Shawn Hennessey’s childhood growing up in an Irish Catholic neighborhood in northeast Philly belie his soul-connection to world rhythms, drums and percussion. An artist at heart and composer, Shawn’s music embodies rhythm-as-life, that invisible, universal pulse at the core of all we do, musically or otherwise.

Shawn’s deep, abiding love and passion for percussion and drums has taken him around the world in a career spanning the globe in known-percussion hotbeds of innovation and rich history, countries like Ghana, Cuba, Haiti, Israel, Tahiti, and Istanbul.

A Latin Grammy-nominated percussionist, Shawn is also a prolific songwriter and producer based in Philadelphia and performs regularly with a variety of notable national and local acts, including bassist Bakithi Kumalo of Paul Simon's band, Uprooted featuring Michael Glabicki of Rusted Root, Bollywood star Jeffrey Iqbal, Trinidelphia, Ryan Tennis, The Disco Biscuits and Don McCloskey. 

HIs two passion projects over the past decade have been Hennessey Bonfire—lush, organic, original songs soulfully rooted against the backdrop of world rhythms and sounds—and Leana Song, a genre-defying fusion of traditional and contemporary Afro Cuban music, the likes of which have landed Shawn on major Spotify playlists alongside world music icons.

Leana Song’s first album, “Orisha Love Songs Vol.1” was released in 2008, and blends ancient songs with modern harmony and instrumentation.

Hennessey Bonfire, released “Let’s Get Carried Away”  in 2013.  This self-produced, sophomore release is a world-folk in nature, highlighting Shawn’s gift for songwriting and pop production.  Soon after the sold-out release at World Cafe Live, Shawn was diagnosed with a brain tumor.  He had surgery and has been in good health ever since.  

In 2018, His 3rd studio album “Orisha Love Songs Vol. 2” was recorded in Cuba and the US, and is set to be released on 21Sound.  While in Cuba, Shawn had the distinct honor of being consecrated “Omo Aña”, a child of the spirit in the drum in the Afro-Cuban religion of Ifá.  

Shawn will release his 4th studio album in June 2023 as Hennessey Bonfire.  “A Wake on the Boulevard” Is an eclectic blend of world rhythms and folk harmony, with electronic sensibilities and lush production. “This record is about becoming a father and forgiving my own”-  SH  
For more info and to download music go to www.shawnhennessey.com
This is my gift to the forces of nature that surround us all, and I give it with respect.

The band’s from Philadelphia, and the music’s a mixture of the Yoruban world in the Americas: hard to sort out what’s left over from all the slaveries around all these American parts and what’s new — but it’s beautiful. There are electric guitars and drums and acoustic basses and big coros and songs to the Orishas redone, and a sense of grace that comes out in the layering of voices and instruments. The band’s led by Shawn Hennessey, a guitarist and percussionist and he’s done a great job; there’s not much like this, and I want to keep listening to it. Also, it balances between form and freedom, and never falls over in its openness. Not predictable and most certainly special. Hope there’s a Volume 2 on the way.
Highly Recommended. (Peter Watrous, 2008-09-25)


I’m a Bay-Area based musician.  Thinker/Tinkerer.  Enjoy!

Leana Song is following