Description

“Part mystery, part road novel, part philosophical enquiry, this is a dazzling journey to discover the meaning of music and its immense power over the human soul.” – Aminatta Forna, author of Happiness and The Devil that Danced on the Water

In the heart of Nairobi, four musicians, the Diva, the Taliban Man, the Corporal and 70-year-old bartender Miriam, gather for a once-in-a-lifetime competition to see who can perform the finest Tizita. In the audience is tabloid journalist John Thandi Manfredi, who is enthralled by their renditions of the Ethiopian blues.

Determined to learn more, he follows the musicians back to Ethiopia, where his search for the secret behind this haunting music takes him from the idyllic countryside to vibrant juke joints and raucous parties in Addis Ababa, all set to a soundtrack of unforgettable Tizita performances.

As Manfredi uncovers the lives behind the music, from the Diva’s humble domestic world to the Corporal’s troubled military past, he discovers that the many layers of this musical tradition are reflected in the secrets of its performers. A love letter to beauty, music and the imagination, Unbury Our Dead with Song captures the transformative power of art and the sublime.