Jazz breaking news: Gétatchèw Mèkurya Vs The Ex as Afro-jazz Goes Freeform Thrash

Leading a 10-piece big band they’ll be performing classic ‘Swinging Addis’ standards uniquely reworked into hypnotic rolling vamps that sound akin to Fela Kuti jamming with Sonic Youth.

Hailing from Ethiopia, revered veteran saxophonist Gétatchèw Mèkurya remains a physical and musical giant whose Negus of Ethiopian Sax album featured in the acclaimed Ethiopiques reissue series. Now an energetic 76-year old, he’s collaborated with many of the great Ethiopian singers over the years and is still in full voice with his own, powerfully distinctive style of playing. His huge vibrato, both forceful and fragile, plays around the vocal lines, using typical Ethiopian embellishments. Donning a brightly coloured headdress and robes when he plays he cuts a striking figure compared to the usual self-effacing free improv stalwarts, blowing hard yet melodic lines against The Ex’s squalling guitars.

Amsterdam’s The Ex have consistently pushed the envelope since their formation in 1979, taking their punkish anarchy well beyond any genre-specific boundaries embracing every sound thrown at them. A visceral rock unit their recent collaborations with Peter Brotzmann, Ken Vandermark and Paal Nilssen Love have seen them stretch out in a huge variety of thrilling improv settings.

Ever hungry to place themselves in unfamiliar contexts, The Ex toured Ethiopia twice and fell in love with its music, which led to them inviting Gétatchèw to perform at their 25th anniversary party in Holland. His contribution to proceedings blasted everyone off stage, and, suitably inspired, The Ex invited him on tour with them, their incendiary live collaboration bearing fruits in a blistering album released on the band’s Terp Records imprint in 2006. For this special London appearance they play music from that album, plus fresh pieces from a brand new record due for release next year.

– Mike Flynn