Raised in New York City,Narell started playing pan at seven after his father,a social worker working at a lower East Side community center in Manhattan,hired West Indian pan musicians to teach youthful gang members how to play the instrument.At age 12,Narellwent to Trinidad to perform with his six-piece band for the National Music Festival.Later,he became an in-demand session/touring musician performing with such luminaries as Marcus Miller,Bela Fleck,Aretha Franklin,Chucho Valdes,Toto,The Pointer Sisters,David Rudder and Patti LaBelle.