Jembaa Groove brings their distinctive blend of polyrhythmic grooves, West African highlife, American 70s soul and jazz to Lille VEGA on November 6th. The band was founded in Berlin in 2020 by bassist and composer Yannick Nolting and percussionist, vocalist and songwriter Eric Owusu, united by a shared passion for West African music.
For their new releases, the duo ventured into Lagos' Afro-fusion scene, collaborating with Nigerian highlife collective The Cavemen to craft a modern take on highlife, jazz and Afrobeats. The tracks also feature guest appearances from Malian icon Fatoumata Diawara, Nigerian singer Tim Lyre and London-based soul artist Azekel.
The band has toured extensively in the US and Europe, delivering sold-out shows and memorable festival performances at events including Lowlands, MTN Bushfire and Xjazz, cementing their reputation as leading ambassadors of the Afro-jazz movement.