The <strong>WOMEX</strong> <strong>11</strong> Professional Excellence Awardto Francis FalcetoBy Joe Boyd (USA/UK) | Writer, Producer<strong>WOMEX</strong> Award CeremonySunday 12:00 – 14:00Koncerthuset/Studio 2The recipient of the <strong>WOMEX</strong> <strong>11</strong> ProfessionalExcellence Award for this year is Francis Falceto,originator and curator of the Éthiopiques series of CDsand the music of Ethiopia’s greatest champion.Falceto has single-handedly brought Ethiopianmusic to the forefront of world music consciousness.In addition to the CD series that now numbers 27volumes, he has organised concerts, tours, and anannual festival in Addis Ababa, published the bookAbyssinie Swing, created a documentary film of thesame name and brought Western musicians intriguedby the music to Ethiopia.In April 1984, Falceto was attending a regular listeningsession in Poitiers for lovers of jazz and experimentalmusic. A friend returning from Africa, placed aMahmoud Ahmed LP on the turntable and Francis’ lifechanged forever. Within a year, he was in Addis Ababatracking down Ali Tango, the producer credited on theLP he had heard in France.Ethiopia in 1985 was under the control of the Derg,the military dictatorship that ousted Emperor HaileSelassie; their 10pm curfew had put an end to night lifein the capital and they were suspicious of singers, oftenrefusing to grant them exit visas. Francis befriendedTango, who had been instrumental in recording the‘Golden Age’ of Ethiopian music in the late ‘60sand ‘70s. Falceto spent an evening at Tango’s home,listening to records by dozens of Ethiopian artists; thebreadth and depth of Ethiopian musical culture swungopen before him.Soon he was back, arranging for Mahmoud Ahmedto appear at the Avignon Festival. He also securedthe precious tapes of Ere Mela Mela, and took themto Marc Hollander of Crammed Discs who, withcharacteristic astuteness, partnered him in this initialforay into the market. Francis had the idea to put a stillphotograph of a formica table inside a provincial baron the cover. Mahmoud was confused, but Falceto toldhim not to worry. In fact, it was perfect, the rich greensof the painted walls mysteriously beckoning a curiouspublic to the rich treats within. The world’s discoveryof Ethiopian music had begun.It took a few years for the outside world and Ethiopiato figure out how to communicate with each other. Theoverthrow of the Derg in 1987 made travel in botho n lo c at i o nWomeX ProfeSSional eXcellence aWard47
o n lo c at i o nWomeX ProfeSSional eXcellence aWarddirections easier and in Addis Ababa, nightlife slowlyreturned. Ethiopian singers needed persuading that anaudience with no understanding of the language – andparticularly of the layers of lyrical subtlety and doublemeaningsknown as ‘wax and gold’ – could appreciatetheir songs. Western audiences needed to get theirheads around the pentatonic scales and the unfamiliartime signatures; the strong influence of American jazzand r&b are immediately apparent to the listener,but a key to its eventual triumph has been the verystrangeness that made it hard for many to get to know.By 1992, when his partnership with Buda Recordsfor the Éthiopiques series began, Francis had trackeddown master tapes from the most important labelsand producers of the Golden Age. The huge impactof the series is well known. Jim Jarmusch is obviouslya fan, having started Mulatu Astatke on the path to hisinternational career by using a track from his ÉthiopiquesCD for the title music of Broken Flowers. Patti Smith,Elvis Costello and Tom Waits have all gone on recordwith their adoration of the CDs. But it perhaps lessappreciated how Francis’ attention to detail, fromprogramming to design, to notes, to mastering – havedefined this body of work that has become virtuallythe sole representation of an essential musical cultureto critics, presenters and an ever growing legion of fans.The packaging, for example, is a case study in hipauthenticity. The visual image of the series evokes boththe historical roots in American r&b and Ethiopiantraditions, maximising the impact of the curvaceousAmharic alphabet. Francis is loyal to his team: thegraphics are always by Jack Garnier, who made postersfor Francis’ Carla Bley concerts in the ‘80s. The bilingualnotes are copious, informative and hugelyentertaining. Francis, with the help of translator KarenAlbrecht, is a very witty writer in both French andEnglish.If Falceto’s work was limited to the curation of thisbrilliant series of discs, that alone would be a claimto fame and to our respect. But, much as he adoresthe legacy of those Golden Years, it is the living musicthat is most important to him. The restoration of a livemusic scene in Ethiopia after 1987 has proved a mixedblessing. Yes, there are many weddings every weekand the traditional troubadors, the azmaris, are onceagain improvising verses about visitors in the azmaribets, the city-dwelling Ethiopian’s favourite places ofentertainment. But difficult economic conditions andthe lure of modernity means that most ‘bands’ nowconsist of a singer and a man with a keyboard/drummachine. The brilliant orchestras we hear on thoseGolden Era recordings have evaporated and few youngmusicians have emerged to take their place.Francis’ work in building a road out of this culturaldead-end street is perhaps his most importantaccomplishment. Aware of the impact Éthiopiques washaving on musicians in Europe and North America, hehas worked tirelessly to bring groups such as the Either/Orchestra, Le Tigre des Platanes, X, and the ImperialTiger Orchestra to Addis to take part in festivals andto work with local singers and musicians. Ethiopiansare astonished at the fluency of these foreigners inperforming their complex music. A young generationhas been provoked into rediscovering their ownheritage by the visitors Francis has brought. Anyonewho has heard the collaborations between Etenesh andLe Tigre, or enjoyed a concert by the Either/Orchestrabacking Mahmoud Ahmed will have heard the fruits ofbrilliant, original work by today’s honouree.The business of world music runs not on the fuelof financial ambition but on the fumes of musicalpassion. Francis Falceto has set a new standard foraficionados: he has chosen for us with impeccable taste,he has packaged and presented the music in a waythat stimulates the market, he has followed throughwith concerts that inspire both within Ethiopia andwithout. He has provided us with textbook example ofthe perfect pursuit of a passion.© 20<strong>11</strong> Joe BoydFor more information on Francis Falceto’s work:www.budamusique.comJoin us on Sunday for a final Networking Breakfast andthe <strong>WOMEX</strong> <strong>11</strong> Award presentation. The laudationwill be offered by Joe Boyd. Hugh Masekela (SouthAfrica) will be performing.› Conference/Session 18› Conference/Bios A – Z: Boyd + Falcetoo n lo c at i o nWomeX ProfeSSional eXcellence aWard4849
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