AP184 萊諾．路耶克 旅程 Lionel Loueke - The Journey (Aparte)

Lionel Loueke. The Aparte label, which has until now produced classical music only, is proud to present this great artist whose astonishing musical world is beyond category. If he isn't a classic already, he will become one, without a doubt.

As soon as you hear Lionel, you can feel the unique beauty of this virtuoso guitarist/singer ("a spellbinding presence … a strongly original voice" New York Times). His voice has a quality that touches the soul. His guitar mastery, a world unto itself.

"I've never heard any guitar player play anything close to what I was hearing from him", said Herbie Hancock, when he heard Loueke audition for the Thelonious Monk Institute. Lionel has a dual heritage: he grew up in the Republic of Benin, steeped in the music of West Africa but also listening to jazz. He began life as a percussionist; at the age of 17, he turned to guitar. His gifts were immediately apparent—he went to Paris to study jazz at the American School of Modern Music and then came to the US on scholarship to the Berklee College of Music. His acceptance at the Monk Institute brought new dimensions to Loueke's world. From there he began to collaborate with some of the greatest names in music, including Wayne Shorter, Sting, Chick Corea, and of course Herbie himself, who has consistently featured Lionel on the tours they have done together.

The Journey brings together the wide range of influences that shape Lionel's distinctive musical personality. His guitar blends jazz flavors with traditional African and modern Brazilian sounds. His original songs and compositions embrace rich vocal harmonies, clicking sounds, lyrical melodies and brilliant vocal improvisations. Loueke's co-adventurers on this album are an extraordinary group whose backgrounds range from rock —bassist Pino Palladino famed for his work with the Who, to classical—Patrick Messina, solo clarinet of the Orchestre National de France, and also include great improvising string players Vincent Segal and Mark Feldman and the Brazilian master of percussion Cyro Baptista. Grammy-winning Producer Robert Sadin, (Hancock's Gershwin's World, Wayne Shorter's Alegria, Sting's If on a Winter's Night) brought the full range of his interests and understanding to this very special voyage.

The result? An incredible album – a superb expression of the human spirit – that alternates between hopeful ballads (Molika, Kaba), comforting songs (Vi Gnin, a touching lullaby to a child whose mother has died in war), and irresistible dance-flavored selections like Gbe and Dark Lighting. As Lionel says, "With this project, I feel like I found the true reason I'm a musician." He couldn't be more right!

1. Bouriyan 
2. Molika 
3. Bawo 
4. Vi Gnin 
5. Mande 
6. Kaba 
7. Dark Lightning 
8. Vivi 
9. Hope 
10. Gbe 
11. Gbedetemin 
12. Guira 
13. Okagbe 
14. Reflections on Vi Gnin 
15. The Healing 

Total : 52'53