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‘Route 96’ is the debut album from Melbourne-born, London-based flautist, composer and producer Erica Tucceri, marking her first full-length statement after years spent immersed in Melbourne/Naarm’s vibrant jazz crossover scene.
A prolific collaborator, Tucceri has built a reputation for her distinctive flute playing across releases from the likes of Surprise Chef, ZFEX, Don Glori and Alexander Flood. Stepping out as a bandleader and composer in her own right, she made her headline debut with a sold-out 10-piece ensemble performance commissioned by Melbourne International Jazz Festival, before relocating to London and joining DeepMatter Records.
Part diary and part love letter to Melbourne, ‘Route 96’ grew from an unlikely period spent moonlighting as a tram driver during the city’s Covid lockdowns. Musical ideas began taking shape behind the wheel, inspired by the sights, sounds, memories and everyday rhythms of the city. Melodies that stayed with Erica throughout a shift were captured as voice notes at the end of the day, gradually forming the foundations of what would become her debut album.
Those ideas were later brought to life alongside longtime collaborators Lewis Moody, Ziggy Zeitgeist and Matthew Hayes, with percussionists Ray Pereira and Javier Fredes completing the ensemble. Drawing from Cuban and West African percussion traditions alongside Melbourne’s rich culture of jazz, improvisation and dance music, ‘Route 96’ moves through flute-driven cosmic jazz, psychedelic textures, deep percussion and groove-led improvisation, creating a sound that feels equally at home through headphones as it does on the dancefloor.
Warm, rhythmic and deeply connected to the city that inspired it, ‘Route 96’ captures a formative period in Erica’s life while opening a new chapter for an artist now making her home on the other side of the world.