Nafqoté
Self-Released, 2026
8/10
The legendary Ethiopian saxophonist, Girma Woldemichael, fleshes out 9 worldly tracks here, where much care accompanies the instrumental jazz effort.
“Fiqrishein Derribé” opens with Woldemichael’s flowing sax amid the playful drumming that helps make for a lively climate, and the title track follows with warm keys before the scrappy drumming and rich sax take over.
Moving along, the dreamy piano of “Wetatua” suits the elegant sax prowess of the intimate moment, while “Yamognegnal” comes with plenty of grooves that invites dancing thanks to the soulful sax and punchy rhythm section.
Arriving late, “Teyiqesh Tereji” uses cautiousness and elegance via the soothing sax and a charming beat, and “Loga” exits with a reggae spirit courtesy of the frisky and contagious energy.
A highly cultured effort with incredible production, Woldemichael takes help from Andrew Stewart, Daniel Barnes, Arthur McArthur and Melat Mengesha for a record that surrounds his leaving Ethiopia as a refugee in the 1970s, and it comes with incredible detail and timelessness.
Travels well with: Amrita- Amrita; Allison Cameron/Scott Thomson- Platanus