{{Short description|Ethiopian musician}} {{Patronymic name}} '''Ayalew Mesfin Chufa''' ({{Langx|am|አያለው መስፍን ቹፋ|ʼayālaw masefené čufā}}) is an Ethiopian musician. He is one of the most important figures of Ethio-Groove.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-01-23 |title=Ayalew Mesfin’s Soulful Ethiopian Funk From The ’70s Is About To Get Its First Wide Release |url=https://uproxx.com/music/ayalew-mesfin-hasabe-my-worries-ethopian-funk-vinyl-me-please/ |access-date=2023-12-01 |website=UPROXX |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Early life == Mesfin was born in the ’40s in Weldiya, North Wollo.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Lacaille |first=Jeanne |date=2019-10-29 |title=Ayalew Mesfin: Ethiopia's funk phoenix |url=https://pan-african-music.com/en/ayalew-mesfin-ethiopias-funk-phoenix/ |access-date=2023-12-01 |website=PAM – Pan African Music |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=A Celebration of Ayalew Mesfin w/ Debo Band |url=https://www.vinylmeplease.com/blogs/magazine/return-ayalew-mesfin-w-debo-band |access-date=2023-12-01 |website=Vinyl Me, Please |language=en}}</ref> At age 11, he ran away from home to Addis Abba to pursue a career in music, which his father disapproved of.<ref name=":1">{{Citation |title=Ayalew Mesfin 'Hasabe (My Worries)' {{!}} Essentials February 2018 {{!}} Vinyl Me, Please |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZFz-3NOCLo |access-date=2023-12-01 |language=en}}</ref> Before becoming a musician, Mesfin worked as a waiter, doorman and cashier.<ref name=":0" /> He later enrolled in the Ethiopian Republican Guard.<ref name=":0" />

== Career == Mesfin's introduction to the music world was through Gétatchèw Kassa and his Soul Ekos Band, whom he performed and recorded with for some time.<ref name=":0" /> This was short-lasted, and he instead decided to open up a music venue, called the Stereo Club, and a record store, called Ayalew Music Shop.<ref name=":0" />

In 1973, Mesfin formed the Black Lion Band with former members of the Police Pop Band, including Tamiru Ayele, Tamiru Wolde A’b, Teshome Deneke, Tamirat Ziltini, Tekle Tesfaezgi, and Giovanni Vincenzo.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=The Oppressed And Now Revived Ethio-Groove Of Ayalew Mesfin |url=https://www.vinylmeplease.com/blogs/magazine/ayalew-mesfin-liner-notes |access-date=2023-12-01 |website=Vinyl Me, Please |language=en}}</ref> They started off playing at Patris Lumumba Night Club, the Stereo Club, and Etege Taitu Hotel in Addis Ababa.<ref name=":2" /> Eventually, Mesfin was signed by the record label Amha Eshete, where he would record a series of songs including "''Hasabe''," in English "My Worries."<ref name=":2" />

Though hidden through seemingly mundane lyrics of love, his music was strikingly political and addressed social issues of the time.<ref name=":2" /> Soon enough, after the beginning of Ethiopian Civil War and the Derg's rise to power, Mesfin was imprisoned for 3 months, his property seized, and his music banned for 13 years for attempting to flee the country and distributing anti-government cassettes.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Listen to highlights from Ayalew Mesfin's LGW set + view Photo Series of his EU premiere by Melanie Marsman |url=https://leguesswho.com/news/ayalew-mesfin-audio-photo |access-date=2023-12-01 |website=leguesswho.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Two Ethiopian Music Legends Bring Ethiopian Jazz and Funk to Los Angeles – OC Weekly |url=https://www.ocweekly.com/two-ethiopian-music-legends-bring-ethiopian-jazz-and-funk-to-los-angeles/ |access-date=2023-12-01 |website=www.ocweekly.com|date=13 February 2018 }}</ref> During this time he was also under house arrest.<ref name=":0" />

After the fall of the Derg in 1991, the Ethiopian People's Democratic Movement (EPDM) and Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front came to power and, in reaction, Mesfin released the album ''Peace for Ethiopia''.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-11-05 |title=All or nothing: the eternal revolution of Ethiopian icon Ayalew Mesfin |url=https://fr-nt.nl/en/2019/11/05/alles-of-niets-de-eeuwige-revolutie-van-de-ethiopische-legende-ayalew-mesfin/ |access-date=2023-12-01 |website=Front |language=en-US}}</ref> EPDM then attempted to assassinate Mesfin in concert.<ref name=":0" />

In 1998, Mesfin moved to the United States, first staying in Minnesota, then the West Coast, and finally settling in Denver, Colorado.<ref name=":2" /> Here he re-opened Ayalew Music Shop.<ref name=":2" />

In 2000, Mesfin was featured on ''Éthiopiques''’ 8th volume. Later in 2009, he was featured on ''Golden Years of Modern Ethiopian Music, 1969–1975''. Because most of his music was recorded between 1973 and 1977, a time of great political turmoil, and most of the documents regarding copyright were tied up in France, meaning Mesfin saw no royalties.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ainley |first=Oliver |date=2021-01-24 |title=How Ayalèw Mesfin returned from political exile to cement his legacy in Ethiopian music |url=https://noisenarrative.com/2021/01/24/how-ayalew-mesfin-returned-from-political-exile-to-cement-his-legacy-in-ethiopian-music/ |access-date=2023-12-01 |website=Noise Narrative: Discovering The Culture Of Tomorrow |language=en-GB}}</ref>

In 2018, Now-Again Records worked with Mesfin to release a compilation of his works.<ref name=":0" /> The same year he performed with Debo Band in Denver, Berkeley, and Los Angeles.<ref>{{Cite web |last=FarahSosa |date=2018-02-19 |title=The Return of Ayalew Mesfin, The 70's Ethiopian Funk God lights up the Echoplex |url=https://www.grimygoods.com/2018/02/19/ayalew-mesfin-the-70s-ethiopian-funk-god-echoplex-photos/ |access-date=2023-12-01 |website=Grimy Goods |language=en-US}}</ref> A year later in 2019, he performed at Le Guess Who? in Amsterdam, again with Debo Band.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Watch: Ethiopian funk legend Ayalew Mesfin's first ever EU performance at LGW19, together with the Debo Band |url=https://leguesswho.com/news/video-ayalew-mesfin-lgw19 |access-date=2023-12-01 |website=leguesswho.com |language=en}}</ref>

== Personal life == Mesfin resides in Denver.<ref name=":2" /> He is critical of current Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.<ref name=":0" />

== Influences == Mesfin is influenced by Tilahun Gessesse, {{interlanguage link|Tamrat Molla|am|ታምራት ሞላ}}, Sayed Khalifa<sub>,</sub> Fela Kuti, Aretha Franklin, Sam Cooke, James Brown, and Jimi Hendrix.<ref name=":2" />

Madlib has cited Ayalew Mesfin as an influence.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Madlib Meets 1 Of His Biggest Influences & You've Never Heard Of HimAmbrosia For Heads |url=https://ambrosiaforheads.com/2018/12/madlib-influence-ayalew-mesfin-video/ |access-date=2023-12-01 |website=ambrosiaforheads.com}}</ref>

== References == <references />

Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people Category:Ethiopian singer-songwriters Category:Amharic-language singers Category:Ethiopian funk musicians Category:Ethiopian guitarists