[3] Young Getatchew played traditional Ethiopian instruments such as the washint flute, the krar and the masenqo, and later moved on to the saxophone and clarinet.

[2] Getatchew was one of the first musicians to record an instrumental version of shellela, a genre of traditional Amhara vocal music sung by warriors before going into battle.

He continued to refine his instrumental shellela style, recording an entire album in 1970, Negus of Ethiopian Sax, released on Philips Ethiopia during the heyday of the Ethiojazz movement.

Getatchew continued to work alongside many of the biggest orchestras in Addis Ababa, accompanying renowned singers Alemayehu Eshete, Hirut Beqele, and Ayalew Mesfin.

[11] Getatchew collaborated with numerous other contemporary artists, including British Tamil singer Susheela Raman and Boston jazz ensemble Either/Orchestra.