Mulatu Astatke photo gallery: Live at Sony Hall in Manhattan, Tuesday June 18th, 2024
Mulatu Astatke performing at Sony Hall in Manhattan Tuesday June 18th, 2024
Mulatu Astatke, known as the “Father of Ethio-jazz” made a rare appearance in New York, June 18th. He and his band performed a blistering set at Sony Hall in Manhattan, the first of a three night run as part of the Blue Note Jazz Festival.
Mulatu Astatke performing at Sony Hall in Manhattan Tuesday June 18th, 2024
Astatke is known for his pioneering music that blended jazz and western pop with traditional Ethiopian scales called kignits.
Mulatu Astatke performing and bassist Tal Mashiach at Sony Hall in Manhattan Tuesday June 18th, 2024
Astatke was greeted with a roar from the audience as he walked on stage. Thanks to Francis Falceto and the Ethiopiques series Ethiojazz really permeated the consciousness of contemporary listeners, but it isn't often audiences hear get to hear a legend perform live. Astatke sold out Sony Hall two two nights and a third night was added to accomodate listeners.
Mulatu Astatke performing at Sony Hall in Manhattan Tuesday June 18th, 2024
Astatke’s band included Greg Paulus, trumpet; Jason Lindner, keyboard; Timothy Angulo, drums; Christian Pepin, congas; Tal Mashiach, bass; and musical director James Arben on flute and tenor sax.
Mulatu Astatke and (L-R) Jason Lindner, keyboards, James Arben flute, and Tal Masiach, bass
Mulatu Astatke’s bandmembers including James Arben, saxophone and flute performing at Sony Hall in Manhattan Tuesday June 18th, 2024
Astatke's band opened with a hard driving jazz piece that put some distance between the current sound and the Ethiopiques era. Followed by a meditative solo on vibraphone, joined by Christian Pepin on percussion, it evolved into "Yekermo Sew", a composition which drew on Horace Silver's "Song For My Father". Underscoring the fluidity of Astatke's current sound, he moved between several instruments, vibraphone, timbales, congas, and keyboards. While most of the band are New York-based jazz musicians, the sounds of Ethiopia percolated throughout, particularly in the horns which echoed the traditional scales including the instantly recognized ambassel scale which was greeted by cheering from the audience.
Mulatu Astatke performing "Yekermo Sew" at Sony Hall in Manhattan,, Tuesday, June 18th.
Afterwards we spoke to violinist Kaethe Hostetter, who (https://www.kaethehostetter.com/) encountered Astatke’s music at a young age, she told us "Mulatu affected my life, hearing the Ethiopiques early on was so atmospheric, emblematic of the atmosphere of Ethiopian music, sound, and atmosphere, the music speaks for itself." She immersered herself in Ethiopian music, first with Debo Band followed by over a decade in Addis Ababa playing with the spectrum of artists from Girmo Beyene to her current group QWANQWA and locally in New York she performs solo sets of her "Impressions". Kaethe concluded: “I see him now because of how much he changed my life, I am not seeing him to blow my mind more than he already did.”
Mulatu Astatke performing at Sony Hall in Manhattan Tuesday June 18th, 2024