Guitar / Vocals / Electric Guitar

Lionel Loueke

(1973–)

Benin

Lionel Loueke (b. 1973) — Guitar, Vocals. Led Karibu, Gaïa. Worked with Herbie Hancock, Terence Blanchard, Kendrick Scott.

A guitarist from the Republic of Benin in West Africa. His signature style involves making percussion sounds with his mouth while he plays guitar. Brought into the bands of both Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter, he blends African rhythms with jazz vocabulary in a way that sounds completely natural.

Lionel Loueke's videos

Recorded in 2010 and later released as an archive video. Lionel LouekeLionel Louekeリオーネル・ルエケ's vocal clicks and extended guitar techniques are foregrounded — the West African-born guitarist's signature.

— Lionel Loueke: Tiny Desk Concert, Patrick Jarenwattananon, 2010

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Videos featuring Lionel Loueke

Lionel LouekeLionel Louekeリオーネル・ルエケ, originally from Benin, has played in Herbie HancockHerbie Hancockハービー・ハンコック's groups since 2005, fusing West African rhythms with modern jazz guitar. His distinctive percussive clicks and harmonic-rich picking brought new timbres to jazz guitar.

— Possibilities, Herbie Hancock, 2014

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Herbie Hancock

On 2008's Karibu, Lionel LouekeLionel Louekeリオーネル・ルエケ made his Blue Note leader debut. Herbie HancockHerbie Hancockハービー・ハンコック and Wayne ShorterWayne Shorterウェイン・ショーター guest, and the album includes tracks sung in his native Fon language.

— Lionel Loueke: Karibu, All About Jazz (Mark F. Turner), 2008

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Lionel Loueke's albums

River: The Joni Letters

Herbie Hancock · 2007

Karibu

Lionel Loueke · 2008

Gaïa

Lionel Loueke · 2015

Fairgrounds

Jeff Ballard · 2016

Lionel Loueke, a guitarist from Benin who was still relatively unknown, played on Herbie Hancock's River: The Joni Letters (2007). The album won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 2008, a rare triumph for a jazz record over mainstream pop and rock competition.

Lionel Loueke's albums