Mokhtar Samba & The African Messengers #Jazz Sur Seine 2026

There is unanimous agreement that Mokhtar Samba ranks among the top 10 drummers in the world of world music. His collaborations with legends such as Carlos Santana, Joe Zawinul, Salif Keita, Youssou N’Dour, Jaco Pastorius, Patti Smith, Mariah Carey, and the iconic band Ultramarine are proof of this.

Drawing from his family heritage—his mother is Moroccan and his father is Senegalese—he was immersed in the sounds of African percussion from a very young age, and his passion for these rhythms has shaped his entire musical journey.

Together with his collaborator, the prodigious Brazilian pianist Léo Montana, he transcends the African heritage of jazz. From Miles to Monk, Mokhtar Samba & The African Messengers—his new collective—reimagine the repertoire of jazz standards in an Afrobeat style, blending mesmerizing grooves with subtle arrangements.