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This studio collaboration is the third in Strut’s Inspiration Information series following on from the Horace Andy / Ashley Beedle Vol. 2 and Amp, Sly & Robbie’s Vol. 1 but Vol. 3 is the Jake Ferguson and Malcolm Catto production that has set the highest standard.

With seeds going back as far as the compilation Gilles Peterson In Africa to the Karen P “originated” Mulatu Astatke and The Heliocentrics at Cargo last April (see HERE) to Mulatu’s gig at the Luckman to FLY’s very own Mulatu Astatke “Free and Funky Podcast” (see HERE), there’s been a buzz around this one and it has all come true in its 14 track magnificence.

We know The Heliocentrics are out there in a soul jazz sense from their album Out There album but this surpasses that with the spirit of Carlos Niño’s “psychedelic cosmic love” together with elements from the 4th Demension they have found a new Ethio-jazz hybrid.

All the tracks are fantastic, ‘Dewel’ has some cosmic space dust from Addis on it, ‘Live From Tigre Lounge’ nods a bit to My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts, quite a few tracks slip in a bit of Alice Coltrane inspired harp and there’s even a version of ‘Mulatu’ (well, what’s the name of the album?) whilst Sun Ra looks over it all and nods approvingly.

Peterson played the opening track ‘Masengo’ (the only one with vocals on it by Yezina Negash) on his all-winners show recently and it is an obvious highlight along with ‘Cha Cha’ (featuring Byron Wallen of M.E.L.T. 2000), the funky ‘Addis Black Widow’, the hypnotic ‘Esketa Dance’ and ‘Chinese New Year’ with the great string arrangements.

Each track becomes your new favourite on every listen ending with the longest track, the modal ‘Anglo Ethio Suite’. If you’ve not explored Mulatu formidable back catalogue before, this is a good place to start and work your way backwards - and vice versa.

The one gripe I would offer is that we could have done with more of Astatke on the vibraphone, but I can’t say it detracts from the album as a whole in the slightest.

There have been some killer albums this year already including the compilation School Me! and there are some essential purchases coming out in May, but none are more important than this one - Inspiration Information Vol. 3 is the nuts.

Reviewed: Mulatu Astatke / The Heliocentric - Inspiration Information Vol. 3 (Strut) Cat. No. STRUT040CD Release date: 27th April 2009
Tracklisting:
1 Masenqo (6:23)
2 Cha Cha (4:35)
3 Addis Black Widow (3:39)
4 Mulatu (3:15)
5 Blue Nile (3:12)
6 Esketa Dance (4:09)
7 Chik Chikka (5:04)
8 Live From Tigre Lounge (2:54)
9 Chinese New Year (3:46)
10 Phantom Of The Panther (2:21)
11 Dewel (5:49)
12 Fire In The Zoo (3:36)
13 An Epic Story (5:01)
14 Anglo Ethio Suite (7:19)

Links:
www.myspace.com/heliocentrics
www.myspace.com/mulatuastatke
www.stonesthrow.com/nowagain/heliocentrics
www.strut-records.com
www.myspace.com/strutrecords
www.stonesthrow.com
www.karenp.co.uk
www.byronwallen.com
Gilles Peterson :: 16th April 2009 :: All Winners 2009 Part 1
Miguel Atwood Ferguson & Carlos Niño - Fall In Love (Mochilla)
Oumou Sangare - Lyo Djeli (World Circuit)
Mulatu Astatke & The Heliocentrics - Mensequo (Strut)
Beirut - The Akara (Ba Da Bing)
Jimi Tenor & Kabu Kabu - Global Party (Sahko)
Nacho Patrol - African Space Program (Kindred Spirits Electronic)
Bullion - Time For Us All To Love (One Handed)
Mayer Hawthorne - Maybe So Maybe No (Stones Throw)
Alice Russell - Let Us Be Loving (Little Poppet)
Sound Species Ft Ahu - Can We Call It Love? (CDR)
Elan Mehler - New Breed (Brownswood)