Moa Anbesa

Salvador, Bahia – Brazil

Moa Anbesa was founded in Salvador – Bahia, Brazil, in 2001, by the musician and composer from Bahia, Ijahwell Ini (Wellington Maia), in order to keep going his authorial work as a singer which was started in Germany in 1992 with his band ‘Seed shall Grow’ from which its setlist worked as a background for Moa Anbesa (Conqueror Lion in Ethiopian language). Moa Anbesa brings a very original sound, one of strong feelings with sound portraits of experiences around the world (Brazil, Europe, Africa and Jamaica), under the Rastafari prism, carrying inspirations, stories of their own experience and psalms of a new times.

This sound that has been shown to be influential is the result of Ijahwell’s musical interaction that has more than 20 years of musical research. Initially through the Berimbau with Capoeira, then with the Bahia Cuban percussion; the Nyahbinghi drums (original Reggae percussion) due to the Rastafari culture and its philosophy, with all this adding up with other important musicians from Bahia as Milan Gordillo on the guitar, Ras Vicente on the drums and Ricardo Cruz on the bass.

The first CD named ‘Moa Anbesa Experience’ released in 2004 and was recorded live in Saloh Studio and faithfully expresses the first moment of the band. The second CD, ‘Moa Anbesa Lively’, from 2005, recorded from a live show in Itapuã. The third CD, ‘Rastafari’, was recorded by Ras Vicente. In 2010, with newmusicians and new songs, ‘Ao Vivo no Pelô’ was released, saved from a show on Pedro Arcanjo square in Pelourinho which is the heart of Salvador.

Moa Anbesa is a genuine reggae band from Bahia that has performed on a variety of stages in Salvador, from the ghettos to electric trios and from Pelourinho to the Castro Alves Theatre, which on this occasion was the only reggae band ever invited to the 31-year radio p Educadora Fm party.