Andy Narell & Ben Sidran

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H. Aubrey

Andy Narell

Arts + Lit Lab is killing it this summer with jazz experiences, and this is one of the best. Hometown jazz piano hero Ben Sidran needs little introduction. But it’s mind-blowing to imagine what collaboration may surface when Trinidad steel drum sensation Andy Narell shares the bill. Narell has worked across genres in his career and with artists ranging from Bela Fleck to Tito Puente. The ALL collaboration is the kick-off for Narell's time in Madison as artist-in-residence with the Sessions at McPike Park; other club appearances include a lecture and jam session as part of the New Breed Jazz Jam (9 p.m., Aug. 16, Robinia Courtyard); and a BlueStem Jazz concert with Panchromatic Caribbean Jazz (8 p.m., Aug. 17, The Bur Oak).

media release: Andy Narell is a prolific composer and world-class instrumentalist who has spent the past several decades exploring the possibilities of Trinidad’s national instrument, the steel drum – a.k.a the steel pan, in contemporary music. His compositional and improvisational stylings marry the harmonic traditions of American jazz with the rhythms and aesthetics of Caribbean music, earning him high acclaim in both idioms. As a bandleader and soloist, he has performed for hundreds of concerts and jazz festivals throughout the globe, and has worked with renowned groups and musicians such as the Caribbean Jazz Project, Sakésho, Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, Marcus Miller, and Tito Puente.

During his residency in Wisconsin, Andy will perform in a variety of settings, across intimate seated concerts and main stage festival contexts, with Madison-based musicians as well as several Caribbean artists at the Sessions at McPike Park. Complete list of Andy's Madison appearances below:

Friday (Aug 12) evening duo performance (piano and steel pan) with Madison legend, Ben Sidran, at Arts and Literature Laboratory. Co-sponsored by Madison Music Collective. 7:30 pm, general admission tickets are $25 ($20 students/ALL members) in advance online at https://narell-sidran.bpt.me up to 2 hours before the show, and $30 at the door for everyone.

Sunday (Aug 14) afternoon performance with Caribbo (colorful, eclectic jazz from Suriname) at The Sessions at McPike Park.

Sunday (Aug 14) evening performance with Madison's own steelband, Panchromatic Steel, and Afro-Caribbean All-Stars composed of select festival invitees, at The Sessions at McPike Park.

Tuesday (Aug 16) evening lecture on the intersection of steel pan and jazz, followed by an opportunity for community musicians to jam with Andy, courtesy of Robinia Courtyard and New Breed Jazz Jam. 9 pm.

Wednesday (Aug 17) evening farewell concert, featuring the Panchromatic Caribbean Jazz combo, at The Bur Oak. Presented by Panchromatic Steel and BlueStem Jazz