A major figure of today’s music scene, standard-bearer of the new crossover jazz movement, drummer with a highly recognizable style and sound, and composer celebrated for her trance and spirituality infused musical vision, Anne Paceo continually reinvents herself and surprises us. Her induction into the Order of the Chevaliers des Arts et des Lettres, her accolades including 3 Victoires de la Musique (Grammy’s Equivalent), her extensive collaborations, and a rich discography—8 albums and 4 EPs as a leader—all testify to her singular artistic path.
Born in France in 1984, Anne Paceo spent the first years of her life in Ivory Coast, where the rhythms and percussion surrounding her awakened her musical imagination at an early age. Back in France, she discovered the drums at the age of ten : the instrument quickly became both her refuge and her playground.
In 2005, she entered the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris, becoming the first female drummer ever admitted to the jazz program. There she refined her technique under the guidance of masters such as Dré Pallemaerts Billie Hart, Joey Baron or Sonny Murray, before embarking on a career that would establish her as one of the leading figures in contemporary jazz.
Versatile and open-minded, Anne Paceo has collaborated with artists across genres, including Archie Shepp, Rhoda Scott, Michael League, Henri Texier, Rick Margitza, China Moses, Jeanne Added and Mélissa Laveaux, to name but a few.
Yet it is above all as a bandleader that she has forged her unique identity. From Triphase (2008) to Atlantis (2025), her albums showcase a bold path where jazz intersects with world music, pop and electronics. Each project reflects her insatiable curiosity, nurtured by her travels and by her fascination with rituals & trance.
In addition to her activities as a bandleader and sidewoman, Anne Paceo is deeply committed to education and artistic transmission. She initiated a mentorship program dedicated to female jazz musicians, the very first of its kind in France.
Honored three times at the Victoires du Jazz awards and appointed Chevalier des Arts et Lettres in 2021, Anne Paceo embodies a generation of artists for whom music knows no borders. She founded her own label, Jusqu’à la Nuit, to preserve her independence and bring to life projects that are ever more personal and daring. A true explorer of sound and culture, Anne Paceo continues to shape a body of work in constant motion.
Photo Credit: Nidhal Marzouk
