Ranked #51 in the Soul Strut 200

In the 60s and 70s, worldly Ethiopian vibraphonist Mulatu Astatke fathered a style of music he called "ethio-jazz".  Ethio-jazz was a fusion of latin jazz with the Ethiopian-interpreted pentatonic scale.  In 1972, Astatke headed to New York to record his most coveted record Mulatu Of Ethiopia injecting a little bit of that Roy Ayers jazz funk into the mix.  The album was even sponsored by Ethiopian Airlines and used as in-flight music.  Time machine, please? By the 90s, crate diggers rediscovered this record, touting its unique funkiness.  This is especially evident on cuts like "Kasalefkut-Hulu" and "Mulatu".  The re-release of his work on the Éthiopiques compilations in the late 90s solidified his revival and paved the way for future tours and new music.

Related Threads