Thank You Ali Birra for all of the beautiful music!

It is with a heavy heart that I announce that Ali Birra has passed on November 6th, 2022 after long battles with his health. A loving, warm, and very fun friend has left us, and he will be missed. The most beloved of the Oromo singers of Ethiopia, he was a star for over fifty years, and wrote songs that are the classics of the Oromo people. I consider myself so very lucky to have met him, and shared some epic conversation on a multitude of topics, as wells as some downright fun. Domino Sound, along with Little Axe, released a record of collected songs from the mid-1970’s of Ali’s music, and although it is out of print, a few of them can be listened to here- https://www.dominosoundrecords.com/label/

Also, here is a photo montage tribute to the great Ali Birra. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIz9fQkj9QA

And here is Ali playing one of his classics, “Awaash”, on a couch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWraDlnDfyU

The world will miss you Ali Birra, the “Urji Balkkalcha” of Oromo music. Thank you for the beautiful music that you left for all of us to enjoy. Please tune into WWOZ, 90.7fm in the New Orleans area, and available worldwide at www.wwoz.org this Sunday, November 20th from 8-10pm CST for music and talk to celebrate Ali Birra’s contribution to our world. (This show has been archived by Lisa G on Mixcloud at this web address. https://www.mixcloud.com/lotide-lisag/prince-pauper-for-ali-birra-wwoz-spirits-of-congo-sq/)-Matt Knowles