Andy Narell
Encyclopedia
Andy Narell is a musician
and composer
specialized in the steelpan
.
and moved to California
in his teens. He took up the steelpan at a very young age in Queens, New York. His father Murray Narell was a social worker who invited Ellie Mannette
to bring steel pan to New York city in an attempt to get kids off the streets, out of gangs, and into steelbands.
Narell studied music at the University of California, Berkeley
, and played piano with the University of California Jazz Ensembles
under the direction of Dr. David W. Tucker
. He was graduated in 1973.
In the 1980s he worked in the project Bebop & Beyond
, who recorded tribute albums to Dizzy Gillespie
and Thelonious Monk
.
He has performed with the Caribbean Jazz Project
, Montreux
, Sakésho
, and Béla Fleck and the Flecktones
. He additionally composed and arranged music for Trinidad
's national steelband competition Panorama
. Narell also performed in South Africa in 1999 in front of a crowd of 80,000 people.
He has a brother Jeff Narell, who is a pan player with his own style and records. He has two children, Isaac Narell and Mia Narell.
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
and composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
specialized in the steelpan
Steelpan
Steelpans is a musical instrument originating from The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago...
.
Biography
He was born in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and moved to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in his teens. He took up the steelpan at a very young age in Queens, New York. His father Murray Narell was a social worker who invited Ellie Mannette
Ellie Mannette
Elliot "Ellie" Mannette is a musical instrument maker and Steel Pan musician, also known as "father of the modern steel pan instrument".-Life:...
to bring steel pan to New York city in an attempt to get kids off the streets, out of gangs, and into steelbands.
Narell studied music at the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
, and played piano with the University of California Jazz Ensembles
University of California Jazz Ensembles
The University of California Jazz Ensembles, also known as the UC Jazz Ensembles, UC Jazz, or UCJE, is the student jazz organization founded in 1967 on the University of California, Berkeley, campus. Founded in 1967, it comprises one or more big bands, numerous jazz combos, a vocal jazz ensemble,...
under the direction of Dr. David W. Tucker
David W. Tucker
David W. Tucker was a jazz trombonist, music educator, composer of band and orchestral music, record producer, and marching band arranger, most renowned as the director of the University of California Jazz Ensembles from 1969 until 1985...
. He was graduated in 1973.
In the 1980s he worked in the project Bebop & Beyond
Bebop & Beyond
Bebop & Beyond is a jazz tribute bebop ensemble led by saxophonist Mel Martin.Plays Dizzy Gillespie featured Gillespie, Vince Lateano, George Cables, Donald Bailey and others.Plays Thelonious Monk featured drummer Eddie Marshall among others....
, who recorded tribute albums to Dizzy Gillespie
Dizzy Gillespie
John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie was an American jazz trumpet player, bandleader, singer, and composer dubbed "the sound of surprise".Together with Charlie Parker, he was a major figure in the development of bebop and modern jazz...
and Thelonious Monk
Thelonious Monk
Thelonious Sphere Monk was an American jazz pianist and composer considered "one of the giants of American music". Monk had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire, including "Epistrophy", "'Round Midnight", "Blue Monk", "Straight, No Chaser"...
.
He has performed with the Caribbean Jazz Project
Caribbean Jazz Project
Caribbean Jazz Project is a Latin jazz and Afro-Cuban jazz group including Dave Samuels, Paquito D'Rivera and Andy Narell. They might be best known for their 2002 album The Gathering. They have recorded seven albums, five for the Concord Jazz label, one for Inak Records and one for Heads...
, Montreux
Montreux (band)
Montreux was the name of an American fusion band, specializing in the blend of jazz and bluegrass, with jam elements. The band was active from approximately 1982 until 1990 and recorded on Windham Hill Records...
, Sakésho
Sakésho
Sakésho is a jazz quartet based band in France.Sakésho is based in the beguine, the polyrhythmic music of the French Caribbean. The band members are Mario Canonge , Michel Alibo and Jean-Phillip Fanfant ; all born in the French Caribbean, plus North American Andy Narell .The group is based in Paris...
, and Béla Fleck and the Flecktones
Béla Fleck and the Flecktones
Béla Fleck and the Flecktones is a primarily instrumental group from the United States, that draws equally on bluegrass, fusion and jazz, sometimes dubbed "blu-bop". The band formed in 1988, initially to perform once on the PBS series Lonesome Pine Specials. The Flecktones have toured extensively...
. He additionally composed and arranged music for Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
's national steelband competition Panorama
Panorama (music competition)
Panorama is an annual music competition of Steelbands from Trinidad and Tobago.It is usually held around Carnival time.-History:Panorama was first held during Carnival celebrations in 1963. A popular Calypso is arranged into a piece with introductions and variations over the theme.-Past...
. Narell also performed in South Africa in 1999 in front of a crowd of 80,000 people.
He has a brother Jeff Narell, who is a pan player with his own style and records. He has two children, Isaac Narell and Mia Narell.
Solo/with various
- Hidden Treasure (Inner City, 1979)
- Stickman (Windham Hill RecordsWindham Hill RecordsWindham Hill Records is a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment specializing in Acoustic, New Age and Folk music. Originally founded in 1976 as an Independent record label by guitarist and carpenter William Ackerman and his then-wife Anne Robinson, Windham Hill was a successful and well-respected...
, 1981) - Light in Your Eyes (Windham Hill Records, 1983)
- Slow Motion (Windham Hill Records, 1985)
- The Hammer (Windham Hill Records, 1987)
- Little Secrets (Windham Hill Records, 1989)
- Down the Road (Windham Hill Records, 1992)
- The Long Time Band (Windham Hill Records, 1995)
- Behind the Bridge (Heads Up, 1998)
- Fire in the Engine Room (Heads Up, 2000)
- Live in South Africa (Heads Up, 2001)
- The Passage (Heads Up, 2004.)
- Tatoom (Heads Up, 2007)
- University of Calypso w/Relator (Heads Up, 2009)
With Montreux
- Live at Montreux (Windham Hill, 1984)
- Chiaroscuro (Windham Hill, 1985)
- Sign Language (Windham Hill), 1987)
With Caribbean Jazz Project
- The Caribbean Jazz Project (Heads Up, 1995)
- Island Stories (Heads Up, 1997)
Collections
- Sampler '96 (Windham Hill Records, 1996)
- A Winter's Solstice III (Windham Hill Records, 1990)
- The Bach Variations (Windham Hill Records, 1994)
- A Winter's Solstice IV (Windham Hill Records, 1993)
Guest appearances
- Brazil Duets (Mike MarshallMike Marshall (bluegrass musician)Mike Marshall is an American mandolin player and multi-instrumentalist who grew up in central Florida and now lives in Oakland, California. Marshall has been a part of New Acoustic Music since the early 1980s. He has performed and recorded with many musicians in a variety of styles, including...
) - Outbound (Béla Fleck and the FlecktonesBéla Fleck and the FlecktonesBéla Fleck and the Flecktones is a primarily instrumental group from the United States, that draws equally on bluegrass, fusion and jazz, sometimes dubbed "blu-bop". The band formed in 1988, initially to perform once on the PBS series Lonesome Pine Specials. The Flecktones have toured extensively...
) - Live at the QuickLive at the QuickLive at the Quick is the ninth album released by Béla Fleck and the Flecktones and their second live album. It was recorded live at the Quick Center For The Arts in Fairfield, Connecticut in 2000.- Reception :...
(Béla Fleck and the Flecktones) - The seventh one (TotoToto (band)Toto is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1977. The group currently consists of Joseph Williams , David Paich , Steve Porcaro , Steve Lukather , Mike Porcaro , and Simon Phillips . Toto is known for a musical style that combines elements of pop, rock, soul, funk, progressive rock, hard...
) - Lunatic Taxi (Sixun)
- Good to Go-Go (Spyro Gyra)
- Happy Just to Be Like I Am (Taj MahalTaj Mahal (musician)Henry Saint Clair Fredericks , who uses the stage name Taj Mahal, is an American Grammy Award winning blues musician. He incorporates elements of world music into his music...
)