♪ they called it swinging addis, a golden time between 1955 and 1974. before those fun-hating commies came and ruined everything. post world war ii, ethiopia was in the delirious thrall of american big band and swing groups like glenn miller, and against the backdrop of a traditional and official obsession with military marching bands you had the means and the will and the environment to make musical magic. and this man, mahmoud ahmed, has always been at the forefront. ♪ [ singing in amharic ]