The Buzz and the Bells

This is the second studio recording from the Richmond, Virginia-based group specialising in the enticing sounds of Ethiopian jazz. Their debut from 2017 was ironically titled Greatest Hits and this sophomore set follows the same pattern with an exquisite collection of instrumentals. Afro-Zen Allstars are essentially an eight-piece band, but they work with a floating roster of guest players from their local area. Three saxophones and a trombone are countered by two guitars, bass and drums. The result is an intricate and sinuous mix of jazz-based melodic Afrobeat.

In addition to their arrangements of some traditional Ethiopian songs they also cover The Daktaris’ ‘Daktari Walk’, and a beautiful version of Francis Bebey’s hypnotic ‘Binta Madiallo’. With its emphasis primarily on Ethiopian Afro-jazz the album is decidedly more mellow and jazzy than the more militant Nigerian Afrobeat of Fela Kuti. However, the final two tracks cook up a slightly less sultry and more intense groove with some exceptionally melodic trombone and guitar over a forceful drum pattern on a cover of Malian Issa Bagayogo’s ‘Madomba’, and fine baritone sax on the Dub Colossus track ‘Guragigna’.