Addis Ken – Abate Berihun

Abate Berihun & The Addis Ken Project’s Addis Ken (New Day) is a deeply evocative journey where jazz becomes both vessel and invocation. Drawing from Ethiopian Jewish liturgical traditions, pan-African rhythms, and modern improvisational language, they fuse ancient memory with contemporary expression in music that feels timeless and urgent all at once. Berihun’s commanding tenor and soprano saxophones are matched by his remarkable vocal presence-earthy, elastic, and prayerful-capable of moving seamlessly from guttural incantation to soaring, skyward cries. Joined by pianist Roy Mor, bassist David Michaeli, and drummer/percussionist Nitzan Birnbaum, the quartet operates with intuitive empathy, shaping grooves and atmospheres that breathe and expand around Berihun’s impassioned lead. Moments such as the stirring “Behatitu Kadush Kadush,” featuring vocalist Rudi Bainesay, reach directly into sacred terrain, while pieces like “Addis Ken” and “Jerusalem” balance reverence with forward momentum. Rich in texture, spirit, and blues-rooted intensity, Addis Ken is music as lived experience-honoring lineage while speaking vividly in the present tense. “They are a joy to behold.” Jerusalem Post. “The quartet of brilliant musicians drew inspiration not only from across the planet but also from the depths of time.” – Tomáš S. Polívka