Mulatu Astatke
World Fusion
Mulatu Astatke (drums, musical director, piano, vibes); James Arben (saxophone); Byron Wallen (trumpet); Daniel Keane (cello); Alexander Hawkins (piano); Neil Charles (bass); Jonathan Scott (drums); Richard Baker (percussion).
Sun 15 July 2018 18:00 - 19:15 Madeira
[trans_artistinfo_about]
In the golden days of Ethiopian jazz, there was one central figure: Mulatu Astatke. And this is actually still the case. The keyboardist introduced instruments such as congas and the vibraphone into the music of his homeland, but most of all he introduced hypnotizing Ethiopian melodic lines into American jazz. This led to a small but funky revolution. His soul-oriented groove continued to inspire other musicians far into the seventies. His music is still sampled with vigor by DJs and producers. For a number of years, Astatke himself has been back in the picture and it seems he hasn’t lost any of his old talents. If there is anyone who is able to bring together American jazz and the deep mystical music of eastern Africa, the so-called 'Éthiopiques', it is grandmaster Mulatu Astatke.
