Aly Keïta is a major contemporary innovator of the balafon. Born in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, and based in Berlin, he has spent more than three decades expanding the possibilities of the centuries-old West African instrument, establishing it as a powerful voice in contemporary jazz, improvisation and global music. A recipient of the German Jazz Prize (2022), Keïta is internationally recognised not only for his extraordinary musicianship but also for his pioneering approach to the balafon. Through instrument development, cross-cultural collaborations and a highly distinctive musical language, he has helped redefine the role of the balafon beyond its traditional context and brought it to the forefront of contemporary performance. Berlin, where he lives and works today, has become his artistic laboratory — a place where Manding musical thought, jazz improvisation and contemporary composition continuously interact and evolve. Over the course of his career, Keïta has collaborated with some of the most respected figures in international music, including Omar Sosa, Joe Zawinul, Rhoda Scott, Paco Séry, Pharoah Sanders, Paolo Fresu, L. Subramaniam, Trilok Gurtu, Jan Garbarek, Shai Maestro and Hans Lüdemann's Trio Ivoire. His work has taken him to major festivals, concert halls and cultural institutions across Europe and beyond, earning him a reputation as one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary intercultural music. ​His current flagship project, Aly Keïta Trio – Balafon Evolution, presents the balafon at the centre of a vibrant contemporary acoustic sound. Together with Italian bassist Roberto Badoglio and Dutch drummer Marcel van Cleef, Keïta creates music that is rhythmically compelling, deeply rooted and unmistakably forward-looking. Drawing equally from Manding traditions, jazz and collective improvisation, the trio offers a powerful and original artistic statement for today's international festival stages. More than a virtuoso performer, Aly Keïta is an artist who has fundamentally expanded the artistic vocabulary of his instrument. His work stands as a rare example of musical innovation that remains deeply connected to tradition while continually opening new creative horizons. Today, Aly Keïta occupies a unique position in contemporary music: an artist whose work has helped transform one of West Africa's oldest instruments into a globally recognised voice of innovation, dialogue and artistic excellence.