Hawash! is a 1984 album by Finnish gospel musician Jaakko Löytty. It is his first album with clear African influences.
The title song was inspired by the Oromo musician Ali Mohammed Birra, whom Löytty met in 1976 during the Etiopiasafari tour. He met Birra in an Addis Abeba nightclub and bought his LP, which included a song about the River Hawash. Löytty wrote down a translation of the lyrics of the song on the inner sleeve of the album. This song later inspired him to write a song of the same name, the title song of this album.
Track listing All words and music by Jaakko Löytty, arrangements by Jaakko Löytty and Ippe Kätkä.
Side one
Side two
Hawashband Jaakko Löytty — vocals, acoustic guitar Mikko Löytty — bass Sakari Löytty — drums, percussion Ippe Kätkä — drums, percussion Heikki Silvennoinen — guitars Jouko Laivuori — keyboards
Guests Taru Hallama — vocals Pave Maijanen — vocals Lucjan Czaplicki — saxophone Andrej Nowak — trumpet Jimmy Amupala — spoken word
Production Ippe Kätkä — producer, recording engineer, mixing Heikki Silvennoinen — recording engineer, mixing Jaakko Löytty, Tuomo Manninen, cover John Muafangejo, cover woodcut
External links Hawash! in Discogs