Ethiopian Jazz Pioneer Mulatu Astatke Concludes Six-Decade Career with Final London Concert
Mulatu Astatke, the 82-year-old Ethiopian jazz pioneer known for creating Ethio-jazz, gave his last live concert in London’s West End, marking the end of a six-decade performing career.
Born in 1943 in Jimma, Ethiopia, Mulatu was educated abroad at Lindisfarne College near Wrexham and Trinity College London. He was also the first African to study at Berklee College of Music in Boston during the 1960s.
Returning to Addis Ababa in 1969, he established his unique Ethio-jazz sound during the Swinging Addis era by blending traditional Ethiopian modal music with Latin jazz influences. Mulatu incorporates Ethiopian instruments such as the washint, kebero, and masenqo—an instrument he describes as sounding like a cello—and aims to computerize these sounds to expand the musical palette.
He continued to produce influential music throughout the political upheaval following the 1974 coup after Emperor Haile Selassie’s deposition, steadfastly building his local fanbase.
Mulatu's approach, which he refers to as the "science of Ethio-jazz," gained wider international recognition two decades ago via soundtrack contributions to the film Broken Flowers (2005). Later, his recordings were featured in the Oscar-nominated film The Nickel Boys, sparking renewed global interest.
Throughout his career, Mulatu has advocated for greater global recognition of Ethiopian and African music, emphasizing that Africa’s cultural contributions remain underappreciated.
Although retiring from touring, he intends to continue promoting Ethiopian music worldwide. Fans at his final performance described it as both vibrant and reverent, celebrating a remarkable legacy.
