Artist Roster

DESCRIPTION

Performances:  

Pape Demba "Paco" Samb performs on the traditional African drums called djembe, dundun, sabar, conga, and tama (talking drum).   Because African drums are always played in ensemble,  Paco brings his own group, Super Ngewel, to performances. This is a traditional West African ensemble  of four to eight drummers, singers, dancers and storytellers.  The ensemble can adjust the size and fees to fit the needs of the venue. The performances are generally interactive with audience participation, and can be geared towards any age.

Workshops:

Paco can teach workshops for djembe (ages 16 and older) and he can provide the drums (up to 15) for the workshop. Workshops are usually an hour to an hour and a half for beginners.   He teaches traditional rhythmic patterns as opposed to just leading a drum circle.

Bucket drumming workshops (limited to 10 participants)  are available for children under the age of 16.   Paco will provide plastic buckets and wooden sticks.   These workshops are generally 45 minutes to an hour and can include singing as well. Paco has experience with working with children and teens from various cultural backgrounds, including those who experience behavioral issues.

BACKGROUND

Pape Demba "Paco" Samb comes from a family that have been griots in his native Senegal for hundreds of year. As a griot, Paco is one of the keepers of the ancestral history, stories, and music of his Wolof peoples. As a master hand drummer, Paco not only plays the instruments but he and his brothers build several types of drums as well.  Paco heads his own drum ensemble called Super Ngewel and released his first album in 2014.  

An internationally acclaimed artist, Paco has performed with many major musicians based in Senegal and the Gambia including Senemaio, Ballet Gorgoru, Dormu Africa, Ballet Ngangan, African Ballet, Katchikaly, Youssou N'Dour Cultural Group, Marie Samuel N'Diaye Group, Batin Band, Laba Sosseh, Moussa Ngom, and Bala Sidibé.

Paco arrived in the U.S. in November 2013 on tour with a singer from the Gambia. Since making his home in the U.S., he has performed regularly as part of the local and national music scene, including appearances with the Fatoumata Diawara, Richard Raw, Kombu Kombo, the Bullbuckers, Best Kept Soul, Tony Vacca, the Dinkendo Family Band, the Rege-Walker World Jazz Ensemble, and Griots Umoja. He tours regularly with New Jersey-based Universal African Drum and Dance Ensemble and was hired by the Philadelphia-based ensemble,  Kulu Mele, in 2015 to produce music to accompany two works the group commissioned from noted Senegalese choreographer, Marie Basse.

Paco has extensive experience as an instructor. He is currently adjunct faculty at McDaniel College in Westminster, MD, and has taught numerous workshops around the U.S., including the StarArts workshop in Star Island, New Hampshire, Drum and Splash at Four Quarter InterFaith Sanctuary in Artemis, PA,  and children's bucket drumming for Mother African Union Church in Wilmington, Delaware. See the recent article on him in the  Carroll County Times  from Westminster, MD. Paco also teaches private group and individual classes both at his house in Wilmington and at the Center for Creative Arts in Yorklyn, DE.