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Sambangra
Group type:
Bloco 
Manchester
United Kingdom
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Sambangra have been the pride of Manchester's vibrant drumming scene for more than a decade, and the only band for hundreds of miles that plays mostly original music. As well as the usual street performances and the occasional procession, Sambangra has collaborated with an impressive list of professional musicians over the years, including a ten-piece Qawwali group from Pakistan, and many accomplished instrumentalists whose 'day job' is accompanying people like Moby, Jah Wobble, Nitin Sawnhey, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry and even Elton John. We’ve performed at festivals and carnivals, clubs, theatres and dancehalls all over the UK and Ireland; performed in Paris as part of the Millennium celebrations; processed twice with Inishowen Carnival group playing Sambangra rhythms in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin; and performed on TV and at the Commonwealth Stadium as part of the 2002 Games in Manchester. Our first CD has had airplay on BBC 1, BBC 2, and BBC 3, as well as BBC and local radio stations. |
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We get together every tuesday evening and everyone's welcome to come along; email sambangra@sambangra.com for the latest on times and location. Using samba drums, plus extra djembes and the occasional dhol, Sambangra's rhythms use traditional techniques to produce cutting-edge grooves influenced by ska, funk, hip-hop, reggae, bhangra and even salsa, with a hint of Sufi music and grooves from South and West Africa. Sambangra's founder, Ian Holmes-Lewis, has combined beats that are accessible to beginners with some that will challenge experienced percussionists so that everyone can contribute at their own level. The current Musical Director, Leon, who leads rehearsals, also explains some of the cultural background that underlies the drumming. On a tuesday night, the emphasis is on everyone enjoying playing their best and learning at their own pace. Being relaxed and having fun is essential, not only to making the music as funky as possible, but (more importantly) to getting the most out of the social, physical, emotional and spiritual benefits that come from drumming in groups. Come along and have a go “Sambangra have been a shining fixture of Manchester’s music scene since 1997… A large and ever-changing line-up of talented musicians and vocalists serve up a breathtaking show, based around spectacular percussion from every corner of the world.” Ally Fogg, The Big Issue in the North "A great band!" - the late, truly great, Ananda Shankar. “Drumming for the new millennium.” Howard Jacobsen, Independent Review.
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