Ethiopian jazz musician Mulatu Astatke smiled as he held his arms aloft to acknowledge his audience for the last time. Last month in London, the 82-year-old pioneer, who has done much to bring his blend of musical styles to the world, played his final live concert after a six-decade performing career. Twenty years ago, he gained a wider listenership after the soundtrack for the 2005 Hollywood film Broken Flowers included his music, and the use of one of his recordings in last year's best-picture-Oscar-nominated Nickel Boys saw further interest. But since the 1960s he has used the studio and rehearsal room as a laboratory where he has mixed musical styles to create what he calls the 'science' of Ethio-jazz.
Outside, it was a cold November evening, but inside the West End venue, Mulatu was bathed in the warm embrace of a crowd eager to get one last glimpse of this alchemist at work. Dressed in a shirt featuring work by Ethiopian artist Afework Tekle, he slowly and steadily walked on stage. Squeezing past a set of congas he came to his signature instrument – the vibraphone.
With two pink-felted mallets in his right hand and one in the left, he began to pick out the mesmeric rhythm and melody, expertly striking the xylophone-like metal bars creating a delicate, resonant sound. The first song was based on a 4th Century tune from the Ethiopian Orthodox church. It was a nod to his musical heritage and the Ethiopian pentatonic scale that gives his sound its unique flavour when combined with other jazz traditions from around the world.
'It was a beautiful show. Really enjoyed it,' Mulatu told the BBC in his gentle voice after the concert. But he would not be drawn on how he felt saying goodbye to his international fans. For US musician and composer Dexter Story the gig was 'bittersweet'. 'It was so vibrant and so alive. A reverent and gracious… and wonderful, wonderful energy,' he said. 'I'm very saddened that we won't have this genius… touring the world.' But his influence will live on in his recordings.
Mulatu remains determined to promote music from Ethiopia and the wider continent which he feels does not get the acknowledgment it deserves. 'Africa has given so much culturally to the world. It is not being recognised as it should be recognsied,' he lamented. His tracks weave together traditional instruments from his homeland like the washint (flute), kebero (drum), and the masenqo, a single-stringed fiddle.
As he reflects on his significant career, he remains a beloved figure whose unique blend of the modern and traditional has left an indelible mark on the music scene worldwide. While touring may be over, Mulatu pledges to continue to bring Ethiopian music to the world, assuring fans 'It's not the end.'
Outside, it was a cold November evening, but inside the West End venue, Mulatu was bathed in the warm embrace of a crowd eager to get one last glimpse of this alchemist at work. Dressed in a shirt featuring work by Ethiopian artist Afework Tekle, he slowly and steadily walked on stage. Squeezing past a set of congas he came to his signature instrument – the vibraphone.
With two pink-felted mallets in his right hand and one in the left, he began to pick out the mesmeric rhythm and melody, expertly striking the xylophone-like metal bars creating a delicate, resonant sound. The first song was based on a 4th Century tune from the Ethiopian Orthodox church. It was a nod to his musical heritage and the Ethiopian pentatonic scale that gives his sound its unique flavour when combined with other jazz traditions from around the world.
'It was a beautiful show. Really enjoyed it,' Mulatu told the BBC in his gentle voice after the concert. But he would not be drawn on how he felt saying goodbye to his international fans. For US musician and composer Dexter Story the gig was 'bittersweet'. 'It was so vibrant and so alive. A reverent and gracious… and wonderful, wonderful energy,' he said. 'I'm very saddened that we won't have this genius… touring the world.' But his influence will live on in his recordings.
Mulatu remains determined to promote music from Ethiopia and the wider continent which he feels does not get the acknowledgment it deserves. 'Africa has given so much culturally to the world. It is not being recognised as it should be recognsied,' he lamented. His tracks weave together traditional instruments from his homeland like the washint (flute), kebero (drum), and the masenqo, a single-stringed fiddle.
As he reflects on his significant career, he remains a beloved figure whose unique blend of the modern and traditional has left an indelible mark on the music scene worldwide. While touring may be over, Mulatu pledges to continue to bring Ethiopian music to the world, assuring fans 'It's not the end.'
