumental album, released in 1977, has become a true collector’s item and it is easy to hear why.” – All About Jazz

“While its greatest period ended with the 1974 revolution that heralded censorship and the brutal Derg regime, the odd gem still trickled through – of which this album of instrumentals by keyboardist and arranger Hailu Mergia and his Walias band is perhaps the most revered.” – Record Collector