Afro

Strut present the first official reissue of a landmark album in the field of African music , Mulatu Astatke’s ‘Mulatu Of Ethiopia’ from 1972. Recorded in New York , the album arrived at a time when Astatke had begun to master the delicate fusion of styles needed to create Ethio jazz. “I left the UK for America and studied at Berklee College in Boston. I learnt the technical aspects of jazz and gained a beautiful understanding of many different types of music. That’s where I got my tools. Berklee really shook me up.”Journeying regularly to the Big Apple to play and watch live shows at the Cheetah , the Palladium and the Village Gate, Astatke met producer Gil Snapper on the circuit. “Gil was a nice and very interesting guy. He produced music and worked with all kinds of musicians.” The meeting would lead to a series of albums on Snapper’s Worthy label. The first , ‘Afro Latin Soul’ , documented Astatke’s new-found directions. “Mulatu has created a new sound , ” enthused Snapper on the album jacket. “He has taken the ancient five-tone scales of Asia and Africa and woven them into something unique and exciting, a mixture of three cultures , Ethiopian, Puerto Rican and American.”A second volume of ‘Afro Latin Soul’ followed before Astatke began to hone his sound further , infusing funk and cultural influences into the mix. Returning to a downtown Manhattan studio with Snapper and working with some of the city’s top young jazz and latin session players, ‘Mulatu Of Ethiopia’ began to take shape. “We rehearsed for 3-4 weeks” remembers Astatke. “it took them a while to get the right feeling in the music.” The resultant album represented the first fully formed document of Astatke’s trademark Ethio jazz sound. It features ‘Kulunmanqueleshi’, ‘Dewel’ , and ‘Kasalefku-Hulu’ , tracks that Mulatu would return to regularly on singles and in live shows , the Ethio-Latin workout ‘Chifara’ and the self-titled groover ‘Mulatu’ (“I wanted to make a track for... myself!”). This definitive reissue of the album comes in a limited edition 3LP 6-panel gatefold set featuring the stereo album master , a pre-mix mono master and a selection of outtakes from the sessions , giving the listener rare access to the DNA of the studio process. Also available are standard 1CD and 1LP formats. All formats feature a new interview with Mulatu Astatke and rare photos.- 3LP 6-PANEL GATEFOLD with DOWNLOAD CARD- First ever official reissue of Mulatu Astatke classic from 1972- Remastered by Carvery Cuts from original reel to reel tapes- Limited edition 3LP features unreleased mono version of album + exclusive out-takes from the studio sessions- All formats include rare photos and a new interview with Mulatu Astatke- All formats include full original Worthy Records artwork

For over forty years, the Apostles of Aba have stood as the jewel in the crown of the music scene in Eastern Nigeria. Since their formation in 1973, the band has turned out memorable performances in a variety of styles including rock, soul, funk, pop and reggae. Even today, the Apostles continue to thrill audiences in their hometown of Aba with dazzling shows. Cultures of Soul is proud to present one of the Apostles’ more obscure—yet relentlessly funky recordings in a full-color custom reverse board jacket. Banko Woman, originally released on the eponymous LP on Love Day Records in 1977. Straddling the world realms of afro-funk and disco, the track has long been a coveted dance floor filler amongst DJs, and for the first time is available for a wider audience. On the B-side is “Faith, Luck & Music,” also from the original Banko Woman album.