The mighty Mulatu Astatke has given us lots of amazing music over the years – key records both home in Ethiopia and here in the US – yet this performance may well be one of his most special, as it unites the legendary musician with a host of giants from the American scene – all in a one-off performance that finally gave Mulatu his due! The leader handles vibes at the helm of an all-star group that includes Bennie Maupin on flute and soprano sax, Azar Lawrence on tenor, and Phil Ranelin on trombone – all spiritual jazz giants of the 70s who only further expand the genius of Mulatu's music – in the company of some younger musicians who include Miguel Atwood Ferguson on violin and Brandon Coleman on electric piano and organ. The whole thing is very much in keeping with the best Mulatu classics from back in the day, but also pushes things forward wonderfully too, with a lot more jazz in the mix – on titles that include "Yekermo Sew", "The Radcliffe", "Kasalefkut Hulu", "I Faram Gami", "Yekatit", "Mulatu", and "Ebo Lala". CD

The mighty Mulatu Astatke has given us lots of amazing music over the years – key records both home in Ethiopia and here in the US – yet this performance may well be one of his most special, as it unites the legendary musician with a host of giants from the American scene – all in a one-off performance that finally gave Mulatu his due! The leader handles vibes at the helm of an all-star group that includes Bennie Maupin on flute and soprano sax, Azar Lawrence on tenor, and Phil Ranelin on trombone – all spiritual jazz giants of the 70s who only further expand the genius of Mulatu's music – in the company of some younger musicians who include Miguel Atwood Ferguson on violin and Brandon Coleman on electric piano and organ. The whole thing is very much in keeping with the best Mulatu classics from back in the day, but also pushes things forward wonderfully too, with a lot more jazz in the mix – on titles that include "Yekermo Sew", "The Radcliffe", "Kasalefkut Hulu", "I Faram Gami", "Yekatit", "Mulatu", and "Ebo Lala". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful document of a magical musical moment – one of the few live performances ever of the work of David Axelrod – a concert that's presented here in a special CD & DVD package! Axelrod's 60s albums are the stuff of legend – orchestral efforts with a funky undercurrent, and longtime favorites of beatheads around the globe. And while his best-known efforts have always been the product of careful studio work, he demonstrates here that the Axelrod sound is equally at home in a live setting – played brilliantly by a host of younger British players, with a sense of crispness and sophisticated funk that easily matches his recent album on Mo Wax! The DVD features wonderful footage of the entire show – and the CD captures the music with a clarity that's as great as anything that Axlerod ever did in the studio. Titles include "Holy Are You", "Urizen", "Holy Thursday", "The Edge", "Song Of Innocence", "Smile", "The Human Abstract", and great covers of "Norwegian Wood" and "Paint It Black". CD