Primary Instrument: Percussion
Mulatu Astatke is an innovative multi-talented musician, composer, arranger and the founder of Ethio Jazz. Born in Jimma, Ethiopia, Mulatu Astatke studied at Lindisfarne College and Trinity College of Music in England and Berklee College of Music in Boston, USA. As a vibraphone, conga and percussion player, he has performed at numerous concerts in Ethiopia and abroad, including appearances at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, Lincoln Center in New York, Beethoven-Haus in Bonn and Barbican Center in London. Mulatu also performed as a guest artist with the Duke Ellington orchestra during its visit to Ethiopia in 1971. Most recently, Mulatu has contributed prominently to the soundtrack of the film Broken Flowers.
