Lionel Loueke

★★★★ HH EDITION. CD/DL/LP Praised by Herbie Hancock as “a musical painter”, Benin guitarist Loueke repays the gesture with an impressionistic swish through his mentor’s catalogue, playfully teasing at its nuances. Chiefly rendered one-take on his nylon-stringed acoustic, Loueke’s intimate style and breathy vocalese rejuvenate the familiar (Watermelon Man; Cantaloupe Island) and add unexpected rhythmic ballast to more technically challenging pieces (Rockit; One Finger Snap).