Mulatu Astatke already has a legendary status as the father of Ethio Jazz. But he hasn't been content to rest on his laurels. Instead he's forged ahead. This album proves very different from his work with the Heliocentrics (some of whom do feature here), or with the Either/Orchestra -- it's an album of what is essentially a meandering, laid-back groove that looks at music from two angles -- the Western and the Ethiopian. The former gets to stretch out on cuts like the opener, the reflective "Radcliffe," and "The Way to Nice." Ethiopia raises its head on "I Faram Gami I Faram," which some luscious Addis Ababa singing, a reworking of the style that made Astatke's name, and actually of one of his old compositions. But it can also be heard in the flute on "Ethio Blues," or the ways Astatke's vibraphone resembles a balafon in "Green Africa." "Assosa" is a true trip into rural Ethiopia, based on traditional music, while "Mulatu's Mood" crosses the continent to put another of the man's older pieces in a highlife framework and highlight the connections between styles. What's interesting is how much of a backseat Astatke is happy to take, rarely venturing out front for a solo (and even then they're brief, more like punctuations), but always powering things along as part of the rhythm section. The exception is on "Boogaloo," at heart Western enough until Astatke takes it to Ethiopia over the groove, and then an Ethiopian fiddle holds it in strange, beautiful territory. A beautiful album that adds to Astatke's stature
Now this man down at the used car lot tried to sell me 4 wheels and a trunk, I said "man, but there aint no engine," he said "engine's just a bunch of junk; you don't need no engine to go downhill, and I can plainly see, that's the direction your headed in," and he handed me the keys.
Finally took the plunge on this - liking it a lot. (Part of what convinced me was actually a track on another album - track 1 of this compilation is actually by Amon Tobin, though listed as by "Two Fingers", and is what my daughters call "epic".)
Then:
Thanks, Brighternow, this is fun. I don't understand the release strategy though - having to pay for a physical CD to be shipped from Australia in order to be able to buy the download, but then having the download available separately at Boomkat - but only the first of the two disks. I understand the value of physical copies up to a point but sometimes labels just seem to make it gratuitously difficult to buy their music.
ETA - actually really enjoying this. (I do like To Rococo Rot as well.) Wish they would let me buy it for less than $26 USD. Ah I see it can be had for a little over $15 total on Amazon. That's still a bit high end though....$12.99 on Discogs, download first disk only...Boomkat still cheapest, but for only one disk. Hmmm.
ETA2 OK, the 2-disk version seems to be only the Aussie release.
Comments
All Music Guide writes
This is an album that both the jazz and ambient fans here may well like. Available on emusic at http://www.emusic.com/album/Mulatu-Astatke-Mulatu-Steps-Ahead-MP3-Download/11839063.html
(url=>amz)
(url=>amz)
mtraks has been adding some good (and more well known) stuff over the last couple months. Makes me hopeful for its future.
Craig
(url=>amz)
(url=>amz)
Ester Brinkmann - Der Ubersetzer - Il Traduttore
Very, very good. Not sure if I like it as much as Curse Your Branches, but it's not far off that's for sure.
Craig
(url=>amz)
(url=>amz)
Julianna Barwick - The Magic Place $8
I like this place. Highly recommended.
Played from Bandcamp
C418 - Life Changing Moments Seem Minor in Pictures $1 or more. Creative Commons License.
Played from Bandcamp. I haven't fully formed an opinion on this. It's worth a listen.
Now:
Alexandra Streliski - Pianoscope $9.99 CAD
Listening on Bandcamp. Dreamy, cinematic piano. Beautiful. Highly recommended.
The Anglo/Australian classical guitarist, not the film score musician
Now this man down at the used car lot tried to sell me 4 wheels and a trunk, I said "man, but there aint no engine," he said "engine's just a bunch of junk; you don't need no engine to go downhill, and I can plainly see, that's the direction your headed in," and he handed me the keys.
Nine Julianna Barwick tracks on Myspace
On NPR First listen until 6/28
A Capella DSotM
(url=>amz)
Finally took the plunge on this - liking it a lot. (Part of what convinced me was actually a track on another album - track 1 of this compilation is actually by Amon Tobin, though listed as by "Two Fingers", and is what my daughters call "epic".)
Then:
Thanks, Brighternow, this is fun. I don't understand the release strategy though - having to pay for a physical CD to be shipped from Australia in order to be able to buy the download, but then having the download available separately at Boomkat - but only the first of the two disks. I understand the value of physical copies up to a point but sometimes labels just seem to make it gratuitously difficult to buy their music.
ETA - actually really enjoying this. (I do like To Rococo Rot as well.) Wish they would let me buy it for less than $26 USD. Ah I see it can be had for a little over $15 total on Amazon. That's still a bit high end though....$12.99 on Discogs, download first disk only...Boomkat still cheapest, but for only one disk. Hmmm.
ETA2 OK, the 2-disk version seems to be only the Aussie release.