is internationally celebrated as an extraordinary percussionist, a musical cyclone playing with the “Saturday Night Live” band and the Broadway production of “The Lion King.”
She credits her musical dexterity to a Ghanaian musician who taught her to play the xylophone- like gyil (pronounced JEE-lee) in what he called “the African way, not the American way,” in a village more than 7,400 miles from Naranjo’s Colorado home.
His method involved spirits, offerings and prayer, a combination that took Naranjo aback.
“In my prayer, I said, ‘I dunno who you guys are, but thank you, and please give me a hand if you want,’ and when I began to play, it was like watching another person,” she said.
Want to understand why Drum magazine named Naranjo best world-music percussionist of 2005? See her perform Monday at 7:30 p.m. at Leon Recital Hall at Adams State College in Alamosa. Proceeds from ticket sales ($10 and $12) go toward buying the college a new marimba.
