Born in 1969 in Abidjan, Aly Keïta is from a lineage of Malinke griots. As a child, his father introduced him to the balafon, an ancestor of the African xylophone. He doesn’t just play it with passion; he makes his own instruments, modifying them to lend unique resonance.
He is a virtuoso, developing a spectacular playing style that combines African polyphonies, frantic rhythms, and bold improvisations. From 1986, he discovered jazz alongside Georges Makinto and created a diatonic balafon, enabling him to explore new musical worlds. He collaborated with the greatest: Pharoah Sanders, Omar Soa, Joe Zawinful, Paco Séry, Rokia Traoré, Tiken Jah Fakoly, and Habib Koité, shining bright on stages worldwide. His albums, including “Akwaba Iniséné” and “Farafinko”, celebrate Ivorian and Malian heritage, while also integrating contemporary influences.
In 2009, he won the Creole Global Music Context with his group Aly Keïta & The Magic Balafon Berliner Band, confirming his status as the ambassador of balafon. On stage, Aly Keïta and his balafon become one, delivering an explosive energy where rhythms and emotions merge to captivate the public at all corners of the earth. With his Trio, in collaboration with Marcel van Cleef and Robert Badoglio, he further pushes the balafon’s boundaries, mixing woody tones, vibraphone vibrations, and percussive rhythms in a bold fusion and contemporary fusion. Together, they will release their first album in September 2025.