Zeleke Gessesse Curriculum Vitae Mobile: US – 1.773.551.2304 Ethiopia – 011.251.911.551897

Zeleke Gessesse Curriculum Vitae Mobile: US – 1.773.551.2304 Ethiopia – 011.251.911.551897 As a political refugee, who left his Ethiopian homeland 30 years ago when suppression overcame the country, Zeleke traveled to the United States with his fellow musicians and brothers from Africa to pursue his college education and his music. In the U.S. they created one of the most successful music partnerships with Ziggy Marley, whose father, Bob Marley, had a deep affinity for Ethiopia as well as all of Africa. Zeleke and his band Dallol, world-toured with Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers starting in 1984. Zeleke returned to his Chicago home between tours, to concentrate on his own music, releasing his first CD in 1995 Come to Me, while still working with Ziggy on his 1998 release, Fallen is Babylon with hit songs Diamond City and Brotherly Love. Beginning with the albums Conscious Party and One Bright Day, both platinum albums produced with Ziggy Marley, Zeleke has seen the world connect to his blend of African and Ethiopian rhythm with Jamaican Reggae - introducing a global world beat sound that has enormous universal appeal. Zeleke's music, which unites the Marley vision of One Love and his own vision of universal peace, flows with many languages in each song. Combining Amharic, his native tongue of Ethiopia, with English and the patios of Jamaica, Zeleke's sound is as unique as his music and his background. Zeleke has continued to forge ahead with his own unique sound and message to the world. Listen to the dance rhythms of eastern Africa, on his solo projects, Come to Me, 1996, Out of Africa 2000, and Selam produced with his 6-piece band, and recorded live in the Wild Hare Studio 2007, and you can transport yourself to any destination club in the world. For the last 11 years Zeleke has traveled back to Ethiopia where his message of unity and tolerance has made him a household name in eastern Africa. Zeleke Gessesse Bio Together, with his long time friend Ziggy Marley, and his brother Addis Gessesse, they have organized a charity organization called One Love Africa™, building thirty (30) One Love Africa primary schools for underprivileged African children in rural Ethiopia. While in Chicago, Zeleke established deeper roots there and became a founder of the wildly successful Wild Hare Reggae Club. There you could experience Zeleke's love of music and love of entertaining with a world beat sound. Zeleke and his band, along with the musician relationships he has established all over the world, is a sound hundreds of thousands have experienced. He was the president and CEO of the company for over 25 years and in those years the company grew from an initial investment of $25.0k in 1986 to acquiring the building in 1989 for $250.0k. Re-architecting the building in 1991, again in 1998 and 2006, the value of the building continued to grow while the club became a destination in Chicago, creating a building value of $890.0k in 1991, to over $2.7 million in 2011. Zeleke’s skill in developing new programming and booking larger bands grew the club, on average, 11.7% over 5 years. While the building continued to appreciate, the club became known throughout the world with revenues reaching over $1.6 million by end of 2008. As the world experienced an economic downturn, Zeleke made an important decision in 2011 that would be life-changing. He sold the Chicago based Wild Hare to return to his homeland, where he is in the process of reconstructing his personal property into a destination boutique hotel in Addis Ababa. The music influenced hotel will have a live music club, built to international standards and excellence. Given his hospitality business background and his college education of business and music management, Zeleke chose to embark on a whole new vision, establishing a new growth career in his homeland. The thousands who attended the “closing” of the Wild Hare in Chicago, vowed to come to his new hotel and club in Addis Ababa, thereby insuring the new venture will be an immediate success once opened. Ethiopia will enjoy a growth in tourism and entertainment like never before. Nothing pleases Zeleke more than coming full circle with a new chapter which began with his roots in Ethiopia. One love. Zeleke Gessesse Zeleke Gessesse Bio.

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