Raphaël Pannier Quartet - Live in Saint Louis, Senegal (2025)

This unique live album represents a pioneering project that fuses jazz with traditional Senegalese sabar drumming for the first time. Recorded at the Saint Louis International Jazz Festival in Senegal, the largest of its kind in Africa, the release is a collaboration between French drummer Raphael Pannier, his quartet (featuring pianist Thomas Enhco, saxophonist Yosvany Terry, and bassist Francois Moutin), and a percussion ensemble led by Khadim Niang. Inspired by the legacy of master drummer Doudou N’Diaye Rose, Pannier sought to integrate Western harmonies with deep African rhythmic traditions, where music is inextricably linked to spirituality and ritual.

The repertoire includes original compositions developed through long-distance collaboration, such as "Xalat Bou Set" and "Sine Saloum," alongside reimagined jazz standards. Notably, the set features Ornette Coleman’s "Lonely Woman," John Coltrane’s "Naima," and Dave Brubeck’s "Take Five," the latter selected to demonstrate odd meters. The album showcases a rare cultural synthesis, effectively blurring the boundaries between art and daily life.

Tracklist:
1-1 Raphaël Pannier Quartet;Francois Moutin;Yosvany Terry;Thomas Enhco;Raphaël Pannier Quartet;Khadim Niang & Sabar Group - Lonely Woman (Live SLJ 2024) [12:39]
1-2 Raphaël Pannier Quartet;Francois Moutin;Yosvany Terry;Thomas Enhco;Raphaël Pannier Quartet;Khadim Niang & Sabar Group - Take Five (Live SLJ 2024) [14:18]
1-3 Raphaël Pannier Quartet;Francois Moutin;Yosvany Terry;Thomas Enhco;Raphaël Pannier Quartet;Khadim Niang & Sabar Group - Xalat Bou Set [10:16]
1-4 Raphaël Pannier Quartet;Francois Moutin;Yosvany Terry;Thomas Enhco;Raphaël Pannier Quartet;Khadim Niang & Sabar Group - Naima (Live SLJ 2024) [13:39]
1-5 Raphaël Pannier Quartet;Francois Moutin;Yosvany Terry;Thomas Enhco;Raphaël Pannier Quartet;Khadim Niang & Sabar Group - Hommage a Doudou N’Diaye Rose (Live SLJ 2024) [8:21]
1-6 Raphaël Pannier Quartet;Francois Moutin;Yosvany Terry;Thomas Enhco;Raphaël Pannier Quartet;Khadim Niang & Sabar Group - Sine Saloum (Live SLJ 2024) [10:44]
1-7 Raphaël Pannier Quartet;Francois Moutin;Yosvany Terry;Thomas Enhco;Raphaël Pannier Quartet;Khadim Niang & Sabar Group - Djolokaneté! (Live SLJ 2024) [1:37]