Boularès and Charles began working together in 2009 soon after Boularès arrived in New York, though the founding of AJOYO came later. “We happen to have very similar immigration stories,” says the saxophonist. “Sarah is American and Haitian, and it’s through music that she has maintained a relationship with Haiti. I’m French Tunisian, and although I grew up between Tunis and Paris, it’s through music that I’ve put back together the pieces of my fragmented identity. I also have strong ties with the Haitian community as the saxophonist in Tabou Combo for the past six years. That’s had a huge influence, traveling with them to Mozambique, Cape Verde, all over the Caribbean. They’re pioneers, exploring uncharted territory. The grooves and structures are very complex and sophisticated, and that really influenced my compositional process — keeping track of many different parts, thinking about the arc of the song, the dramaturgy.”