A Talk with Teferi Assefa, Drummer

Teferi Assefa is a quiet, at times effervescent, and friendly person. A returnee from the United States, this thirty-eight-year-old drummer is one of the new generations of musicians leading the budding jazz scene in town. His entire life is centered on music. He is busy performing regularly, researching, and teaching.
Since childhood, Teferi has found his own sound on the drum. Influenced by a range of musical traditions, his percussion style was a key element of the Urban Vibes band’s distinctive sound that played recently at the acacia jazz festival. It is great to watch him play— the beat of his bass drum holding everything together. Not loud-felt more than heard. He hits a beat or drops an explosion on the tom-tom, making the drums ‘speak’ in a passionate and moody voice.
Find the full story at the Ethiopia Observer.