Gili Yalo

The Ethiopian Israeli international musician, Gili Yalo, combines an Ethiopian musical legacy with genres such as funk, jazz and soul.

Gili Yalo’s music embodies his own personal story, and what a story he has to tell: Operation Moses was the covert evacuation of Ethiopian Jews from Sudan during a famine in 1984. These Ethiopian Jews fled from their native land on foot to refugee camps in Sudan.

Together with his family, Gili Yalo made this perilous trip, walked through the desert towards the“Promised Land” and sang to his beloved ones. In the course of this exhausting and emotional journey, the music encouraged Gili and his family to keep on moving. Gili Yalo’s band is made up of five musicians, including guitar, bass, keyboard, drums and trumpet. An entrancing rhythmic motion is apparent when listening to Gili’s music, from the groove, beat and flow, and up to the lyrics,concept and style of the project. Today Gili Yalo’s music gives a new meaning to traditional Ethiopian music. The expression of his story through an advanced music production represents his own personal triumph.

After a big success of his first record released last year, touring the world and receiving high critical praise internationally, Gili Yalo returns with a new release. The new EP, “Made in Amharica,” is a result of Gili Yalo’s cooperation with Grammy Award nominee (Best R&B Album and Best Traditional R&B Performance for Leon Bridges’ LP “Coming Home”) Niles City Sound. The songs are a collaboration between Gili Yalo and Dallas-based musicians in the high-end, vintage-equipped Niles City Sound recording studios in Fort Worth. Gili Yalo combines modern sound, Ethiopian roots, funk and jazz and a deep soulful feeling. “Made in Amharica” is step forward – with American musicians and a production team with the best vintage analogue equipment the soul and R&B flavor of Gili’s music is stronger than ever.