The music of Zansa (a Nouchi slang word from the Ivory Coast meaning combination, or blend) is a mix of traditional and modern styles from West Africa, America, and beyond. The Asheville-based ensemble blends African folk songs with modern afropop and the driving, pulsating rhythms of African drumming. Hints of rock, afrobeat, and Latin music are also woven into the mix. The result is an original take on the authentic sounds of West Africa.
Zansa is led by 33rd generation djembe player Adama Dembele, whose musical career began in the late ’90s when he started drum and dance group Djembeso in his homeland of the Ivory Coast. He adapted traditional songs and rhythms, eventually melding them into his own style. After moving to Asheville, NC, in 2005, Dembele has continued to develop and expand his sound.
Today, Zansa is taking those traditional songs and rhythms and incorporating Western instruments, such as electric guitar, bass, and drumset, offering a wider range of sonic possibilities. The music is rooted in the West African drumming tradition Dembele was born into and blended with a strong rhythm section and modern approach, lending familiarity to foreign sounds.