In which eclectic Australian quartet The Vampires invite acclaimed Benin-born guitarist Loueke to join them in a recording session produced by Lloyd Swanton of The Necks, to downright radiant results.
Ten tunes composed for the project by Vampires’ co-leaders, horn-players Jeremy Rose and Nick Garbett, cherry-pick from Afrobeat, bebop, reggae, highlife and Latin music, with players including a rhythm section on double bass, drums and percussion allowed flashes of free expression along the way.
Loueke’s textured vocal humming and ringing guitar lines, sometimes rhythmic, other times melodic, blend seamlessly with the antipodeans’ multi-genre palette while also steering its direction; on Endings & Beginnings Pt 1 & II, he bookends the album with poignancy and understated flair. They all play Pizza Express Jazz Club, W1 on October 15.
