Pioneer Works Swing (Live)

Not only did the Éthiopiques series make available a treasure of little known music from the golden age of Ethiopian jazz and funk in the 60s/70s, it also helped revive the careers of those still around from the era, such as Mulatu Astatke and Hailu Mergia. For many of us, the first we heard of Mergia was on Éthiopiques 13, playing keyboards with the Walias Band, the resident group for years at Addis Ababa’s Hilton. Mergia moved to the US in the 80s, gave up music and ended up driving a taxi. Since Awesome Tapes reissued some of his material, he has re-emerged to record two new albums for the label and gone back on the road with a band. Recorded at a Brooklyn club in 2016, this live album is a wonderful spontaneous set of Ethio-jazz improv on which he mostly plays organ, with the funky, Booker T-like ‘Yetewat Hilm’ as a stand-out; he also showcases his mesmerising accordion playing on ‘Belew Beduby’ and ‘Tizita’. His laughter between tracks is testament to the fun he’s having and it’s impossible not to share the pleasure at his renaissance.