Hailu Mergia And The Walias

Tche Belew You say: “My first love, yet to be bettered.” Berry Andrews, via Facebook

By night, the house band at the Addis Hilton; by day, in the studio backing Tlahoun Gèssèssè, Mahmoud Ahmed or Alemayehu Eshété – Walias were a crack outfit by any standard. They also recorded several albums of their own, with the pick of those currently available (on Awesome Tapes From Africa) this cooking soul session (bandleader and organist Mergia is a huge M.G.’s fan, and it shows). The band split after a US tour, with Mergia still supporting himself as a Washington DC taxi driver even though new albums, reissues, global tours and festival dates have made him a bankable 21st century star. He keeps a keyboard in the boot in case inspiration strikes.