Andy Narell’s 1979 solo album was his first. He took the steelpan from the steelband and made it part of jazz band. With every recording and concert since then, he has expanded the potential and the role of the steelpan in contemporary music. 2014 saw the release of Narell’s latest album of music from the steelband, ‘Oui ma Cherie!’ which features Mike Stern, Etienne Char, Relator and Thomas Dyani. Narell plays all the pans. Andy collaborated with Kwame Ryne and the Bordeaux Symphony to present a concert featuring his jazz quartet (featuring Janysett MacPherson, Thierry Fanfant and Inor Sotolongo) and the orchestra. Isaac Narell composed the orchestral arrangements. “ALIVE,” a 2011 DVD release, features two documentaries on his work as well as concert footage and short videos. “Andy and The Jumbies” takes us from Trinidad’s panyards to New York’s streets. It also features interviews with Ray Holman and Kim Johnson. Calypso Fever is Andy’s collaboration and the WDR Big Band. This band combines the Andy Narell Steelband and the WDR to create an orchestra of 40 musicians. Narell has released 15 albums as a leader. One as coleader with Relator (University of Calypso), 2 as coleader of the Caribbean Jazz Project, 1 as coleader with Dave Samuels and 2, as well as two albums as Sakesho’s co-leader (with Mario Canonge and Michel Alibo), Toto, Keith Terry and Crosspulse. He has collaborated with many artists, including Chucho Valdes and Bela Fleck, Marcus Miller and Maraca y Otro Vision’s Willie Colon and Tito Puente. He has appeared on film scores by James Horner and Maurice Jarre, Elmer Bernstein and Hans Zimmer, Michel Colombier and Thomas Newman. His compositions were also featured in the film “PAN – Our Music Odyssey”, as well as commercials for Apple Computers and Sony. He has performed hundreds of concerts and jazz festivals across the USA, Canada and Europe. Andy was the first foreigner to compose music for Trinidad’s Panorama Steel Band competition in 1999. He accompanied the Skiffle Bunch Steel Orchestra, which consisted of 100 members, to the finals of the 2000 and 1999 Panoramas. He collaborated with Trinidad All Stars in 2007 for a concert featuring his steelband music at Trinidad and Tobago Steelpan and Jazz Festival. In 2010, a project was realized that brought together the Andy Narell Steelband, Michael Abene, and the WDR Big Band with Relator for a sold-out concert at the Koln Philharmonic, Germany. Andy started working with Birdsong Steel Orchestra, Trinidad in 2012 and wrote music for Panorama 2013 (The Last Word), and 2014 (We Kinda Music). Univ. has had him as an artist in residence. Wichita St., North Texas. Univ., Univ. Univ. Univ. of Illinois, Northern Illinois Univ., Miami Univ. (Ohio), Univ. Southern Mississippi, Eastern Kentucky Univ. and Northwestern Univ. of Southern Mississippi, Texas Tech Univ. Univ. Univ. Arizona, Cal St. Univ. Long Beach, McNeese St. Univ., Calypsociation Paris, Birdsong Academy, among many others. He has produced many albums including Billy Childs(4) and Ray Obiedo(3). Kit Walker(2) and Our Boys Steel Orchestra(2). Steve Erquiaga, The Bobs and Keith Terry and Crosspulse. Alex DeGrassi and Irene Farrera. Xoli Nkosi. Prince Kupi. from http://andynarell.net
