Mulatu Astatke
Today we’re listening to Mulatu Astatke, an Ethiopian multi-instrumentalist and composer. We last featured him in 2019. He was born in Jimma in 1943 and moved to North Wales to study aeronautical engineering.1 He fell so in love with jazz he transferred to Trinity College in London to study music. His main instrument became the vibraphone, and he pursued further studies at the Berklee College of Music as the first African student there.2 After that he moved to Addis Ababa, bringing jazz influences which he combined with Ethiopian folk styles. His band’s recordings from the late ‘60s and early ‘70s are collected on Ethiopiques, Vol. 4: jam sessions in qiñit modes. We’re also playing Mulatu Plays Mulatu, a 2025 album recorded between Addis Ababa and London, featuring his storied band and instruments like the ten-stringed begena and bamboo washint flute.
Ethiopiques, Vol. 4: Ethio Jazz 1969-1974 - Mulatu Astatke (65m, no vocals)
Spotify / Apple Music / YouTube Music / Amazon Music / Bandcamp / Tidal
Mulatu Plays Mulatu - Mulatu Astatke (61m, no vocals)
Spotify / Apple Music / YouTube Music / Amazon Music / Bandcamp / Tidal
Have a great Thursday.
Marvelous. Thank you!