Indri HassunвЂ™sВ masinko (single-stringed bowed lute) sounds like John Lee HookerвЂ™s blues.ДЄssosa DeracheВ and Motherland AbayВ feel more meditative. James ArbenвЂ™s flute solo merges exquisitely with the effervescence of Yohanes AfworkвЂ™sВ Ethiopian flute, the washint. The traditional Hager FikerВ has a funky bass groove ( John Edwards), AstatkeвЂ™s vibes solo is beautifully imaginative, relishing the freedom of all 12 notes. The piece has tense, stabbing riffs, with piano and cello woven among the traditional instruments The strong percussion ( Richard Olatunde Baker) almost recalls the bateria of the Brazilian carnival- Astatke was drawn to Latin music early in his career, and is credited as introducing the congas to Ethiopia. Half the tracks are instrumental, though AzmariВ alludes to Ethiopian improvising singers. But the emphasis is on the textures of the whole group. Astatke: вЂItвЂ™s 5 tones against 12-tone musicвЂ¦How do you combine these two things and keep the color of those modes?вЂ™ Pentatonic phrases recur hypnotically throughout the album, and when the jazz solos emerge theyвЂ™re all the more striking in contrast. Horn lines are based on Ethiopian 5-note scales. Each track вЂsketchesвЂ™ a different part of Ethiopia and its traditions, mostly written and arranged by Astatke: composed horn riffs, overlapping in harmony calls and responses strong grooves, and mostly simple chords. IвЂ™ve always thought of music in these terms.вЂ™ДЄstatkeвЂ™s UK links go back to student days, and this new album brings together British and Ethiopian instrumentalists and singers. вЂSome of the music is meant to be danced to, some to be listened to.

CD Review by Alison Bentley)Д®thiopian vibraphonist and percussionist Mulatu AstatkeВ has spent most of his 70 years mixing Ethiopian musical traditions with jazz.

Mulatu astatke sketches of ethiopia rar