Nesta Steel Drum Band

Since video, audio, and pictures speak louder than words, please go to our website to hear and view all of the above. We have numerous sound clips, videos, and pictures not included on this site - from soloists to large bands.

Dan Savell has been playing music since the age
of four and playing percussion since the age of
thirteen. He began playing steel drums ten years ago
while at Fullerton College (in Southern California)
and immediately took to the instrument.
While at Fullerton College, he played with Big
Bamboo Steel Band and performed with renowned
pan greats Ken Philmore, Robert Greenidge, and
Boogsie Sharpe. He began doing solo steel drum
performances soon after. In 1996 he transferred to
California Institute of the Arts in Valencia and
studied with percussion maestro John Bergamo.
There he studied improvisation with trumpeter Leo
Smith and guitarist Larry Koonse. Dan has visited
Trinidad twice, performing with "Phase II" and
"Desperadoes" Steelbands in Panorama, the annual
competition that occurs during Carnival. Dan
graduated from Cal Arts in 1998 with his Bachelors
degree in Percussion. Since then he has become a
full- time professional steel drum player, performing
regularly at private and public events. Recently, he
was hired as the steel drum consultant on the hit
NBC TV show, "The Office".
On the general percussion side, Dan's performances
also keep him busy. In 2004, Dan completed the
world premiere run of "The Peachblossom Fan" at the
REDCAT theatre in downtown Los Angeles and can
be heard in the Original Cast Recording for this show
with composer Stephin Merritt. He also plays
drumset professionally, and has performed regularly
with Broadway star Neile Adams, jazz icon Kim
Richmond, Circo Mundial (the National Hispanic
Circus), and the late magician Harry Blackstone Jr.,
as well as performing in over twenty musical
productions in the Los Angeles area. Dan was the
staff percussionist for the Cal Arts dance department
from (phone number hidden)6. He will release his album "Velocity
in Texture: Percussion for the Modern Dance Class"
in 2007. His article, "Getting Around the Double
Seconds" will be published in the Percussive Arts
Society journal in 2007.

Abby Savell has been playing music since the
age of five, starting on piano. At fourteen, she began
playing percussion and took to it immediately. She
received her Bachelor's of Music in Percussion in
2002; soon after, she joined the steel drum band Big
Bamboo, playing tenor pan and performing at
multiple events. Abby is one of very few female steel
drum/vocalists in the Los Angeles area. She
completed her Master's degree in Percussion at
California Institute of the Arts, studying Western
percussion with David Johnson and John Bergamo,
Latin Percussion with Aaron Serfaty, and
improvisation with harpist Susan Allen. In May 2004,
she performed the World Premiere of the highly
virtuosic Sonata for Xylophone and Piano by
acclaimed composer Bruce Levine. She also played
percussion with bass-legend Charlie Haden, in his
"Liberation Orchestra II", as well as performing with
xylophone virtuoso Bob Becker on the East Coast
and in Los Angeles. In June of 2004, she performed
with the Pacific Symphony Orchestra under
renowned composer/conductor John Williams.
Currently, Abby plays with the Kim Richmond
Concert Jazz Orchestra, with whom she has
performed at the Jazz Bakery, and onstage for the
annual Spotlight Awards at the Dorothy Chandler
Pavilion. She loves playing steel drums
professionally, having performed at the Ritz-Carlton
Laguna Niguel and Tommy Bahama's Restaurants,
and at numerous private functions with a band and
as a soloist. She has also worked and performed with
steel drum virtuoso Ken Philmore, and visited
Trinidad (the birthplace of steel drums) in December
2003. Abby also specializes in the marimba, with
which she plays many genres of music on the solo
and group level.

Lighting - this is optional, but for nighttime gigs, we recommend having some light on the band, for the guests as well as the musicians.
Sunlight - steel drums rapidly go out of tune in sunlight, so full shade needs to be provided. We can bring an umbrella or EZ-up if notified ahead of time.
Power - for most gigs, with the exception of 100% acoustic gigs, we need electricity for the PA system. For park and beach gigs, we may be able to supply a battery pack (please inquire about this).
Stage - Dry, even terrain is preferred. However, sometimes we can play on sand as well, depending on the type of equipment being used in the band (please inquire about this).