Ak & Zuie is an ethno-funk duo, consisting of bassist Steve Jay

Steve Jay

Eugene Stephen "Steve" Jay is a bass guitarist best known for working with the singer-songwriter "Weird Al" Yankovic.Jay was born in Florida. He auditioned for Yankovic after answering an ad in the newspaper, and the two have worked together ever since...

 and drummer Pete Gallagher

Pete Gallagher

Pete "Zuie" Gallagher is a drummer best known for his work with the ethno-funk duo, Ak & Zuie, with Steve Jay.-Trivia:* Gallagher sat-in for Jon "Bermuda" Schwartz on drums for three shows during "Weird Al" Yankovic's 2003 Poodle Hat Tour. A minor illness prevented Schwartz from playing the kit,...

.

Ak & Zuie was formed in the Sandakan

Sandakan

Sandakan is the second-largest city in Sabah, East Malaysia, on the north-eastern coast of Borneo. It is located on the east coast of the island and it is the administrative centre of Sandakan Division and was the former capital of British North Borneo...

 province of northeastern Borneo

Borneo

Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....

. Jay and Gallagher noticed that audiences previously unfamiliar with amplified music responded favorably to the rhythm of amplified bass and drums. This can be explained in the Theory Of Harmonic Rhythm, a theory which Ak & Zuie follows.

Ak means "bass

Bass guitar

The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....

" and Zuie means "drum

Drum

The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...

s," although the words do not literally translate into anything in any known language. Ak & Zuie use eight- and twelve- string basses, a wide array of percussion instruments, and vocal harmonies to complete their sound, which combines West African rhythms with elements of rock, jazz, and classical.

On occasion, Ak & Zuie is joined by "Weird Al" Yankovic

"Weird Al" Yankovic

Alfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic is an American singer-songwriter, music producer, accordionist, actor, comedian, writer, satirist, and parodist. Yankovic is known for his humorous songs that make light of popular culture and that often parody specific songs by contemporary musical acts...

's guitarist Jim West

Jim West (guitarist)

James "Jim" "Kimo" West is a guitarist best known for working with the singer-songwriter "Weird Al" Yankovic. West auditioned for Yankovic, after being introduced by Steve Jay, and the two have worked together ever since...

or Steve Jay's son, bassist Miles Jay. Trumpeter Jeff Elliott also occasionally steps in to form Akin Zuie.