BIOGRAPHY
The Early Years and Musical Foundation Mulatu Astatke’s journey began in Jimma, Ethiopia, in 1943, where he was first exposed to the traditional sounds that would later define his work. His ambition took him abroad to study music formally, making him one of the first African students at prestigious institutions like Berklee College of Music. Immersing himself in jazz, Latin rhythms, and Caribbean sounds, Mulatu’s unique musical voice was shaped by these influences, setting the foundation for his transformative work in Ethio-jazz.
Returning to Ethiopia in the 1960s, Mulatu combined his jazz knowledge with Ethiopian pentatonic scales and rhythms to craft Ethio-jazz, a genre that harmonizes Western and Ethiopian sounds. Albums like Mulatu of Ethiopia introduced hauntingly beautiful, improvisational pieces that would resonate worldwide. His compositions became timeless, re-entering the spotlight through the soundtrack of Jim Jarmusch’s film Broken Flowers and various international reissues, bringing Ethio-jazz to a new global audience and solidifying his place as a musical innovator.
