1. Emahoy Tsege Mariam GebruSpielt Eigene Kompositionen
I always used to have a problem with piano playing. Even when I was younger and played blues records. I just had a problem with people playing what seemed like a piece of furniture – something that only the finest finest musicians could afford. I know that’s not the case but it just felt like it. So for years, piano blues kind of passed me by whereas the guitar stuff felt like it had this resonance and zing and excitement to it. I had just accepted that it wasn’t for me, but [Guèbrou’s] records are just beautiful. Like birdsong. I like improvised music, but I dislike senseless improvisation. Like a jam. I hate a jam where everybody puts in something to no end. But her improvisations are just extraordinary.
I don’t really know a lot about how to play piano but what you hear from this record doesn’t sound like something you arrive at, it seems like it’s a lot of work to get there. I’ve always said I love gospel music because it’s speaking the truth. If you’re going to sing those songs, you’ve got to believe, it’s impossible to do that music and not believe. And hers sound like that kind of devotional music as well. It sounds like it’s infused with that kind of solitude and penance and all those kinds of words that come with being a nun and living in solitude. Also, despite this being an instrumental record, the songs are incredibly lyrical without having any recognisable tunes. They’re almost vocal.
