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Karibu, the stunning major label debut from guitarist and vocalist Lionel Loueke, takes its title from a Swahili word meaning "welcome." It's a fitting name, as the opening title track invites the listener into the musical world of one of the most distinctive new voices in Jazz. Featuring Loueke's long-standing trio of bassist Massimo Biolcati and drummer Ferenc Nemeth, Karibu is also graced by rare guest appearances by two legends: pianist Herbie Hancock and saxophonist Wayne Shorter.
It's clear from the opening sounds of "Karibu" - an odd-metered guitar groove that Loueke sings in unison while simultaneously providing clicking mouth percussion and layering on syncopated guitar chords - that this is an artist uninterested in retreading the ground of where Jazz has been. Loueke has used the many remarkable musical experiences of his 34 years to create his own unique sound as a guitarist, composer, and bandleader. His journey has taken him through hardship, across three continents, brought him under the mentorship of music legends, and landed him at the most famous Jazz record label in the world.
Tour Dates
March 25 — New York, NY — Joe's Pub — LL Trio
March 29 — Capetown, South Africa — Capetown Convention Centre — LL Trio
March 30 — Johannesburg, South Africa — Alliance Francaise de Johannesburg — LL Trio
April 4 — Paris, France — New Morning — LL Trio
April 7— Cully, Switzerland — Cully Jazz Festival — LL Trio
April 9 — London, UK — Barbican — LL solo opening for Dianne Reeves
April 10 — Binghamton, NY — SUNY Binghamton — LL Trio
April 12 — New York, NY — J&R Music World (WBGO live broadcast) — LL Trio
April 14 — Santa Cruz, CA — Kuumbwa Jazz Center — LL Trio
April 15 — San Francisco, CA — Yoshi’s — LL Trio
April 18 — Oberlin, OH — Oberlin College — LL Trio
May 8 — Boston, MA — Regatta Bar — LL Trio
May 13-15 — New York, NY — Blue Note — LL Trio
June 3 — Burlington, VT — Discover Jazz Festival — LL Trio
June 5 — Brooklyn, NY — MetroTech Plaza — LL Trio
June 20 — Vancouver, BC — Coastal Jazz Fest — LL Trio
June 23 — New York, NY — Carnegie Hall (JVC Jazz Festival) — LL Trio opening for Herbie Hancock
June 27-August 6 — European Tour with Herbie Hancock
Official Site
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MySpace
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Seven Teens feat. Herbie Hancock
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Naima feat. Wayne Shorter
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Light Dark feat. Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter
"Inventiveness has always been one of Lionel Loueke’s hallmarks… his daring imagination has made [Karibu] one of the year’s finest jazz releases. A typically resourceful Loueke groove meshes a lilting melody and rich harmonic progression over a quietly propulsive Afro-Brazilian rhythmic bed… His trio seems telepathically attuned." —
VIBE
"Lionel Loueke sings and his music rolls along with a feel-good sense of joy…he always radiates a groove…[but] he is also a sophisticated jazz player… Karibu is a thoughtful mix of hybrid grooves, straightahead guitar soloing, free-improv and a couple standards… Virgin Forest was excellent. But Karibu is better, a solid showcase of a new Afro-jazz star who clearly will be with us for a long time." **** —
Downbeat
"Loueke’s lines are smartly formed and deftly executed. His ear-friendly melodicism draws both from traditional African sources and a lifetime of closely studying the likes of Jim Hall and George Benson, and his rhythmic shifts come quickly and packed with surprises." —
Jazz Times
"Mr. Loueke is a gentle virtuoso. As a singer, he has a husky, sincere baritone and a melting falsetto that he uses to scat-sing along with his guitar solos. He's also a full-fledged jazz guitarist, and he uses both electronics–guitar synthesizer, looping devices–and African roots. In one piece, unassisted by any technology beyond microphone and amplifier, he sang, made percussive tongue clicks and played syncopated guitar chords and leads. He multiplied himself, one way or another, in nearly every song." —
The New York Times
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Loueke's story begins in Benin, a small country in West Africa, where he was born to parents...
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