DEMBIS THIOUNG
@dembis.thioung

DEMBIS THIOUNG 

Ancestral West African Rhythms Keeper + New Rhythms Creator  + Drummaker + Percussionist Artist + Educator & Community Gatekeeper

Griot by blood + Bayefall at heart

Dundun, Djembe, Sabar, Asico drums

Demba, also known by his artistic name Dembis Thioung, is a mesmerizing master of the dunduns - the melodic and hypnotic West African bass drums. The traditional West African Dundun, are a set of three double sided drums hit with sticks made by wood and cowskin that make up the HEARTBEAT, the MELODY and the SOUL of traditional West African ensemble djembe music.

A Bayefall at heart and Griot by blood, Dembis was born and raised in Dakar, West Africa, he is now based in London, UK. Introduced to traditional and contemporary Senegalese music at a young age, he learned the art of drumming and dance.

As the child of a Griot mother (a hereditary caste among the peoples of Western Africa whose function is to keep an oral history of the tribe or village and to entertain with stories, poems, songs, dance) and a Laube father (drum maker and wood workers caste), he was born in Dakar in 1986. Dembis was introduced to the art of traditional and contemporary Senegalese musical techniques by following his mother - a professional dancer - to rehearsals and performances since birth. He started making drums at a very young age (12 years old) and continued his musical apprenticeship at the prestigious Blaise Senghor Centre Culturel, led by Djioncounda Ndaye, and at the popular Fass quarter in Senegal. The time spent with these illustrious companies pushed his innate talent further and he is now recognized by his contemporaries as being a professional and adept thiounguiste (percussionist), who has refined his knowledge of the Dundun, Djembe, Sabar and Asico drums.

Dembis identifies as part of the Senegalese Baye Fall Mouride Brotherhood movement lead by Cheikh Ibrahim Fall who was one of the first disciples of Cheikh Ahamdou Bamba, the man who led a powerful non-violent, spiritual and peaceful  revolution following the oppressive ruling of the French coloners. Their teachings and prayers has shaped completely Dembis’ doings and drum teachings.

Dembis came to the UK in 2010, whilst on tour with Ballet Daradji. Since then he has been in high demand, both as a performer and a teacher. He has worked for a number of companies, including AKOMAASA PERFORMING ARTS ACADEMY lead by Akosua Boaye.
He taught drumming to adults and to children in schools in partnership with Landing Mane (Jamo Jamo Arts) He is also a core member of Irineu Nogueira’s Afro-Brazilian Dance Company ABEIE who has traveled with all over Europe and the Caribbean. Furthermore, he has also collaborated for the following  African dance artists: Aida Diop (AIDANCE, traditional West African dance), Almamy Camara (traditional Guinean dance), Batch Gueye (Sabar Family dance), Alesandra Seutin (Germaine Acogny Technique), Diene Sagna (JUMP FOR JOY Sabar dance) and Ofelia Balogun (Dance Your Roots).

Based in London, he founded the PENCHMI portal, a regular African Drum + Dance + Chant circle hosted in different locations around London, and leads the BENE TALLY BAND & friends, a collective of artists bringing the magical rhythms and spirit of Africa to life. He also offers the GRIOT + BAYEFALL DRUM BLESSING, a solo act performed at venues like Soho House, Cafe Oto, Jamboree, Peckham Levels, Jamboree and Dalston Curve Gardens. He have had completed the 8th edition of the Dundun Drum & Dance workshop series, a successful event that gathers dance and drum masters and students from all over the country, ages and levels.

He is currently the lead drummer for DRUMMER WARRIOR STORYTELLER an immersive live theatre production celebrating the legacy of Black excellence emerging from the creative renaissance directed by HipHop wordsmith APEX ZERO.
 

 Dembis is also a versatile independent performing artist and has played live, and recorded albums with internationally acclaimed artists such as Baaba Maal and Carlou D, as well as collaborated with Film Composer Harry Escott recording the main soundtrack theme for the second season of the FOX TVSeries “Deep Estate”.

Dembis’s aptitude for music, means that his skills as a percussionist are not reserved for West African rhythms alone, and he is able to, and is keen on working with artists from other musical backgrounds. He currently collaborates with Venezuelan singer Luzmira Zerpa (lead singer of FAMILY ATLANTICA). Dembis has contributed with his percussion on the recording of the first debut solo album of Noga Ritter, an eclectic singer-songwriter, band leader and workshop facilitator whose music fuses Hebrew Jazz with global grooves as well. 

www.dembisthioung.com