ATSE TEWODROS PROJECT is a collective of Italian and Ethiopian traditional musicians born from an idea by Ethio-Italian singer/writer and performer Gabriella Ghermandi. It is a unique project as it is the only existent Italian-Ethiopian band. The ensemble intends to respect traditional Ethiopian music while opening it up to dialogue and exchange.
The group deals with creating pieces of Ethiopian music with jazz inserts, and its peculiarity lies in the fact that it does not only offer highland music, known in the context of Ethiopian jazz, but also produces music according to the tradition of ethnic groups whose music is quite unknown outside Ethiopia. In fact, the group produces songs in 8 different languages and in addition to the highland ethnic groups offers kunama, gamo, gofa, oromo, and other traditional music.

In 2022 Atse Tewodros Project recorded the second album “Maqeda” (Ethiopian name of the Queen of Sheba), entirely dedicated to the female figures of the Ethiopian history and mythology and of rituals of ethnic groups that have women at their centre. It is the result of a scrupulous ethno-musicological research in Ethiopia, and all songs and lyrics are written in collaboration between Ethiopia and Italy.
After a launch event in Addis Ababa (on last February 7), the album is now presented at the Sauti za Busara Festival in Zanzibar, the longest running festival in Africa, celebrating 20 years in 2023.

The theme for this special edition is “Tofauti Zetu, Utajiri Wetu” (Diversity is Our Strength). Celebrating live music from across Africa and beyond in 30 concerts, the festival’s spotlight will once again shine on women artists, young and emerging talents.
One of the pieces by Aste Tewodros Project (Lucy, dedicated to the first hominid) was chosen as the "symbol song" of the Festival, and will be performed together with internationally known female musicians and singers leading other groups.
This will be an opportunity for the creation of collaborations and future possibilities, also explored by participating in the "Movers & Shakers professional networking" music market, in meetings organized by Dhow Countries Music Academy.