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Gétatchèw Mèkurya Éthiopiques 14: Gétatchèw Mèkurya, Negus of Buda Musique, 2003

Instrumental African jazz doesn’t get much more interesting than this. Mèkurya’s technique, speed, and passionate approach to improvisation might suggest a taste for bebop, but in fact, he hardly listened to the stuff. His main inspiration is a traditional vocal style called shellèla, a kind of wordy, rapping oratory used to rev up warriors for battle in earlier times. Rendered in the mellow tones of a vintage tenor, the music’s aggressive, wild nature take on a totally unique other-worldliness. Most of the accompaniments on these 15 performances feature hypnotic ostinattos and organ drones—sometimes just one chord—and slow, 6/8 time. In these settings, the soloist is free to rip with fluttery cascades of restless riffing. All but one track come from 1972, but there’s enough variety in the backing instruments and raw inventiveness in Mèkurya’s solo flights to stand up to many listenings.