The Prester John Sessions

bassist of cult band gogol bordello with a rick rubin produced album. for the past three years, tommy t (thomas t gobena) has been the bass player for gypsy punk powerhouse gogol bordello, the new york city-based band known for their blend of gypsy, punk, dub reggae, metal and flamenco. tommy was born and raised in ethiopia and the knowledge of global rhythms he brings to gogol's sound has become part of their unclassifiable approach to music making. with the encouragement of his gogol bordello band mates, tommy has produced his first solo effort, 'the prester john sessions', an aural travelogue that rages freely through the music and culture of ethiopia. "in the 70s, funk, wah-wah pedals, and jazz had a huge impact on ethiopian music," tommy explains. 'the prester john sessions' will give people an idea about the musical diversity of ethiopia, which includes influences and ideas borrowed from the sounds of the 70's with the added bonus of up-to-date production values."