Lionel Loueke Trio

From the West African country of Benin, guitarist Loueke and his band mates—bassist Massimo Biolcati (of Italian descent but raised in Sweden) and drummer Ferenc Nemeth (from Hungary)—create the most unexpected jazz you’ve ever heard. Loueke specializes in lacy, virtuosic guitar lines set to complex time signatures recalling his African background, but he breaks it up with resonating jazz chord progressions and staccato solos. So far he’s been best known as a talented sideman for musicians like Herbie Hancock and Terrence Blanchard, but the trio showcases him at his most individual.