Father of Ethio-Jazz’ Mulatu Astatke Honored at Boston Music School

Father of Ethio-Jazz’ Mulatu Astatke Honored at Boston Music School

Published by Tadias May 13th, 2012 in Featured and News. 5 Comments
Ethiopian musician Mulatu Astatke and Grammy winner Alison Krauss were honored during the Berklee College of Music's commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 12 at Boston University's Agganis Arena. (Photo courtesy of Mulatu Astatke's Facebook page)

Tadias Magazine
By Tadias Staff

Published: Sunday, May 13, 2012


New York (TADIAS) – Influential musician and “Father of Ethio-Jazz” Mulatu Astatke has been awarded an honorary doctorate in music degree from his alma mater The Berklee College of Music – the largest independent college of contemporary music located in Boston. The artist was honored along with the Eagles and Grammy Award-winning country singer Alison Krauss during the school’s commencement ceremony on Saturday.

Keeping with four decades of tradition, where Berklee has been presenting honorary degrees to prominent figures in the music industry, students paid tribute to Mulatu and Krauss with a concert featuring their music. More than 900 students from 58 countries graduated from Berklee this year, according to AP.

Mulatu was one of the first African students to attend Boston’s prestigious music college, where he studied vibraphone and percussion in the 1960′s.

Notable Berklee alumni include Quincy Jones, Esperanza Spalding, Diana Krall, Joey Kramer, Natalie Maines, John Mayer, Aimee Mann, Branford Marsalis, Melissa Etheridge and Gary Burton. Berklee alumni have won a total of 221 Grammys.

Past recipients of the honorary degree include Duke Ellington, David Bowie, Steven Tyler and Aretha Franklin.
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Related:
Eagles, Alison Krauss, Ethiopia’s Mulatu Astatke honored at Boston music school (AP)

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