Legendary Ethiopian guitarist Selam "Selamino" Seyoum Woldemariam will perform two sets of instrumental ‘70s and ‘80s Ethiopian pop and funk hits alongside Ethiopian bassist Yohannes Tona, Ethiopian American drummer Abinnet Berhanu, and Minnesota's own Joe Strachan on keyboards. Don’t miss this very rare, unforgettable show, which is copresented with Erta Ale Ethiopian.

Please note that Selamino and his band will be performing at Berlin on two consecutive nights. This is the Friday, Sept. 5 show; information about the Saturday, Sept. 6 show is available here. Both shows are general admission. Please arrive any time after 6:30 p.m.

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Selam "Selamino" Seyoum is a legendary Ethiopian guitarist, producer, and bandleader with a musical career spanning over 50 years. Born in Addis Ababa, he began playing guitar at age 9, honing his skills in Evangelical churches in Addis and Asmara. By 13, he had formed his first band. Selam’s professional career took off in 1973 with the Black Soul Band; he later joined the legendary Ibex Band and co-produced Mahmoud Ahmed’s acclaimed album “Ere Mela Mela” and the band's own “Ibex Instrumental.” He co-founded the influential Roha Band, which recorded over 250 albums across five generations of Ethiopian artists, from Tilahun Gessesse to Teddy Afro. Selam earned a Bachelor of Arts in history from Addis Ababa University in 1988, writing his senior essay on the origins of modern Ethiopian music.

After relocating to the United States, Selam performed with the Tomas Doncker Band at the Blue Note, SummerStage, and B.B. King’s Blues Club. He also co-wrote songs and worked on the play “Power of Trinity” as production consultant and dialect coach. He later formed the Selamino Trio, and he continues to perform and produce music.

Selam’s instrumental albums include “In Memory of Tekle Tesfazghi” (1995), “GRACE” (2020), and AfroNile’s “The New Wave” (2025). He has had an enormous impact on contemporary music; guitarist Mark Speer of the wildly popular band Khruangbin cites him as a primary influence. Selam has received multiple lifetime achievement awards, including awards from Chase the Dream (2019), Ambassel Records (2020), Leza (2022) and Pagume Entertainment (2024).

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Virginia transplant Abinnet Berhanu started his fascination with music on the trumpet but later fell in love with the sheer power of drums. A passionate, explosive drummer, Abinnet has had the opportunity to work with Steve Wilson, the Minnesota Orchestra, Bruce Harris, Russ Johnson, JD Allen, Allyn Johnson, John D’Earth, Justin Kauflin, Russell Wilson and Mike Hawkins. He has appeared at the Kennedy Center, the Library of Congress, the White House, Blues Alley, Bohemian Caverns, DC Jazz Festival, Twin Cities Jazz Festival, Embassy of Sweden, the Embassy of Gabon, and the Embassy of Australia.

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With over a decade of performance experience, Joe Strachan has accompanied dance on the piano, performed on synths and electronics, and composed for a diverse range of collaborations in dance and theater. His recent work has included performing Terry Riley's “In C” with six musicians and 18 dancers, touring with Craig Finn and Mixed Blood Theatre, and performing locally with ThoughtCast, Ahndenet, Charanga Tropical, Little Boat, and Adam Zahllers’ Wheel Eternal. Joe’s work has been recognized with awards such as the Next Step Fund (2020).

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Yohannes Tona was born in Awassa, a vibrant city in southern Ethiopia where he taught himself how to play the guitar by watching his parents’ choir rehearsals. After gaining national recognition in the Ethiopian church scene, he moved to the capital, Addis, to pursue musical education at Yared Music School. This was followed by a scholarship to his dream school, Berklee College of Music in Boston. He spent nearly two productive years at Berklee before landing the role of music director at an Ethiopian Evangelical church in St. Paul, where he would settle and start a family.

Since the early 2000s, Yohannes has built himself a name as a band leader and a sideman, performing along some legendary Minneapolis artists and international musicians. Such names include Cory Wong, Dr. Mambo’s Combo, Nachito Herrera, Jef Lee Johnson, Sounds of Blackness, and The Steeles. While grateful for the incredible experience of playing big stages with such great names, Yohannes believes he is also responsible for sharing his original music—music that reflects his Ethiopian/African roots and the American experience—with the world.