Imperial Tiger Orchestra is a Swiss group of modern popular Ethiopian music. Its name hints at the Imperial bodyguard band of the Halie Selassie era and Monty Python’s “Tiger in Africa” sketch.[1] It was formed after a jam organized by Genevan trumpet player Raphaël Anker.[2] The band has released three albums and played in Europe, Southern Africa and Ethiopia.[2] It also worked with Ethiopian musicians such as Endress Hassen and the singer Hamelmal Abate.[3]
They were inspired by original albums that the band found while shopping for rare musical ornaments and the Ethiopian Golden Age of music (1969 – 1975) on a first visit to Addis Ababa in 2009. Imperial Tiger Orchestra released a first record in 2010, named Addis Ababa, which explored Ethiopian music from the 70s. The second release, Mercato, veered towards a more pop-inspired repertoire from the 80s, and the latest release celebrates Ethiopian culture, from the vibration of the azmari repertoire to the race of the major tribes. Imperial Tiger Orchestra has toured Europe for 3 years. The band has also taken to the African continent, touring South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe back in 2010. Having been invited to Addis Ababa by the producer of the Ethiopiques series, Francis Falceto, the Tigers met many of the local musicians who work to change traditional Ethiopian music. Based in and around Geneva, Switzerland, Imperial Tiger Orchestra has also worked with musicians and dancers from the Ethiopian diaspora.
