World jazz in motion. Nguyên Lê's music is in constant change. Since over 30 years the French guitarist with Vietnamese roots combines jazz and worldmusic in a unique fashion. "Streams" continues this tradition, but unlike Lê's recent projects, with a stronger jazz-focus but nevertheless inspired by Indian and North African rhythms, Vietnamese melodies, oriental accents and un-heard, imaginary folk music.
The only constant about Nguyên Lê’s career is that it’s always evolving. The Paris-born and based musicianhas established himself as a preeminent voice in combiningmyriad global musics with Vietnamese influences in thrillingand groundbreaking ways. His latest release, Streams,continues in that tradition. The album is a collaborationbetween Le and the worldly-minded talents of Americandrummer John Hadfield, Canadian bassist Chris Jenningsand French vibraphonist Illya Amar.“Every album of mine is kind of the contrary of the one I did before, with its own story,” says Le. “Streamsis more jazz than previous projects, in my most personaldefinition of the word. I started doing world jazz’ with1996’s Tales from Viet Nam and 1998’s Maghreb &Friends. Integrating jazz and world music has been a longprocess across many subsequent albums...
line upNguyên Lê / electric guitar & electronics
Illya Amar / vibraphone
Chris Jennings / acoustic bass
John Hadfield / drums & percussion
Producing, mixing & additional recordings by Nguyên Lê at Louxor studio, Paris,France, August & September 2018
Recorded by Hugo Bracchi at Midilive Studios, France, July 2018
Mastered by Klaus Scheuermann
Executive Producer: Siggi Loch
Cover art by Philip Taaffe, Signal (detail), 1986, used with the kind permission of the artist
