Mulatu Astatke & The Heliocentrics
Ethiopian jazz pioneer Mulatu Astatke links up with UK psych-jazz ensemble The Heliocentrics on latest entry in Strut's Inspiration Information series. School is now in session...

Wow...I never thought I'd be seeing an article about Mulatu...a friend of mine dropped me the latest album and I haven't stopped listening to it. If you like the Instrumental material that Beastie Boys put out (mostly their jazzier stuff), mixed with a whole sort of cultural sounds from all over the world, this is most definitely for you...check it out...

"Inspiration Information 2" is easily one of the best records of the year--raw, funky, propulsive, and psychedelic. Pairing Mulatu with the Heliocentrics was an inspired idea and the result is a classic of soul-jazz and rare groove. The band plays in Ethiopian modes that sound exotic to Western ears and are downright beautiful and haunting.

The above commenter is sharp in comparing the record to instrumental Beastie Boys. Consider that Malcolm Catto--the Heliocentrics' bandleader--is the go-to drummer for DJ Shadow and Madlib. When those guys are looking for breaks and loops to sample, they put Catto in the studio and let him rock.

Good look on this feature, Jambase. Glad the writer got on the horn w Mulatu and Catto, too. This album is gonna be criminally slept on this year but anyone into the Meters, Galactic, Madlib, the Roots, Miles Davis, or Fela Kuti should be all over it.