“Andy Narell’s latest release, Tatoom, is continues his exploration of merging jazz and Afro-Caribbean steelband music. This time he joined forces with three brilliant soloists — David Sanchez (sax), Mike Stern (guitar), and Luis Conte (percussion) — and soulmates Mark Walker and Jean Phillipe Fanfant. According to Mr. Narell, the entire album was recorded one instrument at a time…So what the listener is treated to is the sound of a big band driven by the burning grooves of Mr. Walker, Mr. Fanfant and Mr. Conte, with Mr. Narell nailing all the pan parts.”
Hill Rag (Washington, DC)

“Andy Narell has made so many cool albums of jazzy steel pan (aka steel drum) music through the years he is practically a genre unto himself at this point. A musician of tremendous skill and consummate good taste, Narell takes the pans places they’ve never been before, so far beyond the limited palette of calypso it barely seems like the same instrument.”
MixOnline

“Andy Narell is to the steel horn as Jimmy Smith was to the Hammond B3—a pioneer who took the instrument out of the basement, and put it into the jazz mainstream…Music this visceral is so gratifying that it is easy to overlook the incredible musicianship on this deceptively sophisticated disc. It can be enjoyed for multiple listenings before you realized the complexity and dexterity that is required for such intricate music. That is the paradox of great art: the difficult can look so easy.”
All About Jazz-LA

“With the addition of solos by Stern, Sanchez and Conte, Narell has again taken steelband music to a whole new place where Jazz and Afro-Caribbean music come together, and where the raw energy of the steelband has been captured by the best recording techniques.”
World Music Central

“Andy Narell makes a important contribution and powerful statement on this CD. You won’t have to leave your house! Just turn on the sun lamp, sip a rum cooler, press play, and you’re right there on vacation in Trinidad. It's a first class trip all the way.”
JazzReview.com

“Given the difficulty of conceiving and executing the vision behind Tatoom, only Narell’s perfectionism could have made it a reality—creating the sound of an entire steel pan orchestra recording in a single studio, when in actuality Narell recorded in a single instrument at a time in multiple locations. The result is a gem.”
JazzReview.com