Jaaleekaay is a powerful collaboration between Australian guitarist Steve Berry and two of Gambia’s leading musicians, the highly celebrated griot singer Yusupha Ngum and the kora prodigy Amadou Suso.  Together, they bring audiences a passionate mix of contemporary musical prowess and deep cultural tradition.

Yusupha comes from a long line of Wolof singers, with his father the late Musa Ngum being a legendary Mbalax singer and composer widely known across Senegambia.  Following in his father’s footsteps, Yusupha is himself now a revered singer and bandleader in Gambia and Senegal.

Amadou comes from a dynasty of kora players, and is a direct descendent of the man who first brought the African kora to the world seven centuries ago. With one foot in his ancestry and the other in the music of the west, Amadou combines his deep traditional understanding with a powerful contemporary mastery.

Steve Berry is an award winning Australian guitarist, composer and producer, best known for his work with Coolangubra and Kangaroo Moon. His composition and musical background is diverse, with influences ranging from jazz to traditional acoustic styles.

Jaaleekaay first came together when Steve traveled to Gambia in 2013, where meeting Amadou and Yusupha he instantly felt the spark and potential of their music when they played together for the first time. In forming the group, Steve’s vision was to create a collaboration that truly met in the middle – combining the unique background of each musician to make music that represented a true crossing point of these individuals. Recognising the power this music could bring to international stages, Steve invited the two Gambian musicians to Australia for a series of tours, gracing the stages of some of Australia’s biggest festivals and soon after releasing their self-titled album.

Now playing as a five piece with a blistering rhythm section and regular guest artists, Jaaleekaay means “Crossing Point” in the West African Wolof language, and is the perfect word to describe the unique collaboration between these highly accomplished musicians.