Kaethe Hostetter's Impressions of Ethiopia

Sunday, September 7 at 7:00 PM (doors 6:30 PM), 75 minute performance with no intermission

Tickets are available for $20 in advance, $23 at the door, and $30 for preferred seating (pay-what-you-can available)

All Ages

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Impressions of Ethiopia is a collection of musical vignettes by American violinist and composer Kaethe Hostetter. Sourcing from her 11 years living in Addis Ababa, she transports you to the bustling streets of the East African metropolis, evoking the crackling sounds of a saxophone blaring out of a barbershop radio, a shepherd's flute melody turned dub reggae, the fervent dancing on packed dirt floors of a rural honey-wine bar, and the funky big band psychedelic sounds of Ethiopia's "Golden Era".

The solo multimedia project uses electronics and loops, storytelling, video projection, to share a personal journey and be a door to a world that is now undergoing serious ethnic conflict.

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Artist Bios:

KAETHE HOSTETTER's heritage is intellectual off-grid coastal California soup. Her multi-instrumentalist parents were friends with R. Crumb, Tom Lehrer, Paul Bowles; her midwife was Slime Queen, one of Ken Kesey’s Merry Pranksters. She grows up amongst the tall tall redwoods, with a revolving door of filmmakers, storytellers, archivists, experimental chefs, her father’s lutherie shop hosting traveling musicians of all ilks. Striking out from the tripped-out half-camping drugs scene of Santa Cruz in the late 90s, Kaethe goes to the most contrasting place she can think of: Boston.
The strategy: to arrive cleans-late with just her instrument, and see if she can weasel into the New England freelance classical scene. Finds music friends, punk and DIY community, experimental art, the outlaw bike messengers, circus music, puppeteering, naturally gravitates back to her cultural underbelly roots. Forms an organic 20-piece marching band that tours New England by bike. Living in a semi-legal loft in colorful Dudley Square, starts an unofficial Ethio culture enthusiasts club with friends– collecting cassettes, transcribing music, cooking vats of vegan Ethio glop, hanging with the Eritrean ladies on Green Street. This crew signs with Subpop, and grows into a national touring Ethio groove ensemble, hitting the festival circuit, with sometimes 14 people on the road.
Continues touring, the posse is invited to Addis Ababa, and they land in the midst of what is agreed to be an incredible cultural heyday and economic boom of the only un-imperialized African nation. Swept into the vortex, she’s soon biking around hilly Addis with fiddle and amp, through the rubble of new and rushed construction, as sweaty music clubs start popping up every weekend, she is jamming Ethio stylings with musical legends that have never left, and legends that are reigniting their flame after expat years in Washington DC, Stockholm, Denver, and fresh young talents. Meanwhile begins independent anthropological documenting of the traditional deeper sounds by hanging with all the traditional musicians during the days as they chewed their khat, killing time before work at the nightclub. Shadows annoyingly the man she deems the best masinko [single-string fiddle] player in the land, just hopping in his car and inviting herself everywhere with him as he zooms around the chaotic streets Addis, dodging livestock on the way to recording studios and gigs. Gaining her own voice in this scene, she forms QWANQWA, an experimental/traditional ensemble, joining with the baddest traditional instrumentalists she could find, eventually bringing in a female Azmari vocalist to front the group. Kaethe’s guest spot on Ethiopian singer-songwriter superstar Teddy Afro album and performance in front of 120,000 people brings notoriety and is played on local TV stations and in Ethiopian restaurants worldwide to this day.
Gurgling political unrest soon becomes fully inflamed civil war, coinciding with 2020’s COVID related international border shutdowns. She flees Addis suddenly for safe harbor at the family homestead back in redwooded Santa Cruz. Three years of living the organic dream gave her time to book a 60 date debut tour of US for QWANQWA, and release of several albums. Her need for a robust cultural ecosystem prompts her move her headquarters to New York, where she currently resides, picking up where she left off with friends in the experimental music scene and circus performers. Addis life never far from her thoughts, she develops a solo body of work called Impressions of Ethiopia: for solo violin & electronic, which is a dreamy electronic multimedia presentation drawing from her experiences in Addis.

https://www.kaethehostetter.com/

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PAY WHAT YOU CAN

No one will be turned away for lack of funds. Please use this online form or contact MSA at 207-879-4629 or info@mayostreetarts.org to take advantage of pay-what-you-can admission.

EVENT PARKING

Free on-street parking is available in Mayo Street Arts’ neighborhood.

There is one paid parking lot conveniently located a six-minute walk from the venue: Top of the Old Port Parking (119 Pearl St, Portland ME 04101)

Mayo Street Arts is accessible by Greater Portland Metro bus routes with nearby transfer points 7, 9A & 9B. Click here to learn more.

ACCESSIBILITY

All performances and most other events held at Mayo Street Arts are wheelchair accessible. There are two accessible spots directly in front of our building, however there is not yet a curb cut out at that location.

If you would benefit from additional information or accommodations, we invite you to contact us at info@mayostreetarts.org or 207-879-4629.

COMMUNITY HEALTH

Audience members — in addition to artists, staff & volunteers — who feel sick or exhibit symptoms of illness should stay home out of respect for others.

SEATING POLICY

We will save your reserved seat until showtime, at which point any unclaimed seats may be offered to other people. Please call our box office at 207-879-4629 if you are running late.

CANCELATION POLICY

MSA has a no refund policy for all reservations. In the event that MSA is forced to cancel an event due to weather, illness, etc., refunds will be offered via the Ticket Tailor platform.