(Steve Kiviat, Washington City Paper). Can’t jet away for the Memorial Day weekend? You'll find plenty of live and DJed international sounds in the Washington area, including groups from Ethiopia and Haiti and selectors from Jamaica, Brazil, Ghana and Angola. I spoke on the phone with renowned Ethiopian guitarist Selam Seyoum Woldermariam, who'll back up Ethiopian stars Gosaye Tesfaye and Mahmoud Ahmed Saturday night at the Howard Theatre.

Selam Seyoum, also known as Selamino, is now a Virginia resident. He's played with Ahmed since 1974, including the recording sessions that became Ethiopiques No. 7, part of a series of recordings of Ethiopian music beloved by collectors. Because of his stage presence, Ahmed has been likened to Otis Redding and James Brown; Selamino, in his understated manner, says his colleague “has entertained five or six generations.” While the 71-year-old should display his Amharic wail over plenty of horns and guitar-led funk and  Afropop-influenced Ethiopian music of the 1960s and '70s—this will be more than an Ethiopian oldies show. Selamino says most of Ahmed’s band is young, and he excitedly thanks God he'll also be backing 37-year-old singer Gosaye Tesfaye. When I observe that much contemporary Ethiopian music relies on syrupy synthesizer sounds, he responds, “We’re trying to defuse that. Technology should help bring out our talent; we should not be dominated by it.”

Read the complete story here