Getatchew Mekurya (1935–2016) was a legendary Ethiopian tenor saxophonist, often dubbed the "Negus (King) of Ethiopian Sax," renowned for pioneering an instrumental style based on the traditional Ethiopian warrior chant, the shellella. He began his career in 1949 with the Municipality Band in Addis Ababa, later joining the prestigious Police Orchestra, and his raw, expressive, and improvisational playing style has often been compared to free jazz, which he developed independently. He gained international recognition when his 1970 album, Negus of Ethiopian Sax, was re-released as part of the Éthiopiques series, leading to an acclaimed and unexpected decade-long collaboration and world tour with the Dutch avant-garde/punk band, The Ex, before his death in 2016.