Black Jesus Experience
Collingwood, Victoria, Australia | Established. Jan 01, 2014 | SELF
Music
Press
Traditional Ethiopian song, jazz, funk and hip hop are transformed by The Black Jesus Experience into a cascading collection of sights and sounds. The galvanising element of this nine-piece Australian ensemble is petit Ethiopian Enushu, who radiates warmth and sings songs of her homeland in a pure, sweet voice. Keyboards, guitar, saxophone, trumpet, congos and hip hop artists beat out rhythms that had the audience leaping to its feet. They sang and freestyled about Adelaide, slavery and the fact we're all on Earth under one sky.
- Louise Nunn - The Advertiser - March 7 2009
- The Advertiser (Adelaide) Australia)
“The Black Jesus Experience is as unforgettable as its name…”
- Peter Burdon - Tuesday, 24 February 2009
- http://blaze.e-p.net.au/index.php
The Black Jesus Experience were particularly impressive yesterday evening, they had the whole audience in the palm of their hands dancing along to their Ethiopian/Jazz influenced beats and melodies.
- Clemmie - http://womadelaide2009live.com/category/Womadelaide-2009-blogs/Team/
“The Black Jesus Experience is as unforgettable as its name…”
- Peter Burdon - Tuesday, 24 February 2009
- http://blaze.e-p.net.au/index.php
Discography
Black Jesus Experience (self titled) LP
Dark Light LP
Yeluinta (2010) LP
Migration (2013) LP
Tracks from all albums are receiving radio airplay.
Photos
Bio
BLACK JESUS EXPERIENCE is an 8 piece band playing an irresistibly danceable blend of traditional Ethiopian song and 21st Century groove. With backgrounds as diverse as the 5 continents the members of 'BJX' hail from, their music reflects the multicultural vibrancy of the band's hometown, Melbourne, Australia.
When not touring BJX run a weekly session at cultural hub The Horn where BJX create new songs live on stage. The comfort BJX has with this practice lies in the improvising traditions of that feed BJX including Hip Hop, Jazz and Funk.
The music is also fed quite literally before each performance by the ritual of a group meal prepared by singer Enushu and MD Peter Harper in the Ethiopian tradition, "those who eat from the same plate will not betray each other". This inspires and reinforces bonds musical, social and spiritual, bonds BJX invite their audiences to join.
Enushu began entertaining her local community as a child in Addis Ababa. Forced to leave Ethiopia, Enushu migrated to Australia bringing hauntingly beautiful compositions inspired by her remarkable life story and the unique vocal traditions of Ethiopia. Enushu is joined on vocals by poetic giant and lyrical miracle The Monk, Zimbabwe born and Outback bred.
Highlights for BJX include two tours of "the Motherland" Ethiopia, performing sellout shows with Ethiojazz legend Mulatu Astatke in Europe and Australia (an association which won BJX and Mulatu "The Age Best Tour" award) Glastonbury, Big Chill, City Of London Festival, WOMADdelaide, the Big Day Out, Golden Plains and Melbourne International Jazz Festival and supporting Tony Allen among other great festivals.
The rhymes and chimes of Black Jesus Experience deliver the power and beauty of Africa through the vocal prism of Hip-Hop and freedom of Funk.
Band Members
Links
