Mulatu Astatke has played his final live concert, closing a performing career that has stretched across six decades and reshaped how the world hears African music.
Last month in London, the 82‑year‑old Ethiopian composer and vibraphonist stepped on stage one last time, lifting his arms to acknowledge an audience fully aware they were witnessing the end of an era. The performance marked the conclusion of a journey that began in the 1960s and helped give birth to what Astatke famously calls the “science” of…
