Mulatu Astatke
One of Ethiopia’s most celebrated musicians and arrangers – and the ‘father of Ethio-jazz’ – brings his farewell show to London.
Mulatu Astatke is best known for changing the face of Ethiopian music during the ‘Swinging Addis’ era of the late 1960s and 1970s.
At 82, the Ethiopian composer and multi-instrumentalist is considered the ‘father of Ethio-jazz’, a movement born in the late 1960s that fused jazz, Latin music and traditional Ethiopian music.
This year he has announced a new studio album, Mulatu Plays Mulatu, for Strut, his first major studio album in over 10 years. The album features his full big band performing alongside Ethiopian cultural musicians and stands as a fitting climax to an incredible career.
‘Throughout my life, I wanted to bring Ethio-jazz to all corners of the world for people to enjoy and I feel that I have succeeded in that,’ says Astatke. The world of music would definitely echo those sentiments.
Need to know
An exclusive box package is available, which includes:
- Hire of a private box (seats up to eight people).
- Use of the Royal Retiring Room, a private lounge with its own toilet facilities, for the duration of the event.
- One free drink per guest on arrival (prosecco, wine, beer or soft drink).
- Dedicated host to take drinks orders throughout the event.
For your visit
This event is held at the Royal Festival Hall Southbank Centre
The Royal Festival Hall is open six days a week.
Tuesday – Sunday, 10am – 11pm
Monday, closed.
Plan your visit
The Royal Festival Hall is home to our largest auditorium as well as The Clore Ballroom, National Poetry Library, Members’ Lounge, Festival Bar & Kitchen, Ballroom Cafe and Skylon restaurant.
Getting here
Our address is Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX.
The nearest tube stations to us are Waterloo and Embankment; Waterloo is also the nearest train station. And more than 20 different London bus routes pass within 500 metres of our venues. More information on getting here by rail, road or river is available on our Getting here page.
We’re cash-free
Please note that we’re unable to accept cash payments across our venues.
Access
We’re working hard to remove barriers, so that our facilities and events can be accessible to as many people as possible.
All help points, toilets, performance and exhibition spaces at the Southbank Centre are accessible to all, as are the cafes, bars and restaurants. We also have excellent public transport links with step-free access.
All information about booking wheelchair spaces, step-free access, blue badge parking, access maps and guides and other help available whilst you’re here, including details about our Access Scheme, can be found on our Access page.
Food & drink
On Level 2 of our Royal Festival Hall you can grab a slice of life by the Thames with drinks and freshly made pizza at our Festival Bar & Kitchen which opens out onto our Riverside Terrace. You can grab a coffee and a slice of freshly made cake from our Ballroom Cafe. Or alternatively enjoy destination dining in the restaurant at Skylon.
From coffee to cocktails, filling favourites to fine dining, plus some of London’s best street food – it’s all here at the Southbank Centre.