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Mulatu Astatke announces first full-length in a decade, Mulatu Plays Mulatu

10 July 2025, 11:50 | Written by Tyler Damara Kelly

Ethiopian musician and arranger Mulatu Astatke has announced Mulatu Plays Mulatu – his first major studio album in over ten years – alongside the release of new single, "Netsanet".

Known for changing the face of Ethiopian music during the “Swinging Addis” era coining his music“Ethio Jazz”, Mulatu Astatke says: “Throughout my life, I wanted to bring Ethio jazz to all corners of the world for people to enjoy and I feel that I have succeeded in that.”

Featuring new arrangements of some of his classic compositions, Mulatu Plays Mulatu finds Astatke revisiting the sounds that helped to change the face of Ethiopian music during the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. “Ethio-jazz brings us together and makes us one,” he explains. “This album is the culmination of my work bringing this music to the world and pays respect to our unsung heroes, the original musical scientists in Ethiopia who gave us our cultural music.”

Tracklist:

  1. Zelesenga Dewel
  2. Kulun
  3. Netsanet
  4. Yekermo Sew
  5. Azmari
  6. Chik Chikka
  7. The Way To Nice
  8. Motherland Intro
  9. Motherland
  10. Mulatu
  11. Yekatit

Mulatu Plays Mulatu is set for release on 26 September via Strut, and is available to pre-order now.

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