Andy and the Jumbies

The documentary

How does a “little white guy” from New York become the star of a musical and cultural movement for which he had no apparent predisposition? Why the steel pan? By what twist of fate did Andy Narell’s life end up devoted to a metal record? What does he still have to prove?

Andy seems to be on a perpetual quest, in search of new compositions, new sounds. The keys to the character and his extraordinary destiny lie partly in the rich Trinidadian culture, made up of Calypso, carnivals and orchestras where 100 musicians play together, on a stage, in the street. Why does this vibrant culture resonate so much with Andy’s personality? So much so that he became one of its major performers at the age of 13!

We will try to understand why the sounds and music of Trinidad resonate so strongly with Andy, by following him as he prepares for a concert in Port Of Spain, the capital of Trinidad. We attend the rehearsals for the concert, in a vacant lot, before discovering the culmination of six months of work in the most prestigious concert hall in Trinidad. Andy also takes the opportunity to introduce us to his friends, Trinidadian artists of international stature, such as David Rudder, a great calypsonian, and Peter Minshall, one of the greatest set designers of our time.

Andy will also make a few detours to talk with young musicians and pass on some of his knowledge to them. This film is an opportunity for us to discover Trinidadian culture, its music and some of the men and women who are its protagonists…