At 81, Mulatu Astatke, the father of Ethio-jazz, is still pushing boundaries during his farewell tour. Performing at the EFG Jazz Festival at London's Royal Festival Hall, he and his band opened with Tsome Diguwa, conjuring a thunderstorm that crashed into Zèlèsègna Dèwèl, a piece rooted in 4th-century Ethiopian tradition with harmonic minor tonality.
Astatke's serious demeanour and unsentimental stage presence contrast with his playful approach to the vibraphone, which he treats with both familiarity and discovery. During Yèkèrmo Sèw, his solo filled the room with water-like shapeshifting sounds. The set also highlighted his band, with solos from James Arben (saxophone), Byron Wallen (trumpet), Danny Keane (cello), and Alexander Hawkins (piano).
For Kulun, an Ethiopian wedding song, two guest musicians played traditional instruments: a masinko (single-stringed lute) and a krar (five-stringed lyre). Dancers in traditional outfits joined, delighting the crowd. Technical solos from Keane and John Edwards (double bass) were interspersed with dance breaks in Azmari and Chik Chikka.
The performance was rich in texture, with Richard Baker providing West African percussion on conga drums, Saworo bells, and dùndún talking drum. For Yègellé Tezeta, Baker sang in Yoruba in call-and-response with Edwards' bass. Astatke introduced Mulatu as a piece he composed for himself, describing it as a wandering train of thought with glittering bells and mystical keyboard.
The encore, Yèkatit, defied expectations: instead of a crashing crescendo, Astatke guided drummer Ben Brown in a muted, controlled whisper of cymbals. It encapsulated Astatke's five-decade career—a whirlwind of experimentation and excitement, always with deliberation and control.
