Samā’ī
Sdban Ultra (44 min)
When Belgian six-piece Azmari get into that Ethio-groove, they go in hard. The immediately distinctive Ethiopian kignit scales possess horn solos and intoxicating basslines, and the Latin percussion, synth journeys and fun time signatures give the group the sound of a dubbed-out hybrid of Mulatu Astatke, Herbie Hancock, Snarky Puppy and Alice Coltrane.
The hype around this debut album has played up the promise of a juicy mix between Ethio-jazz and retro-style Turkish psychedelia. Unfortunately, apart from the occasional bağlama solo or Anatolian-leaning scale, this never really arrives. An unexpected fusion that I wasn’t prepared for, however, was the introduction of Ethio-klezmer. I’m not sure I would have ever thought to combine those two fertile musical cultures, but a pentatonic sax solo full of sobbing klezmer krekhts over an 11/8 groove and a full-on funky bass – as on the track ‘Kamilari’ – certainly converted me.
Samā’ī is a promising debut for Azmari, and it presents their music in a way that begs for a live performance. The musical interactions within the band are tight enough to feel well-honed and loose enough to feel natural and care-free. When tours become a thing again, I’m sure this group will put on a hell of a show; for now, this album is a good place to start.