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Final concert marks end of six-decade career
Ethiopian jazz legend Mulatu Astatke performed his last live show in London last month, closing a 60-year journey that introduced the world to Ethio-jazz. The 82-year-old musician, celebrated for blending Ethiopian scales with global jazz traditions, took his final bow before an adoring crowd in the city where his international career began.
From engineering student to musical innovator
Born in 1943 in Jimma, southwestern Ethiopia, Astatke was sent to Lindisfarne College in North Wales as a teenager to study engineering. His path changed when his musical talent caught the attention of his headmaster, who encouraged him to pursue music instead. He later trained at London's Trinity College, where he honed his skills on the trumpet and vibraphone, jamming with jazz greats like Jamaican saxophonist Joe Harriott.
The birth of Ethio-jazz
In the 1960s, Astatke became the first African student at Boston's Berklee College of Music, where he studied vibraphone and percussion. After returning to Addis Ababa in 1969, he fused Latin jazz with Ethiopian pentatonic scales, creating what he called the "science" of Ethio-jazz. Initially met with resistance, his sound soon revolutionized Ethiopian music during the "Swinging Addis" era.
Despite political upheaval-including the 1974 coup that ousted Emperor Haile Selassie-Astatke remained in Ethiopia, continuing to innovate. He drew inspiration from traditional instruments like the washint (flute), kebero (drum), and masenqo (single-stringed fiddle), which he likened to a cello.
Global recognition and lasting influence
Astatke's music gained wider acclaim after appearing in the 2005 film Broken Flowers and last year's Oscar-nominated The Nickel Boys. His final London concert, held on a cold November evening, drew fans spanning generations. Dressed in a shirt featuring Ethiopian artist Afework Tekle's work, he played his signature vibraphone, opening with a 4th-century Ethiopian Orthodox tune.
"It was a beautiful show. Really enjoyed it,"
Mulatu Astatke
While he avoided discussing his emotions about retiring from live performances, his impact was evident. US composer Dexter Story called the concert "bittersweet," praising its "vibrant and alive" energy. London-based fan Juweria Dino noted, "My instinct when someone asks about Ethiopian music is to play Mulatu."
A legacy beyond borders
Astatke's fusion of traditional and modern sounds resonates globally. Concert-goer Joseph Badawi-Crook described it as a "unique mix" of South Asian melodies, Arab pentatonic scales, and African percussion. Ethiopian fan Solliana Kineferigb highlighted his cross-generational appeal, saying, "To see him live as part of the younger generation is amazing."
Though his touring days are over, Astatke vowed to keep promoting Ethiopian music. "It's not the end," he said. His mission now is to "computerize" traditional instruments, ensuring their sounds reach new audiences. He also advocates for greater recognition of Africa's cultural contributions, arguing that the continent's innovations-from instruments to scientific ideas-deserve more credit.
