Since 2006, Debo Band has presented their unique interpretations of classic
Ethiopian pop music to Boston-area audiences. Made popular through the renowned Ethiopiques series, the musical inspiration behind Debo Band is an unlikely mix of Ethiopian pentatonic scales and vocal styles, American soul and funk, and the instrumentation of Eastern European brass bands – accordion, violins, horns, and drums. Led by Ethiopian-American saxophonist Danny Mekonnen and fronted by charismatic vocalist Bruck Tesfaye, Debo’s performances bring together the best of the last forty years of Ethiopian music, with a reverence for the vintage sounds of the 1970s and a commitment to discovering contemporary gems, as well as developing new compositions.

Until recently, Debo Band has primarily existed as a live band, playing at venues across New England and the U.S. East coast. However in 2010, Debo began taking steps towards actively documenting and releasing recordings and has also worked with a documentary filmmaker on a project about the band’s mission to bring Ethiopian music and musicians to the forefront of world music. In September 2010, Debo Band released its first EP, Flamingoh (Pink Bird Dawn), a live recording that documents the brief period around the group’s second trip to East Africa in February 2010, with recordings in Addis Ababa, Zanzibar, and Boston. They also scored the award-winning Ethiopian-produced short film, Lezare, which has been screened at festivals in New York and Spain.

The band paid their dues playing Boston’s neighborhood bars, church basements,
and loft parties, and has emerged as an internationally recognized touring band, with performances at international festivals. In May 2009, Debo traveled to Addis Ababa to perform at the 8th Ethiopian Music Festival and several other locations throughout East Africa. These performances affected Debo Band’s creative and professional development in significant ways, particularly in the collaboration they began with several traditional musicians from the group Fendika, a project that led to a performance at the 7th Sauti za Busara music festival in Zanzibar in February 2010 and an upcoming engagement at Lincoln Center Out of Doors in August 2011.

Press Clippings:

“Boston’s excellent Debo Band have become standard bearers for the Ethiopian
sound on our shores.”- NPR

“Ethiopian pop music bristles with catchy tunes, pungent dissonance and
considerable instrumental virtuosity – at least as articulated by the Boston-based Debo Band.” - Chicago Tribune

A coalition of local community groups is launching Freedom Square at Fifth and Sixth Avenues and 101st Street in North Troy (www.freedomsquare.info) with this free outdoor live music event from 4-8 PM on Saturday, July 2nd. Headlined by Debo Band, the lineup also includes rock, hip hop and gospel performances by local groups including Sumac, S.K.A.T.E., and the Missing Link Street Ministry Mens Choir.

Freedom Square is an urban cultural and spiritual oasis located at the mystical corner where 5th and 6th Avenues meet 101st Street a block from the Hudson River in North Troy, NY. Map it at: www.tinyurl.com/freedomsquare

Come celebrate with an afternoon of great music as well as a free bike clinic, community barbecue, info tables, and more, to launch Freedom Square!

Freedom Square is a community collaboration between The Sanctuary for Independent Media, the Missing Link Street Ministry, Troy Bike Rescue, and Collard City Growers. Additional support comes from the Uptown Initiative and One Day Signs.

This presentation is made possible by volunteer labor and thousands of small donations from patrons of The Sanctuary for Independent Media.

The Sanctuary for Independent Media is a telecommunications production facility dedicated to community media arts, located in an historic former church at 3361 6th Avenue in North Troy, NY. The Sanctuary hosts screening, production and performance facilities, training in media production and a meeting space for artists, activists and independent media makers of all kinds.

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Hi res photo of the Debo Band:
www.mediasanctuary.org/files/images/Debo_Band_Sepia_by_Amael_Tesfaye_2011_B&W.jpg

Music samples from the Debo Band:
deboband.com/audio/

Debo Band website:
www.deboband.com

Map of Freedom Square:
tinyurl.com/freedomsquare

More info about Freedom Square:
www.FreedomSquare.info

More info about The Sanctuary for Independent Media:
www.mediasanctuary.org

More info about the Missing Link Street Ministry:
www.missinglinkstreetministry.com

More info about Troy Bike Rescue:
www.troybikerescue.com

More info about Collard City Growers:
www.collardcitygrowers.com

More information about the Uptown Initiative:
www.uptowninitiative.org