At 66, Mulatu is on fire, as his seductive sound wins fans around the world. It’s all down to late nights in the hotels of Addis Ababa.
Source:Telegraph
By Peter Culshaw
Published: 24 Mar 2010
Athe age of 66, Mulatu Astatke is having the time of his life. The jazz composer and performer from Ethiopia is in the midst of a full-blown Indian summer in his career. He received a huge boost when influential film-maker Jim Jarmusch used his music for his 2005 film Broken Flowers, and was also a key figure in the 2007 The Very Best of Ethiopiques compilation, one of the most unlikely best-sellers of the last decade. Once heard, Astatke’s music is not easily forgotten. His signature vibraphone playing style uses the distinctive five-note Ethiopian scale and is like jazz from a parallel universe, by turns haunting, romantic and a touch sleazy, as though the soundtrack to some seductive espionage B-movie. Read more.
Watch: Mulatu Astatke – Ethio Jazz Retrospective (Strut)
Video: Ace to Ace interview with Mulatu Astatke
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The rediscovery of Mulatu Astatke (Times Online)
What an amazing work, U are a real hero for the new generation and I wish u a long and healthy life.
I am always proud of Mulatu. He is one of a kind son of Ethiopia. Keep up the good job Mulatu.You are the asset of the music world. I wish you the best.
There is a huge amount of attention on Gash Mulatu Astatke’s music right now. I’m so proud everytime I step into a bookstore or cafe and hear those familiar notes. It used to be that you’d only hear Ethiopian music in an Ethio-owned place but now I actually have non-Ethiopian friends who own Gash Mulatu’s CDs. He’s definitely got a major following. We Ethiopians are so proud of you, Gash Mulatu. Thank you for shedding light on our fantastic culture with your amazing music.
Once in a life time, stars like him shine upon us.
Gash Mulatu,
You are our pride. When we listen to your classic works such as the soundtrack in the movie Broken Flowers, we are reminded of our childhood (20 years ago) because we knew those compositions from Ethiopian radio.
It is good news that our genius Mulatu is rediscovered in the international music arena. That will arm our youth in abundance like his name ( Mulatu Astatke= Abundance Arming)!!