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Inspiration Information 3
ReleaseProduct
Inspiration Information 3
Artist
Mulatu Astatke / The Heliocentrics
Label
Strut
Catalogue Number
STRUT040
Release Date
April 7, 2009

The third in Strut’s Inspiration Information studio collaboration series brings together an intriguing pairing between one of Africa’s great bandleaders, Mulatu Astatke, with the next level musicianship of The Heliocentrics collective from the mighty roster of Stones Throw / Now Again.

Known primarily through the successful ‘Ethiopiques’ album series and the film soundtrack to Jim Jarmusch’s ‘Broken Flowers’, Mulatu Astatke is one of Ethiopia’s foremost musical ambassadors. Informed by spells living and studying in the UK and the USA, his self-styled Ethio-jazz sound flourished during the “Swinging Addis” era of the late ‘60s as he successfully fused Western jazz and funk with traditional Ethiopian folk melodies, five tone scale arrangements and elements from music of the ancient Coptic church.

The Heliocentrics have become known as one of the UK’s foremost free-thinking collectives of musicians, inspired by a wide palette covering Sun Ra, James Brown, David Axelrod and all manner of psych, Afro and Eastern sounds. Now a fixture within the Stones Throw / Now Again roster, they forged their own genre-breaking directions in the astral analogue groove on their 2007 debut album, ‘Out There’.

“ It’s like going back to the feel of the ‘60s, it really feels like that,” explains Mulatu. “There’s a new composition, ‘Cha Cha’, and ‘Dewel’, heavily influenced by an Ethiopian Coptic Church composer called Yard. The band took it and added what they feel. It’s a nice experiment.”

Digital Track List

  1. 1 Masenqo Mulatu Astatke 6:23 Buy

    Masenqo

  2. 2 Cha Cha Mulatu Astatke 4:35 Buy

    Cha Cha

  3. 3 Addis Black Widow Mulatu Astatke 3:39 Buy

    Addis Black Widow

  4. 4 Mulatu Mulatu Astatke 3:15 Buy

    Mulatu

  5. 5 Blue Nile Mulatu Astatke 3:12 Buy

    Blue Nile

  6. 6 Esketa Dance Mulatu Astatke 4:09 Buy

    Esketa Dance

  7. 7 Chik Chikka Mulatu Astatke 5:04 Buy

    Chik Chikka

  8. 8 Live From Tigre Lounge Mulatu Astatke 2:54 Buy

    Live From Tigre Lounge

  9. 9 Chinese New Year Mulatu Astatke 3:46 Buy

    Chinese New Year

  10. 10 Phantom Of The Panther Mulatu Astatke 2:21 Buy

    Phantom Of The Panther

  11. 11 Dewel Mulatu Astatke 5:49 Buy

    Dewel

  12. 12 Fire In The Zoo Mulatu Astatke 3:36 Buy

    Fire In The Zoo

  13. 13 An Epic Story Mulatu Astatke 5:01 Buy

    An Epic Story

  14. 14 Anglo Ethio Suit Mulatu Astatke 9:40 Buy

    Anglo Ethio Suit

Track List:

  1. Masenqo 06:23
  2. Cha Cha 04:35
  3. Addis Black Widow 03:38
  4. Mulatu 03:14
  5. Blue Nile 03:12
  6. Esketa Dance 04:09
  7. Chik Chikka 05:04
  8. Live From Tigre Lounge 02:54
  9. Chinese New Year 03:46
  10. Phantom Of The Panther 02:21
  11. Dewel 05:49
  12. Fire In The Zoo 03:36
  13. An Epic Story 05:01
  14. Anglo Ethio Suit 09:40
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