Robert Plant Presents Award to Ethopian Legend Mahmoud Ahmed
The sixth annual BBC Radio 3 Awards For World Music were held this
past weekend at London's Barbican (May 27, 2007). Robert Plant was on
hand to present an award to one of his musical idols, Mahmoud Ahmed.
Mahmoud Ahmed is both a living legend and something of a mystery in
the West. Undeniably Ethiopia’s most famous singer of its “golden
era”, the three albums reissued of his recordings by French label Buda
Musique as part of their Ethiopiques series have captured Western
listeners in the same way that, say, the reissues of Robert Johnson’s
Delta blues did a previous generation.
Plant: “From the Atlantic shores: the music, sometimes primeval, often
contemporary, all engaging, lyrical and vibrant, but music from
another world… songs of the corruption, of the city despair, hunger,
changing landscapes, hope, loyalty and love.”
“Tonight we celebrate Mahmoud, an unusual singer. His music, his
musicians, his style.. sultry, city, low-light imply a very different
African groove-zone. His recordings for us, like Robert Johnson’s,
obscured for many years and arriving from nowhere pre-Ethiopic. They
become small amulets for me, a treasure to carry on my journeys and
I‘m very proud to present this award to Mahmoud Ahmed.”