Ethio-Jazz: Elements of a Gift
Listen: “Yegelle Tezeta” by Mulatu Astatke
You are a gift. All that you are. All that you believe. All that you have experienced—the good, the bad, and the ugly—makes for a beautiful gift, which is you. Some people rise to national and international prominence to illustrate these truths in hyperbolic fashion, but it’s true for every person who bears the image of the Divine.
Last night (10/13/22) I had the privilege of meeting Mulatu Astatke at his jazz club, African Jazz Village, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He is internationally known in the jazz community as the father of Ethio-Jazz. I was hoping to do a podcast interview with Mulatu, but he is under contract for a new documentary featuring his life and influence and was asked to limit his interviews.
Mulatu was born and raised in Jimma in Southwest Ethiopia and pioneered a jazz style in the 1970’s that combined traditional Ethiopian music, Latin jazz, and Afro-funk. He was trained musically in London, New York City, and Boston and continues to tour the world. Seven of his songs were featured in the 2005 film, Broken Flowers, written and directed by Jim Jarmusch (whom I will soon quote) starring Bill Murray, Sharon Stone, Jessica Lange, Tilda Swinton, Julie Delpy, and Chloe Sevigny.
My love for jazz began in Kansas City when I was given a personal history tour of the Kansas City Jazz scene by former Liberty High School band director, Carl Prather. Carl gave me a tour of the American Jazz Museum in the historic 18th and Vine district of Kansas City, Missouri and also took me to jazz music venues like the Blue Room, Green Lady Lounge, and The Phoenix. I learned about a style of jazz developed in Kansas City during the 1920’s and 1930’s by Count Basie, Bennie Moten, Charlie Parker, and Jay McShann. I fell in love with Kansas City Jazz and still enjoy introducing my friends who visit Kansas City from around the world to Kansas City Jazz.
My love for Ethio-Jazz and Ethiopia began on my first trip in 2002 in order to partner with Woudineh Endayelalu and the beginnings of Vineyard Church Planting in Ethiopia. In 2008 I met the Former Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Tamrat Layne, at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington DC and became friends. Tamrat connected me to his long-time friend, Mulatu Astatke, because Tamrat had learned of my love for jazz music.
I think every person has gifts, if properly discovered, nurtured, and cultivate, to offer to the world which give love, create beauty, and enhance the common good of humanity, and I think we all need to learn how to become mashup artists like Mulatu Astatke and Jim Jarmusch. Jarmusch says,
Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadows. Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic.
Mulatu combined influences from his background, his heart, his talents, and his passions into a unique blend of music which is a gift to the world. Each of us has a unique blend of elements that have SHAPED our lives through which we can offer a gift of service to others.
Spiritual gifts. These are motivational gifts which originate from God, the Universe, or deep within us which, once identified and developed, help us serve friends, families, and communities through actions such as service, encouragement, leadership, hospitality, care, counsel, nurture and administration.
Heart. These are passions of the heart which many times emerge through the things we love and the things which make us angry. We may feel passionately for something beautiful or anger at a particular injustice in the world. These deeply felt passions motivate us towards a “cause to live” or a “beauty to express.”
Abilities. These are natural or learned skills in life, and our skills may or may not align with our passions. Some skills foster a vocation and some simply serve as a hobby. For example, you may be good at fixing cars or accounting, but it may not be your passion. I have always been an above average endurance athlete, which I have used to stay healthy and build community (as a former runner and current cyclist). I am fairly passionate about health and community, and cycling is a intense hobby which contributes to these core values.
Personality. These seem to be inherent traits which orient us to certain proclivities which characterize the way in which we interact with people or interpret our experiences. There are several influential personality tests such as Myers Briggs or Enneagram which help individuals, families, and teams better understand each other.
Experience. Your personal history, family of origin, accomplishments, successes, failures, hurts, and pains shape who you are and how you live your life. Many times our deepest joys or our deepest disappointments launch us into new dimensions of contribution to the common good. Faith communities and recovery communities are just a few examples of how our experiences can shape our contributions to the world.
These five elements are not necessarily distinct from each other, and they certainly overlap each other. They simply provide a lens through which we can see ourselves and the gifts we have to offer. Learning to mashup and serve up our lives as a gift of service to others is an essential element of a life-well-lived for the common good. You may influence one person, a dozen people, hundreds of people, or even thousands of people for the common good—but if you inspire faith, hope, love, goodness, and beauty—you will be a blessing to the earth and everything in it. You are a gift!
Shalom
©realfredherron, 2022
