Bossaphonik has long been one of the best things about living in Oxford. For almost twenty years now, the club night has, come rain and shine, showcased consistently banging live music, every single month (lockdown notwithstanding). It has survived venue closures and a pandemic, and, unlike many other venues, the music always carries on into the wee hours, giving it a true party vibe. The genres vary widely, from klezmer to jazz to balkans, reggae, ska, afrobeat and everything in between; the unifying theme being that it is always uplifting, celebratory, life-affirming and most of all, music to properly get your rocks off to.

Tonight’s act is a case in point. Lokkhi Terra combine Bengali folk vocal melodics with Latin jazz instrumentation in a way that makes the fusion sound as natural and appetising a pairing as chilli and chips. Most tracks are driven by a percussion-heavy groove, with conga and timbale complementing the drumkit, and keyboards, trombone and trumpet often adding staccato stabs, contributing to an irresistible urge to bop. The musicians are consummate professionals, taking their time to build and develop a groove, before laying on sophisticated hornlines, keyboards and vocals.

Cuba is very much present in the proceedings, with one salsa classic cleverly fused with a contemporary drum and bass rhythm for a joyous update. Jamaica is also represented on the frequent forays into reggae and dub. It’s a nice reminder of how incredibly varied and innovative Caribbean music is, a product of its African, Amerindian and Iberian roots as well as the urgent necessity of music as a tool of soul survival and an expression of resistance for so many centuries.

Whilst fully in tune with the traditions of which it is a part, however, Lokkhi Terra are not afraid to incorporate new sounds, as in those parts later in the set where the influence of the London nu-jazz scene (in which the band is of course a co-creator, along with contemporaries such as Maisha) comes to the fore.

Of course, the band are not going to be allowed to leave without an encore, which is duly provided in a barely recognisable rendition of Duke Ellington’s masterpiece Caravan, replete with shuffling break beat and an overall feel of the the New York underground jazz scene at the dawn of the 60s. It is a fitting end to a wonderful set, and a great start to the party!