Mulatu, born in 1943 in Jimma, Ethiopia is widely regarded as the father of Ethio-jazz. Elegant and finely turned out, Mulatu is an innovative multi-instrumentalist, composer and arranger, known primarily for the successful ‘Ethiopiques’ album series and the film soundtrack to Jim Jarmusch’s ‘Broken Flowers’

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He studied music at London’sTrinity College of Music and immersed himself in ’60s New York club scene, before perfecting his vibraphone, conga and percussion skills. Soon he was performing at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, the Lincoln Center in New York, Bonn’s Beethoven-Haus to the Barbican Center here in London.

Later, packing his jazz, soul, Caribbean and Latin learnings back to his homeland (where he performed as a guest artist with the Duke Ellington orchestra during its visit to Ethiopia in 1971) he innovated what became internationally known as the formidable, unique Ethio-jazz groove.

The British 9-piece band Heliocentrics (Now Again / Stones Throw) embrace funk-based psychedelic, soul, electronic and hip hop in their cosmic jazz voyages. Known as one of the UK’s foremost free-thinking collectives of musicians, inspired by Sun Ra, James Brown, David Axelrod and all manner of psych, Afro and Eastern sounds, the Heliocentrics sound is timeless and has made fans of Madlib, DJ Shadow (the Heliocentrics backed him on ‘This Time I’m Gonna Do It My Way’ from his ‘The Outsider’ album) and Mr Chop to name a very few.

Out on 14th April 2009 Strut Records release their third Inspiration Information studio collaboration series, ‘Mulatu Astatke & the Heliocentrics – Inspiration Information Vol 3’ – an album made during a week of frenetic writing and recording between the Heliocentrics rhythm section, Joel Yennior from Boston’s Either Orchestra and Mulatu…. and features horns, moog, cello, harp and astral textures plus the krar (a six-stringed, five tone instrument), masenqo (one-stringed lyre) and washint (made from bamboo). The result is a true fusion of styles, at times reminiscent of Mulatu’s earlier recordings, at others touched by the Heliocentrics own fresh Ethio-hybrid (www.strut-records.com).

Live at London’s Koko for this special one-off night expect an energetic show of classic funk tempered by reggae, chunky bass, swirling sax, Afro-influenced drums and percussion, all layered with jazzy overtones.

Worldwide 10 featuring Mulatu Astatke & the Heliocentrics
Wednesday May 20th, 7.30pm-11pm.
KOKO, 1A Camden High Street, London , NW1 7JE (Mornington Crescent/Camden tube)
Tickets £20 in advance (www.gigantic.com/ www.seetickets.com), £25 on the door