The return of the legendary Mulatu Astatke, world-renowned musician, composer and arranger from Ethiopia.
October 9th and 10th at the Order of Melbourne, 2/401 Swanston St. Melbourne.
After selling out two shows at The Forum during this year's International Jazz Festival Mulatu Astatke returns to Melbourne!!
Jazz Rooms proudly presents the encore performance of the legendary Mulatu Astatke, world-renowned musician, composer and arranger from Ethiopia.
Jazz Rooms proudly presents the first ever Sydney performances of the legendary Mulatu Astatke, world-renowned musician, composer and arranger from Ethiopia.
Mulatu Astatke is known as the godfather of Ethio-Jazz – the infectious music dating back to the 1960s that combines Afro Jazz and Soul and Funk with traditional Ethiopian harmony. One of Ethiopia's funkiest musicians of the 70s, Mulatu Astatke's distinct brand of music feature some of the most soulful hip-grinding instrumentals ever recorded in Mother Africa.
His music has been rediscovered by a whole new generation of fans through the hugely popular Ethiopiques re release series and recent albums for Strut Records. Popularly, he is possibly best know for his score for Jim Jarmusch's 2005 film Broken Flowers whose soundtrack featured several tracks from this revolutionary musician, bringing him to the attention of the mainstream.
For these Jazz Rooms performances, Mulatu will be joined by one of his favourite collaborators, UK saxophonist James Arben from The Heliocentrics who has toured with The Supremes’ Mary Wilson and Courtney Pine. They will be joined by Melbourne-based band Black Jesus Experience who played an excellent Jazz Rooms debut for us back in June 2010. The BJE is a nine-piece ensemble that brings together a dynamic blend of traditional Ethiopian music with jazz, funk and hip hop. Members include singer/songwriters from Ethiopia, Namibia & Zimbabwe, with rhythm and horn sections from Australia, New Zealand and Ethiopia.
Russ Dewbury and Blair Stafford provide the Jazz Rooms unique soundtrack connecting cutting edge dance vibrations from all strands of black music past present and future. With a firm emphasis on dance floor energy, expect full on genre crossing club sessions with special guests through the evening until late!
Russ Dewbury was responsible for first reissuing Mulatu’s music through his successful compilation series Africa Funk (Harmless 1998) and Club Africa (Strut 2000).
Blair Stafford, host of Inside Vibe program on PBS FM, DJ and director of straightup.com.au; as well being a prominent player on the Melbourne music scene for many years. You can expect one musical journey that will take you memorably on a global, jazzed out expedition.
Standby for the Afro show of 2010, in the intimate setting of the Order of Melbourne, as Mulatu unleashes a potent brew of afro-jazz grooves that will pull you in and leave you in a mystical trance-like state. Make way for the originals.....the music highly distinctive and constantly surprising.
A Night at the Jazz Rooms takes place on Saturday 9th (SOLD OUT) and Sunday 10th October at The Order of Melbourne.
Weblinks:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQRziRVmvcg&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1d4DjqJCjs&feature=related
