Imperial Tiger Orchestra

October 20, 2011

Imperial Tiger Orchestra is a collective from Switzerland that contains the finest connoisseurs and grooviest performers of Ethiopian vibes. Their start came in 2007 when Raphaël Anker, trumpet player from Geneva, decided to gather musicians for a live performance revisiting the golden age of Ethiopian music. Following the memorable success of the performance, the one shot happening resulted in a band.

Consisting of members with very diverse backgrounds including Free Jazz, Noise experimentations, Contemporary music, twisted Pop, etc., the ITO aims to break the boundaries of genres through mesmerizing re-interpretations of Ethiopian arrangements mixed with the digitalized themes that appeared in the 80s and filtered through the eclectic influences of each player. Their sound is a fascinating retro-futuristic piece of music which is close, yet totally different from the songs that inspired the band.

Thunderous rhythms and feverish hooks, down-tempo moments and fast-paced epiphanies, electronic sounds and ambient nirvanas, their recordings explore multiples paths and never lose their warm groove. It’s progressive Ethiopian rock!

Imperial Tiger Orchestra – Mercato; Mental Groove, 2011