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Andy had the great good fortune to have Papa Ladji Camara as a mentor from 1998 - 2004. Papa Ladji is a world renowned innovator from Norasoba, Guinea, West Africa and was the first master drummer of the original “Les Ballet Africain de Keita Fodeba." He is credited as being the very first jembe player to bring that instrument outside of the African continent to share with the rest of the globe.
Working with Papa Ladji was the culmination of Wasserman's ethnomusicological studies that began in the early 1960's when Andy was a young boy starting his collection of musical instruments from Africa. In addition to his work with Papa Ladji, Andy studied at the Babatunde Olatunji School of African Dance and Music on 125th Street in Harlem, New York City during the early 1970's, and with David Locke at the New England Conservatory ethnomusicology studies faculty. He plays the jembe, sanghba, dun dun, balafon, mbira, talking drum and many other instruments from Guinea, Senegal, Mali, Nigeria and Ghana.
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Andy Wasserman began learning the koto in 1976 and the hotchiku bamboo flute in 1972 along with continual studies of oriental culture and traditional music. He has a small collection of oriental gongs and drums as well.
Andy has a special interest in the ancient forms of music as medicine from ancient China. He has spent many years as a student of the gentle movement martial arts form Tai Chi along with the fundamentals of Chinese traditional medicine. Additionally, he applies his study of Zen meditation techniques he has acquired during retreats at Zen monasteries thoughout the U.S.
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Andy began studying the doumbek drums more than 20 years ago and is fluent in playing in odd meters. He brings his audiences a message of unity and tolerance as represented by music from many different countries in the Middle East including Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Jordan, etc.
Wasserman's Middle Eastern music is incorporated into his programs "Making Music From Around The World," "Instruments: Ancient to Future," and his 6-week artist residency series entitled "Music: The Voice of Unity."
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Andy Wasserman has been studying the societies and music of the First Americans since 1971 when he studied Native culture with Jack Preston of the Seneca Nation at the State University of New York at New Paltz (read more about that experience HERE). In 1976 he helped Oglala Lakota leader Selo Black Crow prepare accomodations for the Sun Dance on Selo's land by the Pine Ridge Reservation in Wanblee, South Dakota. It was there that Selo Black Crow and Lakota elders initiated Andy into their traditional sweat lodge purification ceremony.
Andy has traveled thoughout the United States in order to meet with, learn from, and assist many Native American nations. After 30 years of research that included Lakota, Dakota and Iroquios cultures, he released "Bead Songs" on CD in 2007. The entire CD project honors Andy's friend Yahhazie, a master beadwork artist and an enrolled member of the Shoshone Bannock Tribe of Fort Hall, Idaho. She created the beaded moccasins and other regalia pictured on the CD.
He plays traditional Native American flutes made by traditional flute makers Charles Littleleaf and Russell Wolf, among others, and plays drums made by Grey Wolf Drums and Cheryl and Keith Little Badger of Earthshadow Drums.
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Andy Wasserman began studying Afro-Cuban and Latin music with renowned drummer Danny Barahanas in 1973, starting with the bongos. His collection of instruments includes congas, timbales, cajon, bells, shekere, guiros, and assorted hand percussion.
He learned a lot from Bobby Sanabria while producing content for Beat of the Blue Planet CD-ROM, including the importance of clave and the deep history of this music.
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Andy has spent many years learning about and sharing the music of Brazil, Peru and Argentina. He has a collection of ocarinas and bamboo flutes and a wide range of hand percussion.
On piano, he specializes in samba and bossa nova. He creates spontaneous participatory music in his interactive world music experience concerts where the audience joins in with samba percussion jams.
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Andy has been a Jazz artist since he was 6 years old. He was given an Erroll Garner album for his 6th birthday, and knew upon first listening that this is what he was put here to do. He has studied Jazz with pianist Dwike Mitchell and Jazz innovator George Russell. Much more about Andy as a Jazz musician appears throughout this website on numerous pages.
He presents Jazz in his arts-in-education programs as America's true indigeous art form along with the music of the Native Americans.
Click here to read an extended biography of Andy in essay format on AllAboutJazz.com
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