
The septuagenarian Ethiopian jazz saxophonist Getatchew Mekuria has been collaborating with Dutch punk-rock band the Ex intermittently since 2004, and even though they sound like an unlikely combination (and can barely communicate in words), they have incredible musical chemistry. Mekuria played with them again for his farewell album: an instrumental set of Ethiopian folk and pop songs he loves, with the Ex’s twitchy grooves set on simmer rather than broil. A bonus disc features ferocious live recordings of the group as well as some warbly tapes of Mekuria ripping it up 50 years ago.