New York - Addis - London: The Story of Ethio Jazz

Mulatu Astatqe | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 26, 2009)
• Original Release Date: October 26, 2009
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: STRUT RECORDS
• ASIN: B002MUQA7S
• Also Available in: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #40,468 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Vibraphone and keyboard player, master arranger and bandleader, MULATU ASTATKE is one of the all-time greats of Ethiopian music and the creator of his own original music form, Ethio jazz. Now, Strut are proud to present, for the first time anywhere, the definitive Mulatu career retrospective covering his landmark '60s and '70s recordings. Through the acclaimed 'Ethiopiques' album series and through featuring on the soundtrack to the JIM JARMUSCH film 'Broken Flowers', his music has belatedly reached a global audience and a new, younger generation of fans. In November of last year, he recorded an inspired new album with London psych jazz band THE HELIOCENTRICS for STRUT's 'Inspiration Information' studio collaboration series. Mulatu is a true pioneer of African music. He was the first Ethiopian musician of his generation to travel extensively and to record abroad - he studied in the UK in Wales and at Trinity College Of Music in London, cutting his teeth on the buoyant London jazz scene of the early '60s. He became the first African student to attend Harvard and he lived and recorded in New York, developing a unique sound that fused Western jazz with traditional Ethiopian melodies. This album traces the progression of his Ethio jazz experiments with full access to all of the labels for whom he recorded. Covering his first recordings in the UK during 1965, his groundbreaking fusions for the small WORTHY label in New York and his key '70s recordings back in Addis on AMHA, PHILLIPS and AXUM, the album features comprehensive sleeve notes by MILES CLERET, boss of the excellent SOUNDWAY RECORDS imprint, and rare, previously unseen photos from Mulatu's personal archive. 'New York-Addis-London' is the essential MULATU, and the story of his Ethio Jazz.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More fabulous tracks from a lesser known visionary, November 15, 2009

By 

DJ Outro (Austin, TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: New York - Addis - London: The Story of Ethio Jazz (Audio CD)

If you've never heard the name Mulatu Astatke before or are wondering what "Ethio Jazz" is, listen to this CD immediately. Mulatu creates sounds all of his own, fusing together subdued vibraphones, middle eastern riffs and latin jazz rhythms all in low-fi ambiance. It's sad this style and period of jazz was so short lived but releases like this help increase awareness of the amazing sounds of this visionary artist. Some of the tracks are repeats from the more widely known Ethiopiques Vol. 4, but they are all fantastic.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars definitive Ethio-Jazz groover, December 8, 2009

By 

Scott McWade "dubs" (NJ USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: New York - Addis - London: The Story of Ethio Jazz (Audio CD)

Mulatu Astatke invented the genre known as ethio-jazz. This release is THE definitive artifact. Ethiopian traditional + afro-cuban jazz = a new twist on what I broadly describe as afro-beats. This one is a real groover, different (more of a middle-eastern sound) than the west-african forms I'm more familar with, but no less funky. A real party starter. If you're into this kind of stuff, Strut keeps their flame burning strong. Between Strut, Analog Africa and Soundway, we are in the midst of some kind of afro-beats perfect storm, and I'm getting blown away. Now, I understand Fela's entire catalog is about to get the overhaul from the Knitting Factory label, strap yourself to something strong !

5 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars mellow funky exotic, November 25, 2009

By 

ginsu "ginsu" (tv land) - See all my reviews

This review is from: New York - Addis - London: The Story of Ethio Jazz (Audio CD)

sick sick album. the tone of the recording sounds like classic blue note. the grooves are funky latiny jazz with a strong ethiopean influence on groove and melody. one of my fav new purchases.