BARRY
OLSEN was born in New York City and attended Hastings schools from kindergarten
through high school, graduating in 1977. He began playing trombone in the 4th
grade under the tutelage of Joe Hanchrow and subsequently studied with Fred
"Moe" Snyder through the Hastings Creative Arts Council. He performed
in every musical group offered in Hastings schools under the direction of Pete
DeLuke, Larry Hayden and Ed Ryglewitz.
After graduating from high school in 1977 he attended the Manhattan School of Music and began playing trombone in various Salsa bands around New York. Over the years he has recorded and performed with most of the major artists in Latin music, including Ray Barretto, Eddie Palmieri, Hector Lavoe, Tito Puente, Celia Cruz, Marc Anthony, and La India. He has also performed on trombone, piano, and percussion with Paul Simon, David Byrne, The Paul Winter Consort, Charlie Persip and many others, including numerous collaborations with African musicians, particularly Kakraba Lobi from Ghana and Zim Ngqawana from South Africa. Barry is the pianist for the Latin-Jazz group Syotos, led by trombonist Chris Washburne, and is featured on their five recordings. Since 1998 he is frequently heard on marimba and percussion in the orchestra of the Broadway hit "The Lion King." He also performs on trombone and keyboards with the Broadway show "Fela!" which features the music of the Nigerian Afro-Beat pioneer Fela Kuti. Over the summer he appeared with "Fela!" in Amsterdam and London .
Since 1988 he has been performing Lobi and Dagara music from northern Ghana, playing the drums known as kuar and gangaa, which accompany the xylophone called "gyil". Since performing in Ghana in 1996, he has recorded these instruments on the CD "Zie Mwea (Natural Conditions)" with Bernard Woma, several CDs with Kakraba Lobi, and Valerie Naranjo's recording "Lewaa's Dream.
He has recorded three CDs as a leader, two with his piano trio and one with the group Mandara which he co-leads with his wife Valerie Naranjo.
http://www.myspace.com/barryolsenmusic