Sketches of Ethiopia
His first internationally distributed studio album, with a London band and Ethiopian guests.
Mulatu Astatke, 2013
- Released
- August 2013
- Label
- Jazz Village
- Type
- album
Mulatu is backed by the Steps Ahead Band and uses the washint, krar and masinko. The opening track Azmari was written by Russ Gershon, and the closer Surma was co-written with the Malian singer Fatoumata Diawara, who sings on it. It reached number 24 on the UK Jazz and Blues Albums Chart.
Banning Eyre of NPR wrote that it is never predictable and never feels cluttered or gimmicky.
Track listing
- Azmari5:02
- Gamo5:15
- Hager Fiker6:08
- Gambella6:12
- Assosa Derache10:03
- Gumuz6:30
- Motherland Abay8:34
- Surma4:42
Personnel
- Mulatu Astatke vibraphone, piano, keyboards, arrangements, production
- James Arben flute, oboe, tenor saxophone, clarinet
- Richard Olatunde Baker percussion
- John Edwards double bass, bass guitar
- Alexander Hawkins piano, keyboards
- Danny Keane keyboards, cello
- Tom Skinner drums
- Byron Wallen trumpet
- Fatoumata Diawara vocals on Surma
More from Mulatu Astatke
Afro-Latin Soul (1966), Ethiopian Modern Instrumentals Hits (1972), Mulatu of Ethiopia (1972), Yekatit Ethio Jazz (1974), Éthiopiques 4: Ethio Jazz & Musique Instrumentale 1969-1974 (1998), New York-Addis-London: The Story of Ethio Jazz 1965-1975 (2009), Mulatu Steps Ahead (2010)
Sources
- Sketches of Ethiopia, Wikipedia
- Sketches Of Ethiopia, Discogs
- Sketches of Ethiopia review, NPR