You’ll need no reminding that Niño is the primary producer and conceptual mind behind AmmonContact (together with Fabian Ammon), The Life Force Trio with Dwight Trible, Build An Ark and his latest project Fill The Heart Shaped Cup with Miguel Atwood Ferguson. So with the new KPFK podcast, there’s now no excuse not to catch the show just ‘cos you’re busy on the tiles on a Friday night.

So the connection with Mulatu? Well, in addition to a special guest appearance by Carlos’ son (definitely chip off old block there) you’ll hear Carlos getting excited Mulatu coming to town on Feb 1st at the Luckman Theatre. And we’d thoroughly recommend going to see this legend aswell as last year he won a load of new fans with his appearances at Glastonbury and Cargo (with the mighty Heliocentrics).

And by co-incidence, one of the few benifits of the credit crunch and the passing of Zavvi is that there’s a chance to purchase some bargain vinyl; and if you’re quick, they are selling 180g re-issue Mulatu Of Ethiopia for the price of a 12”!

This album was originally released in 1972 and the last of three he recorded in New York City, the first two being Afro-Latin Soul Volumes 1 & 2 in 1966. Sponsored by Ethiopian Airlines, Gil Snapper (the boss of Worthy Records) had the foresight to record this set of seven tracks of “Afro-American sould and jazz sounds.”

This heady mix of Ethio Jazz makes with its NYC influences of psychedelia, funk, soul and Latin makes this a classic album and you can hear how this has influenced Niño as much as Horace Tapscott or Detroit’s Tribe label.

Gil Snapper’s sleeve notes in 1972 predicted Mulatu’s is “a man destined to make international musical history” and he has as a number of his tracks were featured in director Jim Jarmush’s 2005 Broken Flowers, Francis Falceto’s compilation series Ethiopiques on Buda Musique, the compilation Gilles Peterson in Africa and not to be outdone, the 4-track 10” on Brighton’s Soundway label.

So don’t forget, if you can’t tune into KPFK 90.7 FM tonight at 8pm Pacific time, check out the KPFK Archive page for the podcast links (see below). Spaceways, hey!

RIP Freddie Hubbard.

Reviewed: Mulatu Astatke - Mulatu Of Ethiopia (Worthy Records) Cat. No. W-1020 Release date: 2003
Tracklisting:
A1 Mulatu (5:00)
A2 Mascaram Setaba (2:40)
A3 Dewel (4:00)
B1 Kulunmanqueleshi (2:05)
B2 Kasalefkut-Hulu (2:25)
B3 Munaye (3:15)
B4 Chifara (7:00)

Links:
www.luckmanarts.org
www.myspace.com/mulatuastatke
Carlos Nino’s Spaceways Page www.kpfk.org/programs/144-spaceways/169-spacewaysinfo.html 8-10pm
Spaceways with Carlos Nino - Friday, January 2, 2009 8:02 pm http://archive.kpfk.org/parchive/
Broken Flowers (2005) www.imdb.com/title/tt0412019
www.myspace.com/filltheheartshapedcup
The Heliocentrics: www.myspace.com/heliocentrics
Various Artists - The Very Best Of Ethiopiques zavvi UK
Gilles Peterson :: 1st November 2008 :: Heavy Hitters: Ethiopiques: Francis Falceto
Mulatu Astatqe - ‘Yegelle Tezeta’ (Union Square Music)
Sèyfu Yohannès - ‘Mela Mela’ (Union Square Music)
Bahta Gebre-Heywet - ‘Ewnet Yet Lagegnesh’ (Union Square Music)
Muluqèn Mèllèssè & Dahlak Band - ‘Bene Mote’ (Union Square Music)
Tlahoun Gèssèssè - ‘Sema’ (Union Square Music)
Alèmu Aga - ‘Abatatchen Hoy’ (Pater Noster) (Union Square Music)
Ayalew Mesfin & Black Lion Band - ‘Gedawo’ (Union Square Music)
Wallias Band - ‘Muziqawi Silt’ (Union Square Music)
Mahmoud Ahmed - ‘Atawurulegu Lela’ (Union Square Music)
Mulatu Astatqé - ‘Yekatit’ (Union Square Music)
Girma Bèyènè - ‘Set Alamenem’ (Union Square Music)
Tsegue-Maryam Guebrou - ‘Mother’s Love’ (Union Square Music)
Getatchew Makurya - ‘Antchi Hoye’ (Union Square Music)