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Gilfema

The name of the group comes from the musicians' names: Gil (Lionel Gilles Loueke), Fe (Ferenc Nemeth), Ma (Massimo Biolcati).

Founded in 2001 while the three were attending the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz under the musical direction of Terence Blanchard and Herbie Hancock, Gilfema recorded two albums and toured the world during the early 2000’s and later morphed into the Lionel Loueke Trio for a decade of music together on the Blue Note label.

After 20 years of playing together, the band is coming out with a fresh new recording titled ’Three’ which is both a testament to the band’s progress and an expression of the core principles that made Gilfema so buzzed-about when they premiered over a decade ago. It is the trio’s most vibrant, groove-heavy meld of jazz and world influences yet.

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6
Multiple Reviews

International Flavors

Read "International Flavors" reviewed by Geno Thackara


It's a tour through several spots around the globe with this batch--sometimes a leisurely tour, sometimes a whirlwind, but with each stop offering a wealth of lovely sounds and tones. Gilfema Three Sounderscore 2020 Lionel Loueke, Massimo Biolcati and Ferenc Nemeth have an impressive number of musical endeavors and collaborations between them, as figuratively wide as the miles covered by their respective backgrounds (Beninese, Swedish and Hungarian). Still, vast as the territory is, ...

150
Album Review

Gilfema: Gilfema

Read "Gilfema" reviewed by John Kelman


You only have to look at Gilfema to realize just how small a place the world has become. Comprised of a young multinational group of players--Benin-born guitarist/vocalist Lionel Loueke, Italian/Swedish bassist Massimo Biolcati and Hungarian drummer Ferenc Nemeth--Gilfema's self-titled debut is clear proof of contemporary jazz's cosmopolitanism.

Loueke is the best known--an integral part of trumpeter Terence Blanchard's group for the past couple of years, appearing on his recent discs including Flow (Blue Note, 2005). He's also worked with pianist ...

406
Album Review

Gilfema: Gilfema

Read "Gilfema" reviewed by Phil DiPietro


Gilfema, or more properly GilFeMa, is made up of three extraordinary players who are the unlikeliest of collaborators given their geographical origins. Guitarist Lionel Gilles Loueke, 30, hails from Benin in West Africa; drummer Ferenc Nemeth, 29, is a product of the jazz hotbed of Keszthely, Hungary; and acoustic bassist Massimo Biolcati, 33 is a Sweden-born Italian. Their congregation at Berklee led to postgraduate work, literally, at the Monk Institute, where they immediately came under the wing of Terrence Blanchard ...

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131

Recording

New Gilfema Album "Gilfema + 2" out This Month

New Gilfema Album "Gilfema + 2" out This Month

Source: All About Jazz

NEW YORK - When Gilfema released its self-titled debut album on ObliqSound in 2005, they effectively put an end to any lingering doubts that jazz, although undeniably rooted in America, had evolved into a truly international art form. Here were a guitarist/vocalist, Lionel Loueke, from the West African nation of Benin; a bassist, Massimo Biolcati, who grew up in Sweden and Italy; and a drummer, Ferenc Nemeth, from Hungary - all coming together in New York City.

That first Gilfema ...

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Gilfema + 2

ObliqSound
2014

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Gilfema

ObliqSound
2005

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