PAS is proud to announce its 2017 Hall of Fame Inductees: Andy Narell, Bobby Hutcherson, Zeferino Nandayapa, and Percussion Group Cincinnati. The Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be held Thursday, November 9, 2017 before the PASIC Thursday Evening Concert.
The Percussive Arts Society is proud to announce its 2017 Hall of Fame Inductees:
Andy Narell, Bobby Hutcherson, Zeferino Nandayapa, and
Percussion Group Cincinnati. The Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, honoring the four newest members, will be held Thursday, November 9, 2017 before the PASIC Thursday Evening Concert at the Indiana Convention Center.
"I am thrilled that the PAS Board of Advisors, Past Presidents, and Board of Directors have elected such a diverse group of percussionists into the PAS Hall of Fame," said PAS Executive Director Joshua Simonds. "A virtuosic pan player, Andy Narell, a national icon, Zeferino Nandayapa, the brilliant Bobby Hutcherson, and one of the historic percussion ensembles of all time, Percussion Group Cincinnati. I look forward to meeting Andy, Percussion Group Cincinnati, and family members of Bobby and Zeferino at PASIC 2017."
About the PAS Hall of Fame
The Percussive Arts Society Hall of Fame was established in 1972 to recognize the contributions of the most highly regarded leaders in percussion performance, education, research, scholarship, administration, composition and the industry. Inductees demonstrate the highest ideals and professional integrity to their profession to bring about significant events, substantive improvements in the world of percussion, and the betterment of the profession through exemplary services or acts.
Andy Narell
With his first solo album in 1979 Andy Narell took the steelpan out of the steel band and brought it into the jazz band, and with every recording and concert since, he has explored the possibilities and expanded the role of the pan in contemporary music.
2016 marks the release of ‘Dis 1. 4. Raf’ - a double CD featuring Andy’s Paris based band (Janysett McPherson/piano, Thierry Fanfant/bass, Inor Sotolongo/percussion, Gregory Louis/drums) and a set of duets with McPherson on piano. In 2013 Andy collaborated with Kwame Ryan and the Bordeaux Symphony for a concert featuring the same quintet with orchestra. Orchestral arrangements were by Isaac Narell.
The 2011 DVD release ‘ALIVE,’ which includes two full length documentaries about his work, as well as live concert footage and short videos. ‘Andy and the Jumbies’ takes us from the panyards of Trinidad to the streets of New York, and follows his projects with Trinidad All Stars and the great calypsonian Relator, also featuring interviews with David Rudder, Ray Holman, Peter Minshall, and Kim Johnson. ‘Calypso Fever’ documents Andy’s collaboration with Michael Abene and the WDR Big Band, with special guest Relator, for a sold out concert at the Koln Philharmonic in Germany.
Narell has made 15 albums as leader, one as co-leader with Relator (University of Calypso), two as co-leader of the Caribbean Jazz Project (with Paquito D’Rivera and Dave Samuels), and two as co-leader of Sakésho (with Mario Canonge, Michel Alibo, and Jean Philippe Fanfant). Along the way he has worked with artists as diverse as Bela Fleck, Marcus Miller, Chucho Valdes, Maraca y Otro Vision, Bebo Valdes, Irakere, Tito Puente, Orquestra Aragon, Pedrito Martinez, Flora Purim and Airto, Chico Pinheiro, Vince Mendoza, The WDR Big Band (Koln), The Metropole Orchestra (Holland), Sixun, Andre Ceccarelli, Bireli Lagrene, Spyro Gyra, Dr. Billy Taylor, Nancy Wilson, Etienne Charles, Mike Marshall, David Rudder, Black Stalin, Lord Superior, Andre Tanker, Kassav, Tanya St. Val, Jon Lucien, Anthony Joseph, Fra Fra Sound, Angelique Kidjo, Etienne Mbappe, Mokhtar Samba, Karim Ziad, Ray Lema, Kora Jazz Band, Jimmy Dludlu, Blick Bassy, Fatoumata Diawara, Vusi Mahlasela, Musik Y Afrika, Abderrahim Benthami, Meddy Gerville, Kepa Junkera, Philippe Lavil, Toto, Aretha Franklin, Keith Terry and Crosspulse, and the Kronos String Quartet.
He has performed on movie scores by James Horner, Maurice Jarre, Elmer Bernstein, Hans Zimmer, Michel Colombier, Thomas Newman, and Carmine Coppola, and his compositions are featured in the film ‘PAN – Our Music Odyssey,’ as well as ‘The Firm,’ TV shows like Designing Women and Going to Extremes, and commercials for Apple Computers, Sony, Porsche, and Southwest Bell.
As a bandleader and soloist he has played hundreds of concerts and jazz festivals throughout the USA, Canada, Europe, Asia, the Caribbean, South America, and Africa.
In 1999 Andy became the first foreigner to compose for Trinidad’s Panorama steel band competition, guiding the 100 player Skiffle Bunch Steel Orchestra to the finals of both the 1999 and 2000 Panoramas. In 2007 he collaborated with Trinidad All Stars for a concert of his steel band music at the Trinidad and Tobago Steelpan and Jazz Festival.
In 2012 Andy began working with Birdsong Steel Orchestra in Trinidad, and composed music for the Panorama in 2013 (The Last Word) and 2014 (We Kinda Music). For 2015 he arranged Nyol Manswell’s ‘Pan Magic’ and returned to original composition in 2016 with ‘Dis 1. 4. Raf’.
He has been an artist in residence at Univ. of North Texas, Wichita St. Univ., Univ. of West Virginia, Univ. of Akron, Univ. of Illinois, Northern Illinois Univ., Miami Univ.(Ohio), Univ. of Southern Mississippi, Eastern Kentucky Univ., Northwestern Univ., Texas Tech Univ., Univ. of Delaware, Univ. of Missouri, Univ. of Arizona, Cal St. Univ. Long Beach, Humboldt St. University, McNeese St. Univ., Calypsociation (Paris), Birdsong Academy, Laborie Steel Pan (Saint Lucia), and many other schools.
Apart from his own recordings, he has worked as producer on many albums, including Billy Childs(4), Ray Obiedo(3), Kit Walker(2), Our Boys Steel Orchestra(2), Steve Erquiaga, The Bobs, Keith Terry and Crosspulse, Alex DeGrassi, Irene Farrera, Xoli Nkosi, and Prince Kupi.
Bobby Hutcherson
Jazz vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson died on August 15, 2016, at age 75. Vibist Stefon Harris has referred to Hutcherson as “by far the most harmonically advanced person to ever play the vibraphone.”
Hutcherson was born in Los Angeles on Jan. 17, 1941. He took piano lessons as a child, but after hearing a recording of Milt Jackson he bought a vibraphone. His early work included gigs with Eric Dolphy and Charles Lloyd, and he made his recording debut with Les McCann in 1961. In 1962 he went to New York with a band led by tenor saxophonist Billy Mitchell and trombonist Al Grey. After that group broke up Hutcherson stayed in New York. For a while, he made his living driving a taxi, but after appearing on saxophonist Jackie McLean’s album One Step Beyond, on which the vibes were the only chordal instrument, he was able to make his living as a musician.
Besides playing and recording with other artists, he began releasing albums as a leader, including Dialogue in 1965 and Stick-Up! in 1966. He eventually released more than 40 albums and appeared on several albums now regarded as classics, including Out to Lunch by Dolphy, Mode for Joe by Joe Henderson, and Ethiopian Knights by Donald Byrd. Hutcherson was affiliated with Blue Note Records from 1963 to 1977 along with such artists as pianist Andrew Hill and McLean. He also worked with such hard-bop players as saxophonist Dexter Gordon, and he later delved into jazz-funk and Afro-Latin tunes.
He returned to California in 1967 and began working with tenor saxophonist Harold Land. Among the recordings they made was “Ummh,” a funk shuffle that became a crossover hit in 1970 and was later sampled by rapper Ice Cube. After his tenure on Blue Note, Hutcherson released albums on Columbia, Landmark and other labels, working with McCoy Tyner and Sonny Rollins. He appeared onscreen in the 1986 film Round Midnight with Gordon and pianist Herbie Hancock. Hutcherson was a founding member of the SFJazz Collective, for whom he played, composed, and arranged from 2004 to 2007. He was named a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master in 2010 for his lifetime of contributions to the art form. He returned to Blue Note in 2014 to release a soul-jazz album, Enjoy the View, with saxophonist David Sanborn and other collaborators.
Zeferino Nandayapa
Zeferino Nandayapa, was born on 26 of August 1931, in Chiapa de Corzo, Chiapas, land of marimbas and cradle of high-level and worldwide recognized performers and composers.
At the age of seven, Zeferino received his first music lessons from his father Norberto Nandayapa (1900-1956) and later began to demonstrate his skills to the interpretation of different style melodies in the marimba. In spite of his young age, formed his child marimba group called "Los Muchachitos" playing in popular festivities. Years later became director of several marimba bands in Chiapas and Veracruz, also started learning other musical instruments. In 1952, when he was 21 years old, he moved to Mexico City to attend the National Conservatory of music, to study piano and conducting. In Mexico City, he became very popular as a recording session artist and guest musician at the national radio “XEW”, performing marimba, vibraphone, accordion, piano, trumpet and alto saxophone.
In 1956, he founded the Marimba Nandayapa Ensemble, bringing the traditional marimba to the concert stage. Since the beginning to our days, Zeferino and his group have taken the Mexican marimba tradition to more than 50 countries in Europe, Asia, and the American continent, where they have enjoyed success in such recognized international festivals & concert venues such as the Cultural Olympic games in Münich, Germany (1972) and Montreal, Canada (1976); Musical Youth International congress Zagreb, Croatia (1979); Bregenz am Bodense music festival in Austria (1984); P.A.S.I.C. (1988 & 1995); “Expo 92” in Seville, Spain; “Book fair” in Frankfurt, Germany and the UNESCO Cinema hall in Paris, France (1992); The World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland (1993); Omiya Sonic City Hall in Japan (1996); The Schleswig-Holstein Music festival in Germany (2000); The Purcell Room in London, UK (2001); The “Black Diamond” of the National Library in Copenhagen, Denmark (2007); Marimba 2010 International Festival & Conference in Minneapolis, USA (2010); among others. Between 1990 and 2008 they toured extensively in Japan, U.S.A. and Denmark.
Marimba Nandayapa is the only Mexican Marimba group which has performed twice at the Carneghie Hall in New York (1973 & 1976). They are also unique in teaching Mexican marimba in several music conservatories and universities in U.S.A., Japan, Europe and Latin-America.
Mr. Nandayapa participated with the most important symphony orchestras in Mexico, performing works that have been written and dedicated to him, as well as his own compositions and arrangements. In 1989 he was soloist with the Royal Philharmonia Orchestra under the baton of Eduardo Mata at The Royal Festival Hall in London, UK and in 2000 with the Madrid community Orchestra at the Madrid Municipal Theater, as well as the Fine Arts Palace in Mexico City.
Marimba Nandayapa have made over 70 recordings of including those for overseas for stamps: Audivis (France), Winter & Winter (Germany) and King Records (Japan). As a recording session artist, Zeferino Nandayapa participated in countless recordings with several famous Mexican artists.
Zeferino had been recognized with numerous awards both nationally and internationally, like The “Golden Tumi” in Lima, Perú (1959), The Peace Medal award from the United Nations Organization in New York (1977), The European excellence award in Paris, France (1992). He was the recipient in 1996 of the National Arts Award in Mexico (The highest prize for Mexican artists, gave by the Mexican president Ernesto Zedillo). In 2004, he received a prize from the Belgian percussion society and in 2009 he became an emeritus creator of the national system of art creators from Mexico.
Zeferino Nandayapa passed away on 28th of December 2010, One day after his death, he received a public tribute from the governor of Chiapas, and all the social-media covered nationally the new. During the year 2011, he received several “post-mortem” recognitions like a National Hommage at the Fine Arts Palace in Mexico City, The marimba museum of Tuxtla Gutierrez became named on his honor and two busts and one statue were raised in Mexico City, Tuxtla Gutierrez and Chiapa de Corzo, Chiapas.
Zeferino Nandayapa’s legacy continues, since the year 2011 to present time, Marimba Nandayapa Ensemble members are his three sons Javier, Oscar & Norberto Nandayapa and two important representative musicians from the marimba tradition from Chiapas: Sandra Moreno & Eduardo Hernandez. They have performed in several concert venues and international festivals in Mexico, and as soloists of the most important Mexican symphony orchestras. They recorded part of the film-soundtrack “Coco” produced by Pixar animation studios in 2017.
The year 2017 marks the 61st anniversary of Marimba Nandayapa, without a doubt,
Mexico’s most important group of its kind and one of the most recognized marimba ensembles of the world.
In November 2017, Zeferino Nandayapa will be inducted to the Percussive Arts Society Hall of Fame.
Percussion Group Cincinnati
Percussion Group Cincinnati was founded in 1979 and consists of members Allen Otte, James Culley, and Russell Burge, all of whom are faculty members and ensemble-in-residence at the College-Conservatory of Music of the University of Cincinnati. Their daily rehearsal schedule is supplemented with the teaching and coaching of young musicians, many of whom have gone on to professional careers in creative music, in teaching, and with major symphony orchestras. Appearances in their national and international touring schedule have included the major cities, festivals, concert halls and schools of America, Europe and Asia. In addition to community concerts, workshops, and masterclasses, the Group regularly appears as concerto soloists with symphony orchestras, and has presented their program "Music From Scratch" to hundreds of thousands of children across North America. Percussion Group Cincinnati is particularly respected for its knowledge of and experience with the entire range of the music of John Cage, having made tours and festival appearances with him on a number of occassions in Europe and in America, and having had pieces created by Cage especially for the Group. More recently, the Group has developed similar special relationships with John Luther Adams, Qu Xiao-Song, Russell Peck, and with Larry Austin on the Charles Ives Universe Symphony project. Recent performances include the Shanghai International Spring Music Festival, a tour of Japan, and the premiere of a new concerto in Singapore with the Singapore Chinese Instrument Orchestra. Over the past 25 years, many young composers from the United States, Latin America, Europe, Africa and Asia have created a large body of new and often experimental music for the unique talents of Percussion Group Cincinnati. The group's work appears on various CDs, including their own ars moderno label; their recording of John Luther Adams’ evening-length “Strange and Sacred Noise” was released in surround-sound by Mode this year. They are currently working on their contribution to the series of Mode Records’ integrated set of the complete music of John Cage, and on a 25-year retrospective multi-disc set including performances from the group’s entire history.