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Mulatu Astatke

Profile:Mulatu Astatke (also written Astatqé on French releases) is arguably one of the most influential and legendary musicians from Ethiopia. During the 1960’s, he studied music abroad in London, Boston, and New York. He then returned home to Ethiopia armed with a love for jazz and Latin music. There he blended Ethiopian traditional music with the Latin-jazz he was so fond of to create a unique hybrid he called “Ethio-jazz”.
Mulatu Astatke is first and foremost a composer but also a multi-instrumentalist, playing the vibraphone, keyboards and organs. He is further credited as having established congas and bongos, instruments normally central to Latin styles, in Ethiopian music. However, as Ethiopian songs traditionally focused on vocals his greatest contribution to the music of his country was introducing a new focus on instrumentation.
Three of his LPs were recorded in New York City – his first two, Afro-Latin Soul Volumes 1 & 2 in 1966, plus later Mulatu of Ethiopia in 1972. The bulk of his output was on Amha Records (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia) on which he released several 7” singles as well as one LP in 1974 entitled Yekatit Ethio-Jazz.
Of late, Mulatu Astatke has been the center of renewed attention in the West through a compilation on the Parisian series Ethiopiques (Buda Musique) and a 10” 4-track compilation on the Soundway label out of Brighton England. Most notably, a number of his tracks were also featured in director Jim Jarmush’s 2005 independent film Broken Flowers with actors Bill Murray and Julie Delpy.
A project to re-record some of Mulatu Astatke’s older work as well as new original material has recently been undertaken in collaboration with Will Holland of Quantic fame, drummer Max Weissenfeldt from Poets Of Rhythm, The, trumpeter Todd Simon, and Showboy from Fela Kuti’s Egypt 80.

Background material for this artist profile originates from several sources, including the notes from Ethiopiques Vol 4 (Buda Musique) and an article by Miles Cleret in Wax Poetics (Issue #14, Fall 2005).
In Groups:Mulatu Astatke & His Ethiopian Quartet, Mulatu Astatke & His Ethiopian Quintet
Name Variations: All | Mulatu Astatke | Astatke | M. Astatke | Mulatu Astatqé | Mulatu Astatqué | Mulatu Of Ethiopia
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Releases:
Maskaram Setaba (7")   Addis Ababa Records 1966
Mulatu Of Ethiopia (Album) ◄ (3 versions)   Worthy Records (US) 1972
Plays Ethio-Jazz (LP)   Poljazz 1989
Ethiopiques 4 : Ethio Jazz & Musique Instrumentale (CD, Album)   Buda Musique 1998
Ethio Jazz (LP)   L'Arome Productions 2002
Mulatu Astatke (10")   Soundway 2005
Inspiration Information (Album) ◄ (4 versions)   Strut 2009
Appears On:
Dengue Fever (CD, Album) Ethanopium Web Of Mimicry 2003
Ethiopian Modern Instrumental Hits (LP, Album) Munayé, Mètché Ders... L'Arome Productions 2003
Sleepwalk: A Selection By Optimo (Espacio) (CD, Comp) Yègellé Tezeta Domino Recording Company Ltd. 2008
Ethiopiques-17: Tlahoun Gèssèssè (CD)   Buda Musique  
Kulun Manqualesh / Alegntaye (7")   Philips  
Éthiopiques 10: Tezeta, Ethiopian Blues & Ballads (CD, Album) Gubèlyé, Tezeta Buda Musique  
Éthiopiques 8: Swinging Addis (CD, Album) Ené Nègn Bay Manèsh... Buda Musique  
Tracks Appear On:
Africafunk: The Original Sound Of 1970s Funky Africa ◄ (2 versions) Netsanet Harmless 1998
The Shrine Presents Afrobeat ◄ (2 versions) Yegelle Tezeta Ocho 2000
Radio Number 1 2004 (CDr, Promo, Mixed) My Gubel Ninja Tune 2004
The Rough Guide To The Music Of Ethiopia (CD) Sabyé World Music Network 2004
Gilles Peterson In Africa (Comp) ◄ (2 versions) Mulatu Ether 2005
Music From Broken Flowers (Comp) ◄ (2 versions) Yegelle Tezeta, Yekerm... Decca 2005
25 Ans Radio Nova (25xCD, Comp + Box, Ltd) Kasalefkut Hulu, Mètc... Nova Records 2006
Juke Joint II (CD, Comp, Mixed) Emnete Studio !K7 2006
Nova Classics Seven (CD) Yékèrmo Sèw Nova Records 2006
The Record Shop - 30 Years Of Rough Trade Shops (2xCD, Comp) Yèkèrmo Sèw V2 Records, Inc. 2006
Now Hear This! 55 (CD, Comp, Promo) Tezeta Word Magazine 2007
Pulp Fusion Africa Funk (2xCD, Comp) Yegelle Tezeta Harmless 2007
Rajaz Meter (CDr, Promo, Mixed) Mulatu Funk Weapons 2007
The Very Best Of Ethiopiques: Hypnotic Grooves From The Legendary Series (2xCD, Comp) Yèkèrmo Sèw, Yèkat... Manteca 2007
Sleepwalk: A Selection By Optimo (Espacio) (Comp) ◄ (2 versions) Yègellé Tezeta Domino Recording Company Ltd. 2008
Untitled (CD, Comp) Masenqo (Edit) Spex Magazine 2009
Vinyl Dogs Vol. 2 (LP, Promo) Kasalefkut Hulu Vinyl Dogs Records (2)  
Éthiopiques 10: Tezeta, Ethiopian Blues & Ballads (CD, Album) Gubèlyé Buda Musique  
Unofficial Releases:
Mystic Vibes - Volume 1 (CDr, Comp) Yègellé Tezeta Goodzik Records 2001
Diggin #Eight (LP) Kasalefkut Hulu Diggin Breaks Records  
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