Boi Akih is a Netherlands-based group that combines a wide array of world music influences with a jazzy and improvisational foundation. The Amsterdam trio began performing in 1997, each member having studied and absorbed different cultural sounds and styles ranging from traditional African music, to Indian rhythms and Caribbean folk. Lead singer Monica Akihary possesses an impressively versatile voice, using it as somewhat of a jazz instrument by bouncing around a number of octaves and often singing in an almost scat form known as "Haruku" rather than in English or Dutch. The group's multicultural instrumentation format of brushed drums, tabla, guitar and percussion is used with a jazz approach in mind, as one is bound to see large amounts of improvisation go on at a Boi Akih performance. The trio has found a devoted following amongst fans of melting pot style world music, and it continues to tour around Western Europe, often performing at notable jazz festivals.
