"Absolutely nothing about this set feels predictable: at 81, Mulatu Astatke is still pushing the boundaries of genre. Even on his farewell tour, there is no easing in, either. The father of Ethio-jazz and his band immediately play Tsome Diguwa as if conjuring a thunderstorm, which in turn crashes straight into Zelesegna Dewel, a piece written in the 4th-century Ethiopian tradition, its harmonic minor tonality sounding almost Arabic."
"Astatke has a serious demeanour. Unsentimental, he speaks only to introduce songs or instruct the band like a schoolteacher. But he views his vibraphone with care and bewilderment, playing with intense familiarity yet almost as though discovering it for the first time. His fascination with his instrument holds the audience captive in turn. During Yekermo Sew which fittingly translates to a man of experience and wisdom Astatke's solo fills the room, water-like in its shapeshifting."
At 81, Mulatu Astatke leads a high-energy farewell tour while continuing to expand Ethio-jazz boundaries. The set opens with Tsome Diguwa and moves into Zelesegna Dewel, written in the 4th-century Ethiopian tradition, featuring harmonic minor tonality with Arabic overtones. Astatke maintains a serious, unsentimental stage presence, introducing songs and directing the band while playing his vibraphone with both familiarity and youthful curiosity. His solos, notably in Yekermo Sew, are fluid and transformative. The ensemble showcases individual virtuosity through saxophone, trumpet, cello, and piano solos, and integrates Ethiopian instruments, dancers, and textured percussion for a richly sensory performance.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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