A sideman, first with Terence Blanchard, and now with Herbie Hancock, Lionel Loueke is a native of Benin, West Africa. He began playing at 17, moving to the Ivory Coast in 1990 to study at the National Institute of Art and then on to Paris to study jazz. Loueke received a full scholarship to the Berklee School of Music in Boston and then earned a spot at the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz in Los Angeles.
Celebrating the bond between the culture of Africa and the language of jazz, Loueke’s music is characterised by his gently hypnotic vocal lines and intricate guitar solos. Loueke uses his “husky, sincere baritone and melting falsetto” to scat along with his guitar solos
Loueke has recorded two of his own independent albums and just released his major label debut on Blue Note entitled Karibu, (‘welcome’ in Swahili). Featuring Loueke’s long-standing trio of bassist Massimo Biolcati and drummer Ferenc Nemeth, Karibu is also graced by rare guest appearances by Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter.
Heritage is Lionel Loueke's third album for Blue Note.
Lionel Loueke: guitar, vocals
Massimo Biolcati: bass
Ferenc Nemeth: drums
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