Zansa AfroBlog

West Africans + Asheville Locals = Dance Party For All
Fiending for some cultural diversity this summer? Well, in the next few weeks there are some amazing African musicians from the Ivory Coast, Mali, Senegal, and Burkina Faso performing with Asheville musicians from Toubab Krewe and Zansa.

UPDATE > King Sunny Adé Show Cancelled
The King Sunny Adé​ show that was scheduled for Wednesday, June 24 at New Mountain has unfortunately been cancelled leaving lovers of African music heartbroken. Check out the original post about his music, legacy, and about the show that truly should have been.

3rd Annual Soumu at New Mountain > Friday March 20
Lush Life and Zansa present Asheville's 3rd Annual Soumu at New Mountain Friday, March 20, 2015 at New Mountain. It will be a celebration of African Music, Dance, Food, and Culture. A party for all ages.

Asheville Musicians Band Together To Help African Family
Asheville musicians have banded together and launched an Indiegogo campaign to help rebuild the home and the Djembeso Drum & Dance Education Center.

Local Musician Adama Dembele's African Home Demolished By Government
The Ivory Coast government demolished the family home of local musician Adama Dembele and those of the entire area displacing hundreds with one week's notice.

Summer Ends With a Musical Bang
Diverse global music is all over the place in Asheville this season. Here's a run-down of cultural music events that closed out the summer, and some upcoming events.

Q&A with Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars
Get to know more about Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars...

International Musicians Gather at Asheville Percussion Festival
When I hear people in Asheville say things like "yeah, Asheville's cool and all, but where is the culture?" I bring up events like the Asheville Percussion Festival that happened June 20-22.

Recap of BBQ to Braai at Katuah Market
We ate, we sweated, we drank, we ate, we sweated, drank some more, and then we even learned a few things.

Windsong 2014: A Celebration of Woodwinds & Celtic Music
"Where else, for example, will you hear a Cantiga from the 13th century court of Alfonso X of Spain followed by a pop song written in 1983 by a teenager in Bretagne, France?"

Meat, Fire, Friends
Katuah Market will be hosting a Braai on June 21 from 2pm-5pm. A Braai is a South African BBQ tradition that grew into its own holiday...

Solo African Dance Piece "Without A Shadow" To Make Asheville Premier
On June 5 at The Orange Peel, Barakissa Coulibaly will be premiering her solo dance piece "Without A Shadow".

Blending With Zansa
Zansa is led by 33rd generation West African musician Adama Dembele, a native of Ivory Coast, whose family lineage is recognized internationally as “Djembeso” or House of the Djembe.