Azmari

An azmari (literally "one who praises" in Amharic) is an Ethiopian singer-musician, comparable to the European bard or the West African griot.[1] Azmari, who may be either male or female, are skilled at singing extemporized verses, accompanying themselves on either a masenqo (one-stringed fiddle) or krar (lyre). Azmari often perform in drinking establishments called tejbeit, which specialize in the serving of tej (mead). The Azmari introduced the popular Tizita ballad form.[2]

Azmari playing masenqo in a tejbeit, Lalibela, northern Ethiopia

References
  1. "The "Azmari", Poet-Musician of Ethiopia". The Musical Quarterly. 61 (1). January 1975. doi:10.1093/mq/lxi.1.47.
  2. Dag Woubshet (2008). "Tizita: A New World Interpretation" (PDF). English at Cornell: A newsletter from the Department of English. Cornell University. Retrieved 2010-02-05.

See also
  • Ethiopian music


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