Mulatu Astatke

"This music is our music. This belongs to Africa" are Mulatu Astatke's first words in this DVD of his live performance at the Luckmann Theatre in Los Angeles, CA. As the creator of Ethio-jazz, Astatke is the master of musical arrangement. Filmed completely in black & white, and with the performance having a minimalist quality, pristine listening pleasure is created without any distractions. With shots of concert tickets being ripped as Astatke plays his well-loved "Yekermo Sew," an intimate portrayal is created of the Ethiopian jazz enthusiast. But it's in rare rehearsal sequences where Astatke's animated character comes alive, arranging songs like "I Faram Gami" while he swiftly discusses different piano notes. Although there isn't much dialogue, this doc gives fans an up-close glimpse of how Astatke works and plays with his ensemble of a dozen or so musicians.