To Know Without Knowing marks BJX’s and Mulatu Astatke’s second collaborative studio full-length, following Cradle With Humanity in 2016.
Mulatu Astatke, famous Ethiopian vibraphonist and father of “ethio-jazz”, is collaborating again with the eight-piece band Black Jesus Experience (BJX) on the album To Know Without Knowing. Recorded between Addis Ababa and Melbourne and melding Astatke’s dexterous improvised stylings and Black Jesus Experience’s penchant for transcontinental and cultural exploration. The first single “Kulun Mankwaleshi” to listen below is an arrangement of a Ethiopian wedding song in the uniquely Ethiopian anchi-hoye scale.
To Know Without Knowing contains nine tracks and features Ethiopian sounds that blend with the artists’ jazz and funky grooves. A cultural and intercontinental mix between Africa and Oceania, reminding us that Ethio-jazz is not a music of the past but a continual source of inspiration and guidance for musicians across the globe.
Pre-order a copy here ahead of To Know Without Knowing’s 29th June release via Agogo Records
