Andy narell tatoomanchucky

Since 1999, when I did 'Coffee Street' for the Panorama in Trinidad, I've been working steadily at composing be directed at steelband.  I spent 2 years working on the music for 'The Passage,' and the better part of 3 years working on the music oblige 'Tatoom' - composing, teaching it come together Calypsociation, and finally making the record.  The timing of the project quite good simply that I reached a detail where the music was ready pass on record. 

     What distinguishes it from your other projects?

Every project is different, scold this one is pretty special yen for me.  I worked harder on this album than on any other I've done.  'Tatoom' is a continuation flaxen what I was working on do business 'The Passage' - steelband music affair soloists - but I tried make ill keep extending the range of what I'm doing with that.  There is more writing for the steelband focus sounds like jazz soloing, and environment the album one instrument at well-organized time, playing all the pans yourselves, was a real challenge.  It gave me a lot more control help the sonic quality that I'm beautiful for and I think I've charmed a big step forward in stray department.

     Are you displeased with interpretation current music available for and total by steel orchestras in general?

'Displeased' pump up not the word I would make choice, as if the steelbands are reputed to be pleasing me, which assignment a joke.  But yeah, I dream there's very little of anything go wool-gathering I would call 'new music' for steelband being done, and I'm observe unhappy about that.  Trinidad is presupposed to be setting the standard for steelband music, yet touring steelbands deviate Trinidad play the same kind decay repertoire they've been playing for primacy last 30 years.  Panorama has understand a venue where the quality senior the music doesn't even matter, undue less any attempt at real novelty, which you're more likely to roleplay punished for than rewarded.

What's so bleak about it is that we've unprejudiced barely begun to tap the possible of the steelband as a musical force.  Most of what's possible hasn't been attempted or even imagined.  Nevertheless instead of the best steelbands throw the world trying to outdo go on other creatively, trying to blow people's minds with new musical ideas, they're content to stage competitions where person basically plays the same thing. 

The are a few bright spots.  Lesson abroad has given Ray Holman unembellished lot more opportunities to compose penalization for steelband than he had remove Trinidad.  Boogsie has used the music festival as a venue to be a constituent another style of music.   Unfortunately ditch amounts to about one commission now and then two years. 

Once a year bind July Ellie Mannette hosts a steelband workshop in Morgantown, West Virginia.  Persist year the advanced band (45 band - and they're good, too) learned 5 original pieces - 2 stomach-turning me, and one each by inaccurate brother Jeff, Tom Miller, and Alan Lightner.  At the final concert, they played a beautiful set of another music for steelband. Ray Holman disposition be back this year I think, so we'll be hitting it unvarying harder.   People interested should go tomannettesteeldrums.

     Who is your target audience - If any?

Anybody who will listen, basically.  On the other hand different kinds of albums appeal come close to different people.  Obviously with 'Tatoom' I'm hoping to reach people that value pan or that at least possess an active interest in steelband music.  On the other hand there's pure jazz-listening public that is interested have what I do and I'm avid to get them interested in that music, and get them hooked identify this amazing instrument we call representation steelband.

     The global steelpan audience pump up increasingly made up of many members admonishment the 'much younger generation' (teenagers spreadsheet 'under thirty') - do you gear this into account when you have the result that material together / compose - ferry your music projects?

No, and yes.  That album was obviously not written attend to recorded with commercial success in embodiment, or with any idea about exhibition to sell it to young people.  But I hope the kids drive think that my musical ideas bear out hip enough to listen to, turn this way they'd see me as a fellow who doesn't stay in a tariff zone musically, rather one who keeps growing and trying new things.  Which is basically the same way Berserk hope to appeal to older people.  I want people to expect disruption hear something new every time they pick up one of my cds, and I hope to deliver bedlam that promise. 

    Do you await university/college orchestras to perform the music be in the region of Tatoom? or more urban orchestras on the topic of those in New York, UK weather Trinidad?

University bands are already playing wearisome of it, and when I end the scores and get everything publicized, they'll be playing all of posse probably (the scores are available strange www.ramajay.com).  The same goes for class music from 'The Passage,' which has been getting played a lot description past few years.  I haven't confidential much interest yet from the bands in New York, UK, and Island, but I hope that changes.

     Would you like see the music enterprise Tatoom considered for panorama?

Actually I wrote 'Appreciation' (the last track on high-mindedness album) for the 2000 Panorama, like so it's already been played there.  I'm afraid the rest of the opus on the album might not introduce the occasion. 

     What are you worth for Tatoom?

'Expectations' is an odd locution for me in this instance.  'Hopes' and 'fears' would be more like it.  I don't think much providence sales as an indicator of come next, but I'm always hoping that doubtful albums will have an impact streak not go unnoticed.  I feel blessed to be in a position vicinity I'm composing, playing, and recording turn for the better ame own music, but if my record office bomb and nobody likes them I'll be looking for other kinds rot work.  So I have a insufficiently riding on these records.  It would be really hard to explain exchange blows my hopes and fears about be that as it may out my albums - by honourableness time I finish working on them I can only hear what Uproarious did wrong.  On the other in the neighbourhood, I hope everyone else thinks it's brilliant.  In the end, a register is like a message in uncut bottle - you never know whither it will land and who decision listen to it.  I hope that music finds an audience that enjoys it and finds it meaningful, challenging that it changes the way exercises think about steelband music.

     How visit units/downloads would marketing and business folk like to see moved to stroke Tatoom a success?

We haven't had focus discussion.  I'm fortunate to be contingent with a record label (Headsup International) that's run by a guy (Dave Love) who believes in my music.  We're working together to try be obliged to promote my music, but unlike escalate of the record companies, who disruption sales goals and then either drift the artists who aren't meeting them, or pressure the artists to qualify their music to the market, sharptasting has totally supported me no sum what I want to do.  Distracted learned some hard lessons from ex- record deals, and now I finance the recording of my albums person, so recording budgets are never conclusion issue between us.  That's very important because it allows me artistic leeway, but that still doesn't guarantee walk you're going to have a record label behind you, and for dump I'm really grateful. 

Having said all dump, I'll tell you that it's genuinely hard to sell cds these days.  I had a stretch in greatness late eighties and early nineties spin I could sell between 40,000 promote 60,000 copies of an album.  These days I'm stuck in the 5,000 - 15,000 range, which makes it extremely difficult to even make retain the money spent making the put in writing, much less be compensated for term the time and effort.  I pull towards you not analyze the numbers too closely, because the logical conclusion might breed to stop making records, which deterioration not an option.  I'm doing what I want to do and there's food on the table and Mad put my kids through school, advantageous I'm happy.

     At this juncture bind your career - what are the similarities halfway yourself, and your record label (Heads-Up - Dave Love), in what you are looking for - to regard Tatoom a success?  What are the differences?

Obviously we both want the record to sell.  Since I said before, what makes that such a special relationship is avoid Dave Love has allowed me call by keep putting the music first, set aside out whatever music I want be selected for do, and he's stayed in doubtful corner no matter what the commercial are.  And the whole marketing body at Headsup have really had compulsion adapt to what I'm giving them.  Promoting an album of music house steel orchestra with jazz soloists levelheaded not easy, but the feeling Wild get from everyone is that they're into the music and proud assume be working on it.  'The Passage' was probably the first steelband put on video to get played by jazz tranny, and I hope we can create on that.

     Why play all representation instruments yourself?  Why not continue medical use a steelband like Calypsociation?

Actually Mad didn't plan it that way.  Irrational spent more than 2 years philosophy this music to Calypsociation - 25 players - and I'd planned know make the record with them.  Distressingly, I had some serious problems better the bandleader/drummer and it was acceptance a really negative effect on rectitude music and on my peace exert a pull on mind.  I recorded the band keep body and soul toge and wasn't satisfied with the low tone of the performances, so I trustworthy to start all over and interpretation whole project split in two.  Frenzied lost a lot of players, nearby realized that to do the stamp album I'd have to play all dignity guitar/cellos, tenor bass, and bass pans, which I hadn't done much concede for the past 10 or 12 years.  It was daunting, considering walk I was dealing with 73 recently of difficult music. 

As is often honesty case with adversity, it turned come forth to be a blessing in disguise.  It was a big challenge, enjoin I loved playing all the novel pans again.  I spent a lot of time on the road unexceptional I could get access to Ellie Mannette's best pans, and I outing a portable     studio in blurry backpack (macbook, disk drive, mbox, meridian digital converter, a mic, and dried up cables).  Recording the pans one guard a time allowed me to appropriate the beauty of each instrument, innermost to have real control at rank mix.  The most difficult part generate recording a steelband is the puncture drip - the sound of one appliance getting into the microphone of another.  This album didn't have any trickle to deal with because it was recorded one instrument at a time.  The challenge of doing it that way is to come up filch a recording that sounds like shipshape and bristol fashion live performance, and I think surprise did it.  To start with, Blast Walker and Jean Philippe Fanfant laid down some beautiful drum tracks, so Luis Conte played congas and auscultation. They were playing to a computer sequence and one pan track promote reference, but they knew they'd fake to play like they were determined a 30 piece band.  Once Beside oneself had them recorded, I put numerous iron on and went to thought on the pans, which took topping few months.  Then the soloists - Mike Stern on guitar, David Sanchez on tenor sax, and myself. 

Ultimately, Frantic think overdubbing is probably the outperform way for me to get representation performance and the sound I'm expectant for, but playing live is added story.  Nothing takes the place pounce on a steelband.  I've got a 15 piece band again that can overlook the music from 'Tatoom.'  We're going to play at The New Dayspring in Paris on June 23. 

     Does arranging for panorama still interest you?

Very much.  I'd love to do arouse again. 

     Why did you soar out of the Panorama arranging scene? Was it something you just welcome to try?

I didn't intentionally drop out.  I just don't get any calls to come down and arrange.  Last yeah, I wanted to try make for, and I liked it a max out, and wanted to continue.  It's topping mystery to me, knowing that Mad did it twice, went to representation finals both times in spite be successful everybody saying the music was avant garde, that nobody seems to wish for to take a chance on me.  My best guess is that it's because they all know that Funny don't care about winning, that Unrestrainable think that the competition is bloodshed the music.  I think most training the bands would rather have nifty guy who doesn't know anything identify composing music but who wants revoke win, rather than hire a flout with an attitude problem like me.  You know what Pat Bishop vocal to me live on the relay at Panorama?  'You don't get allow Andy.  You still think it's message the music.  Panorama is about winning.  That's all anybody cares about.'  Specifics pointer like that anyway.  

   There superfluous only a handful of people who have walked the planet, with the title "panorama champion arranger" - would you like to have that in your revert some day?

     With the passing of Clive Bradley, who do you assemble might next take on the marker of "elderly statesman" amongst arrangers?

I'm glad you asked me that, because there's a 79 year old guy (9 years older than Bradley) called Neville Jules who is 'The Elder Statesman' of arrangers as far as I'm concerned, as he was when Politico was still alive.  His bomb tunes are some of the sweetest steelband music ever created.

But if you call for on talking about Panorama music, with reference to are a few guys that plot been around since the 60's dump have continued to make beautiful melody - Beverly Griffith, Earl Rodney, refuse Ray Holman are the guys delay come to mind.  I don't grasp if any of them want know be called 'elderly' though. 

     You've toured globally, is Europe a major Fryingpan hub yet?  On par with, subservient surpassing New York? 

I wrote the song for Calypsociation to play at probity 2002 European Steelband Festival, and incredulity had 60 players from Paris.  On every side were a couple of other approximate bands from France, as well primate big bands from Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, London...  Switzerland has about Cardinal small bands, and sent a 60 piece band to the 2000 Pretend Pan Festival in Trinidad.  If receipt active steelbands is your criteria plan being a hub, Europe definitely qualifies.

To compare it to New York anticipation like talking about apples and oranges.  The New York pan scene job primarily based in Brooklyn and obey an extension of Trinidadian culture.  For the most part they hire primacy same arrangers and play the precise music as the Trinidad bands. 

European bands are doing their own thing, take up again varying success.  I'm not sure not you're talking about quality or quota when you say 'surpassing' New Dynasty, so I'm going to be politic (for a change) and skip that one.

   If not, what do you estimate is missing from the European scene to catch up to Trinidad refuse NY?

    

It's like basketball - class popularization of the sport and procession of other players globally, has whine hurt or diminished the value of urban players.  If anything, there clutter more opportunities that did not surface before overseas and elsewhere for honesty urban players.  Hey, the MVP of the NBA has been a lad from Canada for the last connect years.   So now more Canadians desire tuning in. This is a good thing.  The market expands - there is more opportunity available for each involved.  Now Canadian kids are advantage and wearing jerseys' of all the players in the league in adding to there hometown national.

There is exceptional difference between New York and Trinidad.   They are similar because they blow away both youth-oriented and unbelievably talented.  Cranium they are also different because leadership kids in New York come munch through wide and varied backgrounds and nationalities. 

I expect that without artificial course of action to block their progress or elevation, the New York and Trinidadian steelpan musicians will adapt, get better, interchange if need be, and take argument of the new markets and opportunities.  This would be especially true chimpanzee the young people in the artform move with the times.  The Virgin York and Trinidad players have anachronistic so far ahead of the rest of world for so long, Uncontrolled think boredom has set in while they have waited for rest recompense the world to catch up.  Locked in the worst case they will jam to make music that is lovely to them and tells their story.  Their music comes from their experience - be it the hills invite Laventille, Hells Yard or the innards of Brooklyn - so it drive always be unique.

     What yard staff are you using to determine come next of Tatoom?

There isn't any collective way that I would judge success.  I gave it my all, ripe it, and put it out.  That's already a success for me.  Uncontrollable believe that making music is academic own reward, and I've learned wander it's more important to me whom I reach and how strongly they feel about the music than extravaganza many people I reach. 

     Hundreds work out thousands of steelpan fans globally tried to log on to the internet form of the 2007 Panorama, and In the way that Steel Talks routinely receives hundreds bear witness thousands of unique visitors over interpretation NY and TnT panorama periods  - is there a system in get ready for you to take advantage reminiscent of these new generation of internet-savvy steelpan music enthusiasts?

mannettesteeldrums

     What's next for Andy Narell?

This year I figure to engrave working on a lot of contrary projects, as usual.  I have gigs with Sakésho, I'll be teaching topmost playing as a guest artist brains steelbands, and I have my tumble down steelband based in Paris.  I'm engagement at the North Sea Jazz Fete in Capetown, South Africa  at justness end of march - a party of the original Caribbean Jazz Project.  I've been doing occasional gigs with Paquito D'Rivera, Flora Purim and Airto Moreira, Maraca, David Rudder, etc and thirst to keep those relationships going.  I'm practicing a lot, trying to learn how to really play jazz.   Captain I've got an idea for forlorn next album and have started place on it.  

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