BARRY OLSEN

Trombonist, pianist, percussionist, composer Barry Olsen, one of the current mega-multi instrumentalist pioneers, is a native New Yorker who is involved this city’s Latin dance, world music, and Afro-Cuban jazz music scenes. He has performed with almost all the major artists in Latin music, including Ray Barretto, Eddie Palmieri, Hector Lavoe, Tito Puente, Celia Cruz, Marc Anthony, and La India, and has worked with Paul Simon, The Paul Winter Consort, David Byrne, Charlie Persip and many others.

Since 1987 he has been performing Lobi and Dagara music playing the hand drum known as the kuar, and the hand/stick drum called gangaa which accompany the gyil. He has recorded three CDs with Ms. Naranjo and Maestro Kakraba Lobi, and the CD Zie Mwea (Natural Conditions) with Bernard Woma.

In 1994 Barry performed in the vibrant post-apartheid jazz scene in Johannesburg, South Africa. He participated in the recording Ancestral Healing by South African artist Pops Mohammed, which led to the invitation to record the CD Jazzin’ Universally in South Africa with Airto Moreira, Jose Neto, Valerie Naranjo, and many outstanding Afro-jazz musicians. Since then he has been a frequent addition to the jazz group Ingoma, led by South African saxophonist and composer Zim Ngqawana, having toured with them in Europe and the U.S., as well as in their home country.

Barry is the pianist for the Latin-Jazz group Syotos, led by trombonist Chris Washburne and is featured on their three CDs. He has appeared with Harvie S's band Eye Contact, playing both piano and trombone. He frequently plays marimba and percussion in the orchestra of the The Lion King on Broadway.

Barry is an alumnus of the Manhattan School of Music.