French drummer-composer Raphaël Pannier and Senegalese master drummer Khadim Niang unite for a groundbreaking collaboration on Live in Saint Louis, Senegal, arriving November 7, 2025 on Miguel Zenón’s Miel Music. The historic live recording captures the first-ever fusion of modern jazz and Senegal’s deep-rooted sabar tradition, performed at the Saint Louis International Jazz Festival in May 2024.
Pannier’s quartet—featuring Cuban saxophonist Yosvany Terry, pianist Thomas Enhco, and bassist François Moutin—shared the stage with Niang and an eight-piece sabar ensemble in an unprecedented cultural exchange. The result: an electrifying set of original compositions, reimagined jazz standards, and deeply spiritual works that bridge continents, histories, and traditions.
The collaboration pays homage to sabar legend Doudou N’Diaye Rose, a UNESCO-recognized “living human treasure” whose artistry shaped generations of musicians and inspired Pannier from childhood. Niang, a former member of N’Diaye Rose’s ensemble, became Pannier’s partner in realizing a lifelong dream of merging jazz with sabar’s rhythmic and cultural language.
Tracks include original compositions like “Xalat Bou Set” (The Holy Spirit), “Hommage à Doudou N’Diaye Rose,” and “Sine Saloum,” alongside reimagined interpretations of Ornette Coleman’s “Lonely Woman”, John Coltrane’s “Naima”, and Dave Brubeck’s “Take Five.” The latter, at Niang’s request, introduced odd meter to his sabar ensemble—offering a joyful challenge to musicians whose rhythms are inherently tied to dance.
“This experience totally changed my vision,” says Pannier. “In Senegal, the border between life and art barely exists. Working with Khadim and the sabar tradition pushed me to see music in a more complete way.”
Live in Saint Louis, Senegal is both a landmark for cross-cultural collaboration and a vibrant new chapter in jazz’s global dialogue.
Raphaël Pannier Quartet / Khadim Niang & Sabar Group
Live in Saint Louis, Senegal
Miel Music – Recorded May 15 & 19, 2024
Release Date: November 7, 2025
raphaelpannier.com | raphaelpannier.bandcamp.com
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