Jembaa Groove is a Berlin-based seven-piece band founded in late 2020 by bassist-producer Yannick Nolting and Ghanaian percussionist-vocalist Eric Owusu, who met at a playground in Berlin while picking up their sons. The group weaves Ghanaian highlife traditions - rooted in the styles of Ebo Taylor and Pat Thomas - together with 1970s soul, jazz and contemporary Afrobeats, singing in Twi, Ga and Pidgin English. Their debut album Susuma (2022) and sophomore record Ye Ankasa | We Ourselves (2024) earned praise from BBC 6 Music, KEXP, Le Monde and Gilles Peterson, while festival appearances at SXSW, ESNS and Supersonic Jazz built them a loyal international following.
Jembaa Groove released the four-track EP 'Be A Lover' on vinyl via Agogo Records on 18 September 2025, featuring collaborations with The Cavemen., Fatoumata Diawara, Tim Lyre and Azekel.
The band embarked on a 2025 World Tour with a refreshed lineup, adding Hungarian pianist Szabolcs 'Abase' Bognár and Ghanaian trumpeter Peter Somuah.
New singles 'No Pain No Gain' (feat. Azekel) and 'Communicate' (feat. The Cavemen.) were released in 2026 via Agogo Records.
The second album 'Ye Ankasa | We Ourselves' was released on 5 April 2024, featuring Gyedu-Blay Ambolley and K.O.G, and recorded partly at Red Bull Studios Berlin and Kwashibu Music Studios in Accra.
Musicboard Berlin awarded Jembaa Groove a scholarship of 8,000 euros in 2024 to support the promotion of their new album.
