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Dann Sherrill Bio
Dann Sherrill is a percussionist and drum set player from Nashville, Tennessee. He focuses on Afro Cuban Percussion and Brazilian Percussion. He is an in demand session drummer in Nashville and has recorded many CDs, jingles and publisher demos. He has performed or recorded with the most diverse array of artists imaginable: Steve Winwood, Michael English, The Nashville Jazz Orchestra, Percy Sledge, Engelbert Humperdinck, Mel Tillis, Mary Gauthier, Bonnie Bramlett, Armando Perazza (percussionist for Santana), Oscar Castro Neves, Nino Segarra, Maelo Ruiz, Al Delory and Mambo ’98, Mose Allison, Arturo Sandoval, The Carter Brothers, Tony McManus, Guthrie Trapp, Rory Hoffman, Jeff Taylor, Jeff Coffin, Mike Farris and Jamie O’Hara. Dann and his percussion are regular fixtures on the live Latin music scene with the regions best Salsa dance orchestras such as Chaika la Banda, Willie Crespo and Nashville’s first Salsa band, Orkesta Eme Pe. Dann also plays and records Brazilian music with Music City Samba a Carnaval drumming group, Trio Ginga and Lori Mechem’s Ritmos Picantes. As much as he loves to play, Dann also has a great passion for teaching. He teaches Cuban and Brazilian ensemble classes at the Nashville Jazz Workshop, has a private teaching practice and does secondary school and college workshops, clinics and performances. In 2008 Legacy Learning Systems released Dann’s Learn and Master Drums, the most exhaustive self-study course for drumset ever published. Dann is a teaching artist with the Wolf Trap Early Learning Through the Arts program, in which he works with Head Start pre-school children.
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Words of Praise
“Everyone loved Dann’s Brazilian Percussion clinic and are still talking about it. Dann was well organized and his skill, as well as his love of music came through.”
- Tom Vanarsdel, Director of Percussion Studies, Murray State Univ.
“I have been working with Dann for over 10 years. In addition to being one of Nashville’s finest percussionists, Dann excels as a teacher. His knowledge of Brazilian music is extensive and his communication skills make him an excellent educator. We are very fortunate to have someone with his depth and background in the Nashville music scene.”
- Lori Mechem, Director and Founder of The Nashville Jazz Workshop
Praise for Trio Ginga performances:
“I did want to once again express what a wonderful experience Trio Ginga gave our students during our International Education Week with your gorgeous Brazilian music and the fantastic drum circle. After seeing the introductory video of Kenya singing and the group playing, we were looking forward to hearing your music, but your live performance far exceeded our expectations. The musicianship exhibited by your entire ensemble was phenomenal, and the information you provided about the different musical traditions in various parts of Brazil was a wonderful addition for our students. The positive comments we received from students regarding your performance are too numerous to count. We loved having you on our campus and look forward to future visits during our upcoming events.”
“Thank you for being such an important part of our 2013 Spring International Education Week.”
- Mechel Camp, PhD
- Dean, Communication and Humanities, Jackson State Community College, Jackson, TN
“Having Trio Ginga perform for our annual International Night was awesome! They sounded amazing, and Kenya”s energy on stage was irresistible. She is a true talent, and her strong voice was only enhanced by the smooth sounds of Trio Ginga. The drumming workshop during intermission was also educational and entertaining and got everyone involved in the performance. We will definitely invite Trio Ginga back to WKU and recommend them to anyone having an event that needs some Brazilian soul!”
- Trinity Gonzalez
- Western Kentucky University
“Trio Ginga, a swinging Brazilian outfit. The Trio is tight, spare and very danceable while avoiding the same old samba cliches.”
- P.J Tobia – Nashville Scene
“When Stan Getz, Charlie Byrd, Herbie Mann and a host of other jazz musicians made the pilgrimage to Brazil in the early and mid 60’s, they began a series of collaborations that have helped make that nations numerous styles an influential part of the American popular and improvisational fabric. Nashville’s Trio Ginga have been offering their own variation on the Jazz/Brazilian mode over the last four years, in the process skillfully mixing elements of familiar American fare (R&B, Jazz and the Blues) with everything from bossa nova and samba to forro and even MPB, Brazil’s own mixture of traditional rhythms converging with rock and pop.”
- Ron Wynn – The Nashville Scene