Sam Shahin is an innovative  percussionist, composer, and educator from New Orleans, Louisiana. Most known for his work with ground-breaking jazz fusion band Naughty Professor, Shahin has also performed live with The Revivalists, Big Freedia, Marcus King, Tank and the Bangas, Shaun Martin, Neal Francis, Mahmoud Chouki, and many others. A consistent staple of the New Orleans music scene, Shahin has earned nominations for Offbeat Magazine’s “Best Drummer in New Orleans” Best of the Beat Award twice in his career, along with Naughty Professor earning multiple nominations for “Best Funk Band in New Orleans”.

He has recorded in studio with artists including Ivan Neville, Shaun Martin, and Mike Dillon; having collaborated on original compositions for recordings with David Shaw, Tariona “Tank” Ball, and Chali 2na. His work has also brought him around the world for  tours of Europe, Asia, the Caribbean, and North Africa, as well as to many illustrious venues such as The Blue Note, The Kennedy Center, The Fillmore West, New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, and many more.

With the premiere of his new band and personal composition project, Barakat, Shahin dives into his Middle-Eastern heritage to take the listener on an exploration of music ranging from the spirit of New Orleans jazz to the Arabic soundscapes of the Levant. With a unique personal voice, an adventurous mind, and remarkable talent, Sam Shahin is a musician who is sure to move the audience in many ways.