Addis Ababa, April 29, 2022(Walta) – Mulatu Astatke, 79, pioneer of Ethiopian jazz, the fusion of local music and western jazz is looking to integrate Ethiopian and Turkish music to regale audiences and inspire musicians. Speaking to Anadolu Agency on eve of World Jazz Day, which is being observed on Saturday, Astatke described Ethiopian jazz as a globally acknowledged musical innovation. Marked by eerie and ancient-sounding tones, typical of traditional Ethiopian music, Ethiopian jazz or Ethio-jazz is a unique blend of traditional Ethiopian music with jazz, West African musical styles, and Latin rhythms. “Ethio-jazz, as I call it, is a creative fusion of the pentatonic scale –based Ethiopian traditional music with the 12-note western jazz and instrumentation,” said Astatke. He claims to have succeeded in constructing a unique genre while maintaining the authenticity, color, and texture of Ethiopian music.

Source: Ethiopian News April 29, 2022 17:41 UTC