WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.160 Welcome back to the Deep Dive. We're here again, 00:00:02.279 --> 00:00:05.360 ready to sift through a, well, a pretty big stack 00:00:05.360 --> 00:00:08.419 of research articles and biographical details. 00:00:08.720 --> 00:00:10.099 You know, the kind of stuff can make your head 00:00:10.099 --> 00:00:12.759 spin. And our job, as always, is to synthesize 00:00:12.759 --> 00:00:14.980 all that down into pure, focused insight for 00:00:14.980 --> 00:00:18.000 you. Exactly. And today, we're putting the spotlight 00:00:18.000 --> 00:00:21.480 on a truly phenomenal musician, someone who really 00:00:21.480 --> 00:00:24.199 embodies this perfect blend of deep tradition 00:00:24.199 --> 00:00:27.620 and, well, explosive modernity. We're talking 00:00:27.620 --> 00:00:30.260 about Troy Andrews, known everywhere as Trombone 00:00:30.260 --> 00:00:33.479 Shorty. Yeah. And our mission here really is 00:00:33.479 --> 00:00:37.200 to map out his journey. How does an artist who's 00:00:37.200 --> 00:00:39.140 not just from New Orleans, but like fundamentally 00:00:39.140 --> 00:00:42.299 shaped by it. Yeah. How does he become this massive 00:00:42.299 --> 00:00:44.560 world touring act? Right. We're talking rock, 00:00:44.780 --> 00:00:49.399 pop, jazz, funk, hip hop, all fused together. 00:00:49.619 --> 00:00:52.340 But, you know, always anchored by that unmistakable 00:00:52.340 --> 00:00:54.679 New Orleans brass sound. The research we've looked 00:00:54.679 --> 00:00:57.619 at is it's incredibly rich and it really highlights 00:00:57.619 --> 00:00:59.820 his commitment, not just to his music, his performance, 00:00:59.960 --> 00:01:02.159 but back to his community, too. Absolutely. Born 00:01:02.159 --> 00:01:05.840 January 2nd, 1986, New Orleans, Louisiana. And, 00:01:05.859 --> 00:01:08.519 you know, the stage name Trombone Shorty highlights 00:01:08.519 --> 00:01:11.099 the trombone, obviously. Yeah. But the sources, 00:01:11.159 --> 00:01:13.219 they make it really clear he's more like a triple 00:01:13.219 --> 00:01:17.120 threat. Master trombonist, yes, but also a seriously 00:01:17.120 --> 00:01:20.579 skilled trumpet player and a powerful vocalist 00:01:20.579 --> 00:01:23.000 on top of that. And what jumps out right away 00:01:23.000 --> 00:01:26.480 when you look at his career is that he's always 00:01:26.480 --> 00:01:28.980 kind of juggling these two things, right? On 00:01:28.980 --> 00:01:31.159 one hand, he's building this really authentic 00:01:31.159 --> 00:01:33.900 traditional sound rooted right there in his neighborhood. 00:01:34.239 --> 00:01:36.859 But at the exact same time, he's collaborating 00:01:36.859 --> 00:01:39.219 with, I mean, some of the biggest names in global 00:01:39.219 --> 00:01:41.519 music. Yeah, it's quite the balancing act. It 00:01:41.519 --> 00:01:45.319 is. And this mix of cultural ambassadorship and 00:01:45.319 --> 00:01:48.560 just relentless innovation. It's more than just 00:01:48.560 --> 00:01:50.620 his career path. It feels like a blueprint almost 00:01:50.620 --> 00:01:52.939 for how you can have deep, deep roots, but use 00:01:52.939 --> 00:01:54.920 them as a launch pad to just, you know, reach 00:01:54.920 --> 00:01:56.859 for the stars. Okay, so let's start right at 00:01:56.859 --> 00:01:58.439 the beginning then. Let's unpack this biography 00:01:58.439 --> 00:02:03.500 a bit. The story immediately puts Andrews right 00:02:03.500 --> 00:02:05.920 in the thick of it, the Treme neighborhood. Now, 00:02:05.939 --> 00:02:07.400 for listeners who might not know New Orleans 00:02:07.400 --> 00:02:10.060 geography that well, why is Treme so crucial? 00:02:10.139 --> 00:02:13.960 Why is that specific place so essential to understanding 00:02:13.960 --> 00:02:17.009 his sound? Well, Treme, it isn't just another 00:02:17.009 --> 00:02:20.509 neighborhood. It's really arguably the birthplace, 00:02:20.530 --> 00:02:23.389 certainly the continuous heartbeat of traditional 00:02:23.389 --> 00:02:25.750 New Orleans music, especially the brass band 00:02:25.750 --> 00:02:28.650 tradition, jazz. It all has deep roots there. 00:02:28.729 --> 00:02:30.770 It's where things like jazz funerals, second 00:02:30.770 --> 00:02:33.669 line parades, they originated there. So if you 00:02:33.669 --> 00:02:36.590 grow up in Treme, music isn't like a hobby you 00:02:36.590 --> 00:02:38.870 pick up. Yeah. Or some distant concept. Right. 00:02:39.009 --> 00:02:41.550 It's literally the rhythm of everyday life. It's 00:02:41.550 --> 00:02:43.270 in the air. And when we talk about those cultural 00:02:43.270 --> 00:02:45.330 events, jazz funerals, second line parades, these 00:02:45.330 --> 00:02:46.930 aren't just, you know, occasional street parties. 00:02:46.949 --> 00:02:49.810 This is woven into the fabric of the community. 00:02:50.129 --> 00:02:53.349 Oh, absolutely not occasional. These are ongoing 00:02:53.349 --> 00:02:57.150 cultural institutions. A jazz funeral, you know, 00:02:57.150 --> 00:02:59.289 traditionally starts as a solemn march to the 00:02:59.289 --> 00:03:02.530 cemetery. But then the return trip. That's the 00:03:02.530 --> 00:03:05.789 second line parade. It's this joyous, exuberant 00:03:05.789 --> 00:03:08.930 celebration, usually led by a brass band. And 00:03:08.930 --> 00:03:11.889 the second line itself? That refers to the community 00:03:11.889 --> 00:03:14.750 members, the public, who just spontaneously join 00:03:14.750 --> 00:03:17.289 in behind the main procession, the band, the 00:03:17.289 --> 00:03:19.289 social aid and pleasure club members. They form 00:03:19.289 --> 00:03:22.319 the second line, dancing. Celebration. So growing 00:03:22.319 --> 00:03:24.300 up in that environment, it teaches you musicianship, 00:03:24.319 --> 00:03:27.439 improvisation, community connection right from 00:03:27.439 --> 00:03:29.599 the start. It's like the source code for New 00:03:29.599 --> 00:03:31.800 Orleans music. And it's absolutely essential 00:03:31.800 --> 00:03:34.060 to understanding Shorty's foundation. And then 00:03:34.060 --> 00:03:37.039 you look at his family tree and wow, it almost 00:03:37.039 --> 00:03:39.060 feels like he was preordained for this life. 00:03:39.199 --> 00:03:41.620 Doesn't it? He's one of seven kids born to James 00:03:41.620 --> 00:03:44.199 Andrews Jr. and Lois Andrews. And this isn't 00:03:44.199 --> 00:03:47.300 just like a musical family. The sources describe 00:03:47.300 --> 00:03:49.800 it more like a dynasty spanning generations of 00:03:49.800 --> 00:03:51.900 New Orleans sound. That's a perfect word for 00:03:51.900 --> 00:03:55.479 a dynasty. The musical credentials just in his 00:03:55.479 --> 00:03:59.500 immediate and extended family are, well, they're 00:03:59.500 --> 00:04:02.539 overwhelming. Like who? Well, his older brother. 00:04:03.000 --> 00:04:05.900 James Andrews III. He's a really well -regarded 00:04:05.900 --> 00:04:08.879 trumpeter and bandleader in New Orleans, a local 00:04:08.879 --> 00:04:12.039 icon himself. Okay. Then his grandfather was 00:04:12.039 --> 00:04:15.000 the singer and songwriter Jesse Hill, super famous 00:04:15.000 --> 00:04:17.600 for the hit Oop -Oop -A -Doo. Oh, okay. I know 00:04:17.600 --> 00:04:19.699 that one. Yeah. And you can go back even further. 00:04:19.860 --> 00:04:22.660 His great uncle, Walter Papoose Nilsen, played 00:04:22.660 --> 00:04:25.540 guitar with the legendary Fats Domino. Wow. So 00:04:25.540 --> 00:04:27.899 it's everywhere. Everywhere. And the list keeps 00:04:27.899 --> 00:04:30.980 going, even to his cousins. Clint David Andrews. 00:04:31.310 --> 00:04:34.069 another fantastic musician, and the late Travis 00:04:34.069 --> 00:04:36.689 Trumpet Blackhill. It's this incredible lineage. 00:04:36.910 --> 00:04:38.930 It meant he wasn't just hearing music. He was 00:04:38.930 --> 00:04:41.769 constantly surrounded by, probably critiqued 00:04:41.769 --> 00:04:44.250 by, high -level professional musicians. Right. 00:04:44.329 --> 00:04:46.689 It's like living inside the tradition. Exactly. 00:04:46.709 --> 00:04:48.610 This wasn't a house where, you know, they just 00:04:48.610 --> 00:04:50.889 put on records sometimes. This is a place where 00:04:50.889 --> 00:04:53.370 music was constantly being made, performed right 00:04:53.370 --> 00:04:56.790 there in the living room, probably. But what's 00:04:56.790 --> 00:04:59.980 just as important in the... Sources really emphasize 00:04:59.980 --> 00:05:03.740 this, is the cultural role his parents played. 00:05:03.879 --> 00:05:06.220 They weren't just parents. They were like anchors 00:05:06.220 --> 00:05:08.500 for the whole Treme music community. Okay, let's 00:05:08.500 --> 00:05:10.600 talk about his mother, Lois Nelson Andrews. She 00:05:10.600 --> 00:05:12.300 sounds like an incredible figure. Oh, absolutely 00:05:12.300 --> 00:05:14.939 central. A real force of nature in the Treme 00:05:14.939 --> 00:05:17.759 scene. She actually earned these titles, Mother 00:05:17.759 --> 00:05:21.800 of Music and Queen of the Treme. Wow. And her 00:05:21.800 --> 00:05:24.639 role wasn't just symbolic. She was often the 00:05:24.639 --> 00:05:28.079 grand marshal. You know, the ceremonial leader 00:05:28.079 --> 00:05:30.199 for those really important jazz funerals and 00:05:30.199 --> 00:05:33.500 second line parades. And she used that visibility, 00:05:33.620 --> 00:05:36.620 that position to actively champion and encourage 00:05:36.620 --> 00:05:38.620 young musicians coming up in the neighborhood, 00:05:38.800 --> 00:05:41.240 including our own kids, of course. And his father, 00:05:41.339 --> 00:05:44.399 James Andrews Jr., he reinforced that whole culture 00:05:44.399 --> 00:05:46.240 right there at home. Yeah, he was deeply involved, 00:05:46.319 --> 00:05:48.259 too. He was a member of the Bayou Steppers Social 00:05:48.259 --> 00:05:50.339 Aid and Pleasure Club. That's one of the groups 00:05:50.339 --> 00:05:52.600 that actually organizes and facilitates the second 00:05:52.600 --> 00:05:56.139 lines. And their home, it wasn't just the family 00:05:56.139 --> 00:05:58.899 hub. It was apparently a regular gathering spot 00:05:58.899 --> 00:06:02.000 for musician friends, like a nonstop jam session 00:06:02.000 --> 00:06:04.519 environment. Just constant music. Constant immersion. 00:06:04.680 --> 00:06:07.519 And it was so central to their lives that the 00:06:07.519 --> 00:06:11.100 family eventually formalized it. They opened 00:06:11.100 --> 00:06:13.339 a nightclub right there in Treme called Trombone 00:06:13.339 --> 00:06:15.800 Shorties. Named after him even then. Seems like 00:06:15.800 --> 00:06:18.360 it. And alongside that, they opened a separate 00:06:18.360 --> 00:06:21.519 rehearsal and jam space called simply... the 00:06:21.519 --> 00:06:24.839 space it really paints this picture of growing 00:06:24.839 --> 00:06:27.560 up completely immersed in this like cultural 00:06:27.560 --> 00:06:30.839 and musical ecosystem totally and you see how 00:06:30.839 --> 00:06:34.279 that leads to his well frankly astonishingly 00:06:34.279 --> 00:06:36.439 early start it was incredibly rapid he started 00:06:36.439 --> 00:06:38.399 playing trombone as you mentioned at age four 00:06:38.399 --> 00:06:41.019 four years old and there's this great little 00:06:41.019 --> 00:06:43.600 anecdote in the biography about why the trombone 00:06:43.600 --> 00:06:45.879 apparently he got the instrument from his older 00:06:45.879 --> 00:06:49.680 brother james simply because and i quote The 00:06:49.680 --> 00:06:52.920 family already had a trumpet player. That's amazing. 00:06:53.259 --> 00:06:55.459 Practical. Right. Almost an accidental start 00:06:55.459 --> 00:06:57.819 on what became his signature instrument. And 00:06:57.819 --> 00:07:00.300 the legend, it starts building almost right away. 00:07:00.360 --> 00:07:03.120 He's four years old. It's 1990. And he gets invited 00:07:03.120 --> 00:07:07.160 up on stage by Bo Diddley at the New Orleans 00:07:07.160 --> 00:07:09.870 Jazz and Heritage Festival. I mean, what does 00:07:09.870 --> 00:07:12.430 that kind of thing, that spontaneous high level 00:07:12.430 --> 00:07:14.750 interaction at four years old, tell you about 00:07:14.750 --> 00:07:16.610 the New Orleans music scene? It tells you that 00:07:16.610 --> 00:07:19.350 talent, real authenticity, it gets recognized 00:07:19.350 --> 00:07:21.990 immediately there and respected no matter how 00:07:21.990 --> 00:07:24.410 old you are. Shorty wasn't just, you know, a 00:07:24.410 --> 00:07:27.110 cute kid. He must have already been proficient 00:07:27.110 --> 00:07:29.829 enough that a giant like Bo Diddley saw something 00:07:29.829 --> 00:07:32.209 real and wanted to showcase it. Incredible. And 00:07:32.209 --> 00:07:34.399 it didn't stop there. By the time he was six 00:07:34.399 --> 00:07:35.879 years old, he wasn't just playing in a band. 00:07:35.939 --> 00:07:39.399 He was leading his own brass band. At six. Leading. 00:07:39.519 --> 00:07:41.680 Leading. Yeah. Which shows this almost immediate 00:07:41.680 --> 00:07:44.009 grasp of. You know, the complex leadership, the 00:07:44.009 --> 00:07:46.009 arrangement skills, everything required in that 00:07:46.009 --> 00:07:49.350 brass band setting. Just phenomenal precociousness. 00:07:49.490 --> 00:07:51.870 But the sources also point to a really significant 00:07:51.870 --> 00:07:55.870 tragedy that impacted his path around 1995. Yes, 00:07:55.889 --> 00:07:58.250 sadly. His brother Darnell, who was apparently 00:07:58.250 --> 00:08:00.589 also a very talented trombone player himself, 00:08:00.850 --> 00:08:04.089 was tragically shot and killed. And this was, 00:08:04.209 --> 00:08:06.629 I mean, obviously completely devastating for 00:08:06.629 --> 00:08:09.550 the family and for Troy. But it also seemed to... 00:08:11.080 --> 00:08:13.160 catalyze a really important period of mentorship 00:08:13.160 --> 00:08:16.160 from outside the family. How so? Well, following 00:08:16.160 --> 00:08:18.319 Darnell's death, he was really taken under the 00:08:18.319 --> 00:08:21.480 wing of his manager and friend Susan Lovejoy 00:08:21.480 --> 00:08:26.019 Scott. The sources say she acted In loco parentis, 00:08:26.019 --> 00:08:28.579 basically like a parental figure, providing stability, 00:08:28.860 --> 00:08:31.699 professional guidance, helping him navigate not 00:08:31.699 --> 00:08:34.259 just his burgeoning young career, but also that 00:08:34.259 --> 00:08:36.700 immense grief. That kind of consistent guidance 00:08:36.700 --> 00:08:39.639 seems so crucial, especially then. And his formal 00:08:39.639 --> 00:08:42.100 education, it seems like it mirrored that high 00:08:42.100 --> 00:08:44.580 -level mentorship track. He went to the New Orleans 00:08:44.580 --> 00:08:47.059 Center for Creative Arts, an OCCA. Right, a really 00:08:47.059 --> 00:08:49.059 prestigious arts high school. And his peers there 00:08:49.059 --> 00:08:51.620 included another future music giant you might 00:08:51.620 --> 00:08:54.809 know, Jean -Baptiste. Wow, classmate. Classmates. 00:08:54.870 --> 00:08:58.289 So that NOCCA experience, it put him in a more 00:08:58.289 --> 00:09:01.169 formalized training setting, refining the incredible 00:09:01.169 --> 00:09:03.330 natural talent he already absorbed just by living 00:09:03.330 --> 00:09:05.350 in Treme. And the mentorship continued alongside 00:09:05.350 --> 00:09:07.809 that. Well, yeah. He continued to be mentored 00:09:07.809 --> 00:09:10.789 by absolute icons, like Cyril Neville of the 00:09:10.789 --> 00:09:13.090 Neville brothers. Shorty often calls him a second 00:09:13.090 --> 00:09:16.149 father, which just highlights again those deep, 00:09:16.190 --> 00:09:19.590 almost familial bonds that really underpin the 00:09:19.590 --> 00:09:21.580 whole. new orleans music community it's more 00:09:21.580 --> 00:09:24.080 than just colleagues much more so he graduated 00:09:24.080 --> 00:09:26.799 high school in 2004 from warren easton high school 00:09:26.799 --> 00:09:30.159 and the sources show that wasn't like a pause 00:09:30.159 --> 00:09:32.799 that was the immediate launch pad straight into 00:09:32.799 --> 00:09:37.100 his professional career okay so now we sort of 00:09:37.100 --> 00:09:39.080 shift gears right from the foundation the roots 00:09:39.080 --> 00:09:42.220 to actually building the career yeah and the 00:09:42.220 --> 00:09:45.659 sources detail this A remarkable, almost immediate 00:09:45.659 --> 00:09:49.340 jump from being this local prodigy to suddenly 00:09:49.340 --> 00:09:51.700 being an international sideman right after high 00:09:51.700 --> 00:09:53.559 school. Right. I mean, while he was still a teenager, 00:09:53.840 --> 00:09:55.600 he was already playing professionally. He was 00:09:55.600 --> 00:09:57.299 a member of the Stooges brass band. They put 00:09:57.299 --> 00:09:59.299 out an album, It's About Time, back in 2003. 00:09:59.419 --> 00:10:02.080 So he was already recording. But yeah, 2005 seems 00:10:02.080 --> 00:10:04.299 like the real inflection point. Absolutely. In 00:10:04.299 --> 00:10:06.840 2005, pretty much right after graduating, Andrews 00:10:06.840 --> 00:10:09.000 gets snapped up, becomes a featured member of 00:10:09.000 --> 00:10:10.899 Lenny Kravitz's horn section for a major world 00:10:10.899 --> 00:10:14.639 tour. That's a huge leap. Huge. Think about that 00:10:14.639 --> 00:10:17.259 contrast, right? One minute you're, you know, 00:10:17.259 --> 00:10:19.179 maybe leading a brass band in a second line down 00:10:19.179 --> 00:10:21.580 the street. The next you're on these massive 00:10:21.580 --> 00:10:24.360 international stages sharing the bill with global 00:10:24.360 --> 00:10:26.919 rock acts like Aerosmith. Yeah. That must have 00:10:26.919 --> 00:10:29.539 forced him to adapt incredibly quickly. Yeah. 00:10:29.620 --> 00:10:32.659 Taking that, you know, raw, immediate energy 00:10:32.659 --> 00:10:35.639 of the brass band sound and making it work within 00:10:35.639 --> 00:10:38.059 the structure of the production demands of stadium 00:10:38.059 --> 00:10:41.070 rock. And even while doing that, he was already 00:10:41.070 --> 00:10:42.850 contributing back to the cultural record, wasn't 00:10:42.850 --> 00:10:45.750 he? That same year, 2005, he shows up in that 00:10:45.750 --> 00:10:48.610 documentary, Make It Funky. Yep. Performing alongside 00:10:48.610 --> 00:10:50.870 New Orleans legends like Kermit Ruffin, Sir Evan 00:10:50.870 --> 00:10:53.590 Mayfield, and also guesting with the Dirty Dozen 00:10:53.590 --> 00:10:56.230 Brass Band. Yeah. So even as he's breaking out 00:10:56.230 --> 00:10:59.350 internationally, he's still documenting and participating 00:10:59.350 --> 00:11:01.710 in the very tradition he's starting to innovate 00:11:01.710 --> 00:11:05.220 upon. And we can't talk about 2005 New Orleans 00:11:05.220 --> 00:11:08.000 without mentioning Hurricane Katrina. No, absolutely 00:11:08.000 --> 00:11:10.320 not. That context is crucial. And in the wake 00:11:10.320 --> 00:11:12.820 of that devastation, he got involved with the 00:11:12.820 --> 00:11:16.340 New Orleans Social Club. What was that? It was 00:11:16.340 --> 00:11:19.259 a group formed specifically to record a benefit 00:11:19.259 --> 00:11:22.049 album. The goal was to raise funds to support 00:11:22.049 --> 00:11:24.690 the recovery specifically for the city's musical 00:11:24.690 --> 00:11:27.470 community, which was hit so hard. Right. So, 00:11:27.549 --> 00:11:29.809 again, it just reinforces this idea that his 00:11:29.809 --> 00:11:31.950 success, his path is always tied back to the 00:11:31.950 --> 00:11:34.490 resilience, the rebuilding, the spirit of New 00:11:34.490 --> 00:11:36.929 Orleans itself. And that resilience, that spirit, 00:11:37.009 --> 00:11:39.490 it definitely drew massive international attention, 00:11:39.730 --> 00:11:42.710 especially post -Katrina. Now, this next detail 00:11:42.710 --> 00:11:44.870 you flagged, this really underscores his global 00:11:44.870 --> 00:11:48.409 ascent. In 2006, he's still only 20 years old. 00:11:48.570 --> 00:11:50.580 Yeah, incredible. And he starts working with 00:11:50.580 --> 00:11:53.299 producer Bob Ezrin, legendary producer and U2, 00:11:53.440 --> 00:11:56.720 at Abbey Road Studios in London. I mean, pause 00:11:56.720 --> 00:12:00.720 on that for a second. Abbey Road, U2, Bob Ezrin. 00:12:01.059 --> 00:12:04.100 That is a staggering jump in terms of exposure, 00:12:04.480 --> 00:12:08.450 prestige. Totally. Working with artists at that 00:12:08.450 --> 00:12:10.710 level and a producer like Ezrin known for huge 00:12:10.710 --> 00:12:13.149 rack sounds, it must have exposed him to the 00:12:13.149 --> 00:12:16.429 absolute pinnacle of rock music production engineering 00:12:16.429 --> 00:12:19.090 arrangement. And it wasn't just studio time, 00:12:19.169 --> 00:12:21.450 was it? That connection led somewhere very public. 00:12:21.769 --> 00:12:25.269 It did. It resulted in this incredibly symbolic 00:12:25.269 --> 00:12:28.809 nationally televised performance. It was him 00:12:28.809 --> 00:12:32.669 with U2 and Green Day performing together at 00:12:32.669 --> 00:12:35.149 the reopening of the Louisiana Superdome. for 00:12:35.149 --> 00:12:36.970 Monday Night Football that year. I remember that. 00:12:37.009 --> 00:12:39.889 It felt huge. It was huge and incredibly emotional 00:12:39.889 --> 00:12:42.470 for New Orleans. It wasn't just a football game. 00:12:42.570 --> 00:12:45.190 It was a massive statement about the city's comeback 00:12:45.190 --> 00:12:48.250 after Katrina. And there's Trombone Shorty physically 00:12:48.250 --> 00:12:51.110 standing on that stage representing the next 00:12:51.110 --> 00:12:53.649 generation, the future of the city's music. Exactly. 00:12:53.750 --> 00:12:57.070 A powerful, powerful moment. And understandably, 00:12:57.070 --> 00:12:59.210 his... Profile just went through the roof after 00:12:59.210 --> 00:13:00.830 things like that. Which translated into screen 00:13:00.830 --> 00:13:02.830 time, too, outside of just music documentaries. 00:13:02.870 --> 00:13:05.470 He appeared as himself, right, in David Simon's 00:13:05.470 --> 00:13:07.950 HBR series, Dream. Yeah, which was perfect casting, 00:13:08.029 --> 00:13:10.309 obviously. He was in seven episodes between 2010 00:13:10.309 --> 00:13:13.350 and 2013, essentially playing a sort of fictionalized 00:13:13.350 --> 00:13:16.389 version of his own life and experiences in post 00:13:16.389 --> 00:13:18.289 -Katrina New Orleans. Bringing that authenticity 00:13:18.289 --> 00:13:20.549 right to the screen. Totally. And he also brought 00:13:20.549 --> 00:13:23.840 his sound to more mainstream TV. He recorded 00:13:23.840 --> 00:13:26.220 the theme song for that CBS remake of The Odd 00:13:26.220 --> 00:13:28.840 Couple in 2015. Right, I'd forgotten about that. 00:13:28.919 --> 00:13:32.179 But the most maybe surprising screen credit has 00:13:32.179 --> 00:13:34.740 to be his feature film debut. As a voice actor. 00:13:34.779 --> 00:13:37.679 Isn't that great? Yeah, in 2015, he dipped into 00:13:37.679 --> 00:13:39.860 voice acting. He provided the voices for the 00:13:39.860 --> 00:13:42.179 teacher, Miss Othmar, you know, the famous wah 00:13:42.179 --> 00:13:45.480 -wah -wah voice. Huh? No way. Yeah. And apparently 00:13:45.480 --> 00:13:47.519 all the other adult voices in the Peanuts movie. 00:13:48.110 --> 00:13:50.210 That's fantastic. It just shows this incredible 00:13:50.210 --> 00:13:53.970 range, right? From high drama, cultural TV about 00:13:53.970 --> 00:13:56.789 New Orleans, to primetime network sitcom themes, 00:13:56.950 --> 00:14:00.909 to voicing iconic cartoon characters. It was 00:14:00.909 --> 00:14:04.210 a completely genre -defying path he was carving 00:14:04.210 --> 00:14:07.049 out. Okay, before we dive into his solo success, 00:14:07.149 --> 00:14:09.889 his albums as a leader, maybe let's pause on 00:14:09.889 --> 00:14:11.850 this tension you mentioned earlier, which I think 00:14:11.850 --> 00:14:14.110 really gets to the core inside of this deep dive. 00:14:14.250 --> 00:14:16.590 You listed his influences, his brother James. 00:14:17.200 --> 00:14:19.259 Cyril Neville, legends like Wynton Marsalis, 00:14:19.399 --> 00:14:21.539 Kermit Ruffins, Walter Wolfman, Washington, Alan 00:14:21.539 --> 00:14:24.659 Toussaint, but also Lenny Kravitz. Right. A real 00:14:24.659 --> 00:14:27.559 mix. So how does he reconcile those? How does 00:14:27.559 --> 00:14:31.299 he bring together the, say, highly disciplined, 00:14:31.539 --> 00:14:34.399 maybe more traditionalist jazz approach of someone 00:14:34.399 --> 00:14:37.899 like Wynton Marsalis with the raw power, the 00:14:37.899 --> 00:14:40.799 stadium rock production, the demands of playing 00:14:40.799 --> 00:14:43.120 with Lenny Kravitz? That is the million dollar 00:14:43.120 --> 00:14:45.740 question, isn't it? And I think the answer. based 00:14:45.740 --> 00:14:47.580 on the sources and just listening to his music, 00:14:47.659 --> 00:14:50.820 is that he acts as a genuine synthesizer. He 00:14:50.820 --> 00:14:52.840 doesn't choose one over the other. So you get 00:14:52.840 --> 00:14:54.720 someone like Marsalis or Ruffins giving him that 00:14:54.720 --> 00:14:57.919 deep vocabulary, the technical precision of traditional 00:14:57.919 --> 00:15:01.179 New Orleans jazz and brass band music, the absolute 00:15:01.179 --> 00:15:03.779 mastery of the horns. The chops. Exactly, the 00:15:03.779 --> 00:15:06.139 chops. Then you have figures like Alan Toussaint 00:15:06.139 --> 00:15:08.159 and Cyril Neville. providing that foundation 00:15:08.159 --> 00:15:10.879 in New Orleans R &B and funk, the groove, the 00:15:10.879 --> 00:15:13.960 swagger, the rhythmic complexity, that deep pocket. 00:15:14.139 --> 00:15:16.600 Right. And then Lenny Kravitz brings the understanding 00:15:16.600 --> 00:15:19.779 of modern production, song arrangement for big 00:15:19.779 --> 00:15:22.960 audiences, stage presence, the energy needed 00:15:22.960 --> 00:15:25.679 for global rock stardom. So he takes elements 00:15:25.679 --> 00:15:28.639 from all of them. Precisely. He doesn't compromise 00:15:28.639 --> 00:15:31.080 one for the other. It's like he uses the discipline 00:15:31.080 --> 00:15:33.820 he learned from Marsalis lineage to execute the 00:15:33.820 --> 00:15:36.039 power and energy demanded by the Kravitz context. 00:15:36.279 --> 00:15:40.279 And that fusion, that unique blend, that... is 00:15:40.279 --> 00:15:42.919 the shorty sound. Okay, so now we can really 00:15:42.919 --> 00:15:45.379 dig into his solo work as a band leader. The 00:15:45.379 --> 00:15:47.960 sources show that by 2010, he's armed with all 00:15:47.960 --> 00:15:50.500 this incredible experience, these diverse influences. 00:15:51.019 --> 00:15:53.639 He's clearly ready for a major breakthrough on 00:15:53.639 --> 00:15:56.220 his own terms. Let's talk about the album Back 00:15:56.220 --> 00:15:58.440 at Town. Back at Town, yeah, released in 2010. 00:15:58.700 --> 00:16:01.559 This was undeniably the catalyst, the moment 00:16:01.559 --> 00:16:03.679 things really exploded for him as a solo artist. 00:16:03.820 --> 00:16:05.779 And it wasn't just, you know, critics liked it. 00:16:05.840 --> 00:16:08.720 It was a genuine commercial juggernaut. How so? 00:16:09.100 --> 00:16:10.899 It shot straight to number one on the Billboard 00:16:10.899 --> 00:16:13.000 Contemporary Jazz chart, which is impressive 00:16:13.000 --> 00:16:15.879 enough, but then it stayed there. For nine consecutive 00:16:15.879 --> 00:16:19.399 weeks. Nine weeks at number one for a mostly 00:16:19.399 --> 00:16:22.440 instrumental genre blending album. Exactly. That 00:16:22.440 --> 00:16:24.759 kind of chart domination, that endurance, it 00:16:24.759 --> 00:16:26.600 tells you something powerful about how much that 00:16:26.600 --> 00:16:28.840 sound connected with people. It really had broad 00:16:28.840 --> 00:16:31.179 appeal. So let's talk about that sound. How did 00:16:31.179 --> 00:16:34.259 Back a Town and his band Orleans Avenue actually 00:16:34.259 --> 00:16:37.740 translate that shorty sound we just defined into 00:16:37.740 --> 00:16:41.100 something that could achieve that level of commercial 00:16:41.100 --> 00:16:44.220 success? What were they doing musically? Well, 00:16:44.240 --> 00:16:46.360 I think the genius of that album and really his 00:16:46.360 --> 00:16:48.879 band Orleans Avenue's whole approach is how they 00:16:48.879 --> 00:16:50.860 structure the music. They take those core New 00:16:50.860 --> 00:16:52.899 Orleans elements like the driving syncopated 00:16:52.899 --> 00:16:55.519 polyrhythmic drumming patterns from second line 00:16:55.519 --> 00:16:59.320 music. And they layer that foundation with like 00:16:59.320 --> 00:17:03.159 deep funk bass lines, heavy rock guitar riffs. 00:17:03.220 --> 00:17:06.579 It's muscular. OK. But crucially, the way Shorty 00:17:06.579 --> 00:17:09.599 plays the trombone. He's not treating it like 00:17:09.599 --> 00:17:11.839 a traditional jazz horn, all smooth tones and 00:17:11.839 --> 00:17:14.319 subtle lines. He often plays it more like a rock 00:17:14.319 --> 00:17:16.299 lead guitar. Oh, what do you mean? You hear him 00:17:16.299 --> 00:17:18.660 using distortion pedals, wah pedals. He's playing 00:17:18.660 --> 00:17:21.440 these powerful horn -based riffs that have the 00:17:21.440 --> 00:17:23.759 punch and the feel of rock music. He's taking 00:17:23.759 --> 00:17:25.920 the power of the brass band tradition but putting 00:17:25.920 --> 00:17:28.359 it firmly into this contemporary, almost arena 00:17:28.359 --> 00:17:30.960 rock context. So it grabs you. It absolutely 00:17:30.960 --> 00:17:33.559 grabs you. It's impossible to ignore, which is 00:17:33.559 --> 00:17:35.559 probably why it resonated so strongly and stayed 00:17:35.559 --> 00:17:37.500 on the charts for so long. And that chart success 00:17:37.500 --> 00:17:41.299 naturally translated into just relentless international 00:17:41.299 --> 00:17:44.720 touring. Yeah. He took Orleans Avenue everywhere. 00:17:44.799 --> 00:17:47.779 The sources list Australia, North America, Europe, 00:17:47.960 --> 00:17:51.440 Japan, Brazil. Plus, he was landing these major 00:17:51.440 --> 00:17:54.619 support slots, opening for huge, established 00:17:54.619 --> 00:17:57.339 acts like Jeff Beck, the Dave Matthews Band. 00:17:57.619 --> 00:18:00.799 Getting in front of massive audiences. Massive, 00:18:00.799 --> 00:18:03.380 diverse audiences. And the mainstream recognition 00:18:03.380 --> 00:18:05.640 followed immediately. He started appearing on 00:18:05.640 --> 00:18:08.039 national television constantly. You saw him on 00:18:08.039 --> 00:18:11.000 Conan, Letterman, Jay Leno, Jimmy Kimmel Live. 00:18:11.079 --> 00:18:13.240 All the big ones. All of them. This wasn't some 00:18:13.240 --> 00:18:15.420 niche marketing campaign. This was genuine saturation. 00:18:16.099 --> 00:18:18.619 He was bringing the sound of New Orleans, his 00:18:18.619 --> 00:18:21.599 version of it, to this huge general audience. 00:18:21.920 --> 00:18:24.140 And the industry took notice, too. Back of Town 00:18:24.140 --> 00:18:27.200 got nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary 00:18:27.200 --> 00:18:29.259 Jazz Album. He definitely kept that momentum 00:18:29.259 --> 00:18:31.720 rolling with the follow -up album for True, which 00:18:31.720 --> 00:18:34.480 came out just a year later in 2011. And that 00:18:34.480 --> 00:18:36.539 one seemed to really double down on his collaborative 00:18:36.539 --> 00:18:40.450 spirit. For True, really cemented his statics 00:18:40.450 --> 00:18:42.589 as this go -to collaborator, someone everyone 00:18:42.589 --> 00:18:46.549 wanted to play with. The guest list on that album 00:18:46.549 --> 00:18:49.390 is fascinating because it spans the spectrum 00:18:49.390 --> 00:18:52.019 again. I was on it. You had traditional New Orleans 00:18:52.019 --> 00:18:54.019 giants like the Rebirth Brass Band on there, 00:18:54.099 --> 00:18:56.440 but then also these high -profile rock and blues 00:18:56.440 --> 00:18:58.880 figures, Jeff Beck Return, Warren Haynes from 00:18:58.880 --> 00:19:01.039 Govert Mule, and the Allman Brothers, the amazing 00:19:01.039 --> 00:19:03.440 drummer Stanton Moore from Galactic. Okay, serious 00:19:03.440 --> 00:19:06.099 players. Serious players. But then, in this wild 00:19:06.099 --> 00:19:09.019 contrast, you also had Kid Rock on a track. Kid 00:19:09.019 --> 00:19:11.579 Rock, okay. Right. And his buddy Lenny Kravitz 00:19:11.579 --> 00:19:13.759 came back for another guest spot, too. It just 00:19:13.759 --> 00:19:15.720 proves he could speak the language musically 00:19:15.720 --> 00:19:18.720 fluently across almost any genre boundary. And 00:19:18.720 --> 00:19:21.160 his output as a leader. continued steadily after 00:19:21.160 --> 00:19:23.859 that. Yeah, the sources track his albums consistently, 00:19:24.039 --> 00:19:27.799 to say this in 2013. Then his debut on the legendary 00:19:27.799 --> 00:19:31.099 Blue Note label, Parking Lot Symphony, in 2017, 00:19:31.160 --> 00:19:33.759 which got great reviews. And his most recent, 00:19:33.900 --> 00:19:37.319 Lifted, came out in 2022. But maybe, maybe the 00:19:37.319 --> 00:19:39.759 most compelling proof of his universal appeal, 00:19:40.059 --> 00:19:43.240 his musical adaptability, is looking at the sheer 00:19:43.240 --> 00:19:46.039 variety of artists he's appeared with as a sideman. 00:19:47.059 --> 00:19:49.750 When you go through this list we compiled, It's 00:19:49.750 --> 00:19:52.069 kind of mind blowing. You realize that almost 00:19:52.069 --> 00:19:55.210 every single musical genre seems to want a piece 00:19:55.210 --> 00:19:58.109 of that New Orleans brass energy. It's an absolutely 00:19:58.109 --> 00:20:00.970 unprecedented list of genre hopping, really. 00:20:01.069 --> 00:20:02.950 I mean, start with the legends, the foundations. 00:20:03.309 --> 00:20:06.509 He recorded with the iconic Dr. John on that 00:20:06.509 --> 00:20:08.609 song down in New Orleans, which was nominated 00:20:08.609 --> 00:20:11.309 for an Academy Award from the Disney movie. Right. 00:20:11.410 --> 00:20:13.869 The Princess and the Frog. Exactly. He's appeared 00:20:13.869 --> 00:20:16.069 on albums by other New Orleans powerhouses like 00:20:16.069 --> 00:20:18.549 the funk band Galactic and then, you know, rock 00:20:18.549 --> 00:20:21.069 royalty like Eric Clapton. He's played on Clapton's 00:20:21.069 --> 00:20:22.630 records. But the ones that really make you do 00:20:22.630 --> 00:20:25.130 a double take are the unexpected genre crossovers. 00:20:25.130 --> 00:20:27.809 They're just fantastic. Aren't they? Like, who 00:20:27.809 --> 00:20:30.150 would necessarily predict Trombone Shorty recording 00:20:30.150 --> 00:20:32.829 with the massive country act Zac Brown Band? 00:20:33.130 --> 00:20:36.069 He's on their track overnight. Wow. And also 00:20:36.069 --> 00:20:38.650 with another huge country star, Dierks Bentley, 00:20:38.910 --> 00:20:42.380 on a song appropriately titled Mardi Gras. OK, 00:20:42.460 --> 00:20:45.299 so that shows that brass band energy, that sound. 00:20:45.420 --> 00:20:47.940 It's now become an accepted, even sought after 00:20:47.940 --> 00:20:50.160 element in mainstream country music, too. Seems 00:20:50.160 --> 00:20:53.359 like it. And just to cover all bases for the 00:20:53.359 --> 00:20:55.599 holiday season, he even popped up on Rod Stewart's 00:20:55.599 --> 00:20:57.299 Christmas album, Merry Christmas Baby, back in 00:20:57.299 --> 00:21:01.619 2012. Rod Stewart, too. But if there was one 00:21:01.619 --> 00:21:04.240 collaboration that really placed him right at 00:21:04.240 --> 00:21:06.160 the cutting edge of contemporary pop production, 00:21:06.380 --> 00:21:10.650 fusing old and new. It probably had to be his 00:21:10.650 --> 00:21:13.690 work with Mark Ronson. Ah, right. On Ronson's 00:21:13.690 --> 00:21:16.809 huge 2015 album Uptown Special, specifically 00:21:16.809 --> 00:21:19.950 on that big single Feel Right, which featured 00:21:19.950 --> 00:21:22.490 the rapper Mystical. Exactly. Mark Ronson is, 00:21:22.509 --> 00:21:24.490 you know, a master synthesis himself. He takes 00:21:24.490 --> 00:21:26.950 classic funk soul R &B sounds and gives them 00:21:26.950 --> 00:21:29.529 this incredibly polished modern. pop finish. 00:21:29.730 --> 00:21:32.269 And Shorty's horn playing on Feel Right was absolutely 00:21:32.269 --> 00:21:34.569 essential to that track. It provided the grit, 00:21:34.630 --> 00:21:36.529 the power, the necessary New Orleans authenticity 00:21:36.529 --> 00:21:38.950 to ground all that modern production. It makes 00:21:38.950 --> 00:21:41.869 perfect sense. And then, just to bring it completely 00:21:41.869 --> 00:21:44.769 full circle, back to the absolute highest tier 00:21:44.769 --> 00:21:47.809 of rock and roll royalty. The sources note his 00:21:47.809 --> 00:21:51.069 collaboration in 2021 with Ringo Starr. On Ringo's 00:21:51.069 --> 00:21:54.329 EP, Change the World. Ringo Starr. So, think 00:21:54.329 --> 00:21:56.930 about that arc. From being pulled on stage by 00:21:56.930 --> 00:21:59.730 Bo Diddley as a kid to collaborating with a Beatle 00:21:59.730 --> 00:22:02.170 decades later. Yeah. And hitting pretty much 00:22:02.170 --> 00:22:06.250 every major genre, rock, pop, funk, country, 00:22:06.390 --> 00:22:09.910 jazz, R &B along the way. That is just a masterclass 00:22:09.910 --> 00:22:12.549 in musical versatility and appeal. Okay, so moving 00:22:12.549 --> 00:22:14.970 beyond the studio recordings, the albums, the 00:22:14.970 --> 00:22:18.109 tours, the sources also really detail these moments 00:22:18.109 --> 00:22:20.390 where Trombone Shorty kind of transcends just 00:22:20.390 --> 00:22:22.779 being a musician. where he becomes this recognized 00:22:22.779 --> 00:22:25.680 national cultural figure, an ambassador, really. 00:22:25.759 --> 00:22:27.559 These are those high -profile performances, the 00:22:27.559 --> 00:22:29.799 accolades that show the sheer breadth of his 00:22:29.799 --> 00:22:31.920 reach. Yeah, and the frequency of his appearances 00:22:31.920 --> 00:22:34.720 at, say, the White House alone is pretty remarkable. 00:22:34.900 --> 00:22:36.920 He played there multiple times. Multiple times, 00:22:37.039 --> 00:22:39.579 just in 2015 for President Barack Obama, including 00:22:39.579 --> 00:22:41.900 one performance of his track Fia on the Bayou 00:22:41.900 --> 00:22:44.160 alongside Usher and Queen Latifah. Wow, quite 00:22:44.160 --> 00:22:46.480 a lineup. Right. And he wasn't just there to 00:22:46.480 --> 00:22:50.279 perform music. He also participated in a special 00:22:50.279 --> 00:22:52.380 educational program with First Lady Michelle 00:22:52.380 --> 00:22:55.160 Obama back in 2012, right there at the White 00:22:55.160 --> 00:22:57.539 House, which highlights his commitment to youth 00:22:57.539 --> 00:22:59.960 outreach was already happening even then. And 00:22:59.960 --> 00:23:01.539 the sources mentioned he was back again more 00:23:01.539 --> 00:23:03.779 recently. They confirmed he continued that role 00:23:03.779 --> 00:23:05.579 with another White House performance noted in 00:23:05.579 --> 00:23:08.759 2024 as well. So these weren't just gigs, right? 00:23:08.900 --> 00:23:12.359 These feel more like acts of cultural diplomacy, 00:23:12.400 --> 00:23:16.059 almost showcasing the vitality, the importance 00:23:16.059 --> 00:23:18.480 of New Orleans music at the nation's highest 00:23:18.480 --> 00:23:21.140 level. Exactly. Cultural affirmation is a good 00:23:21.140 --> 00:23:23.819 way to put it. And his status crossed over into 00:23:23.819 --> 00:23:26.000 the sports world, too, in a big way. Right. He 00:23:26.000 --> 00:23:28.140 performed the national anthem before an NFL playoff 00:23:28.140 --> 00:23:31.059 game in 2012. Yep. But maybe the even bigger 00:23:31.059 --> 00:23:34.019 spotlight came during the Grammy Awards ceremony 00:23:34.019 --> 00:23:37.359 itself. OK. What happened there? At the 56th 00:23:37.359 --> 00:23:39.920 Annual Grammy Awards in 2014, he was part of 00:23:39.920 --> 00:23:41.839 this massive, really talked about performance. 00:23:42.059 --> 00:23:44.680 He shared the stage with an incredible, diverse 00:23:44.680 --> 00:23:47.759 group. Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, Madonna and 00:23:47.759 --> 00:23:50.019 Queen Latifah. They performed a version of the 00:23:50.019 --> 00:23:52.210 song Same Love. I remember that performance. 00:23:52.390 --> 00:23:55.690 It was a huge cultural moment. It was. And having 00:23:55.690 --> 00:23:57.990 Trombone Shorty right there playing on that song, 00:23:58.069 --> 00:24:00.609 it put him squarely into the international pop 00:24:00.609 --> 00:24:03.670 consciousness, far beyond just the jazz or funk 00:24:03.670 --> 00:24:05.789 charts. And he also proved his skills weren't 00:24:05.789 --> 00:24:07.990 just as a player, but as a leader, a curator, 00:24:08.049 --> 00:24:10.509 too. That's right. He served as the actual music 00:24:10.509 --> 00:24:13.990 director and the primary performer for the halftime 00:24:13.990 --> 00:24:17.559 show of the 2014 NBA All -Star Game. which happened 00:24:17.559 --> 00:24:19.339 to be held in New Orleans that year. Perfect 00:24:19.339 --> 00:24:22.660 timing. Perfect timing. And it was clearly his 00:24:22.660 --> 00:24:25.400 opportunity to really curate this showcase of 00:24:25.400 --> 00:24:28.079 the city's musical heritage and power. He brought 00:24:28.079 --> 00:24:30.920 together absolute legends like Dr. John, contemporary 00:24:30.920 --> 00:24:33.740 stars like Janelle Monae and Gary Clark Jr., 00:24:33.740 --> 00:24:36.380 and the iconic funk band Birth, Wind & Fire. 00:24:36.640 --> 00:24:38.720 Wow. That's like a dream team of New Orleans 00:24:38.720 --> 00:24:40.920 and related sounds. Right. He was effectively 00:24:40.920 --> 00:24:43.720 acting as the city's cultural emissary on one 00:24:43.720 --> 00:24:45.420 of the biggest stages in sports entertainment. 00:24:45.789 --> 00:24:49.009 And his acceptance, his embrace by the rock community, 00:24:49.190 --> 00:24:51.210 that continued to grow, too, especially after 00:24:51.210 --> 00:24:53.950 that HBO series Sonic Highways came out in 2014, 00:24:54.170 --> 00:24:56.809 where Dave Grohl interviewed him. Yeah, Dave 00:24:56.809 --> 00:24:59.289 Grohl, obviously a huge figure in rock music 00:24:59.289 --> 00:25:02.150 with the Foo Fighters. He clearly recognized 00:25:02.150 --> 00:25:04.829 the deep authenticity, the power in Shorty's 00:25:04.829 --> 00:25:07.250 music and story. And that led to them playing 00:25:07.250 --> 00:25:10.369 together. It did. Following that interview, Grohl 00:25:10.369 --> 00:25:12.490 invited Shorty to sit in with the Foo Fighters 00:25:12.490 --> 00:25:15.630 during this surprise, unannounced gig they played 00:25:15.630 --> 00:25:18.369 at the legendary Tiny Preservation Hall in the 00:25:18.369 --> 00:25:20.569 French Quarter. Wow, that must have been intense. 00:25:20.890 --> 00:25:23.619 Can you imagine? And apparently that collaboration 00:25:23.619 --> 00:25:26.740 clicked so well that it blossomed into multiple 00:25:26.740 --> 00:25:29.319 subsequent appearances. Shorty started sitting 00:25:29.319 --> 00:25:31.180 in with the Foo Fighters at their huge arena 00:25:31.180 --> 00:25:33.119 shows, too. It's this incredible validation, 00:25:33.380 --> 00:25:36.240 right? His sound being embraced not just in the 00:25:36.240 --> 00:25:38.740 funk or jazz world, but at the absolute highest 00:25:38.740 --> 00:25:41.140 level of modern rock. And just looking at his 00:25:41.140 --> 00:25:43.220 touring schedule again, his appeal to really 00:25:43.220 --> 00:25:46.160 diverse fan bases is so clear. He consistently 00:25:46.160 --> 00:25:49.299 lands these opening slots for massive, often 00:25:49.299 --> 00:25:53.180 legacy acts. Exactly. Like he was the main opener 00:25:53.180 --> 00:25:55.480 for Hall & Oates on their tour in 2016. Okay, 00:25:55.519 --> 00:25:58.279 classic pop rock crowd. Right. And then just 00:25:58.279 --> 00:26:01.000 a year later, he secured the entire North American 00:26:01.000 --> 00:26:03.779 leg opening for the Red Hot Chili Peppers on 00:26:03.779 --> 00:26:06.819 their 2017 Getaway World Tour. Huge funk rock 00:26:06.819 --> 00:26:09.920 band. Exactly. So it just cements his position 00:26:09.920 --> 00:26:14.220 as this bridge. Fans of, you know, 70s Philly 00:26:14.220 --> 00:26:17.480 soul pop and fans of 90s California funk rock. 00:26:18.319 --> 00:26:20.980 They both recognize and appreciate the energy, 00:26:21.099 --> 00:26:23.599 the musicianship, the quality that he brings 00:26:23.599 --> 00:26:25.799 from that deep New Orleans tradition. It's remarkable 00:26:25.799 --> 00:26:28.539 reach. And beyond just the performances, he started 00:26:28.539 --> 00:26:31.039 receiving really significant formal recognition, 00:26:31.259 --> 00:26:33.700 not just for his music, but specifically for 00:26:33.700 --> 00:26:35.579 his work in the community, too. Yeah, the awards 00:26:35.579 --> 00:26:38.119 he's received are quite significant. Back in 00:26:38.119 --> 00:26:41.220 2012, Tulane University gave him their President's 00:26:41.220 --> 00:26:44.000 Medal. And that honor was specifically tied to 00:26:44.000 --> 00:26:46.390 his community service work. his philanthropic 00:26:46.390 --> 00:26:48.470 efforts even then. Okay. But the really major 00:26:48.470 --> 00:26:50.869 one, financially and prestigiously, came a few 00:26:50.869 --> 00:26:53.369 years later. That would be the 21st Annual Heinz 00:26:53.369 --> 00:26:55.289 Award, which he won in the Arts and Humanities 00:26:55.289 --> 00:26:58.210 category in 2016. And that's a big deal. Huge 00:26:58.210 --> 00:27:01.069 deal. That award comes with a hefty prize valued 00:27:01.069 --> 00:27:04.509 at $250 ,000. And the citation, the reason they 00:27:04.509 --> 00:27:07.250 gave it to him, was very specific. It recognized 00:27:07.250 --> 00:27:09.349 him for his outstanding achievements as a musician 00:27:09.349 --> 00:27:11.710 and for his dedicated work in the community to 00:27:11.710 --> 00:27:14.529 preserve and pass on the rich musical heritage 00:27:14.529 --> 00:27:16.279 of... New Orleans to younger generations. So 00:27:16.279 --> 00:27:19.019 it explicitly acknowledged that dual track of 00:27:19.019 --> 00:27:22.019 his career. Exactly. Artistic excellence fueled 00:27:22.019 --> 00:27:25.200 by and feeding back into community commitment. 00:27:25.640 --> 00:27:27.299 Which is really the theme we keep seeing. He 00:27:27.299 --> 00:27:30.440 also picked up a blues music award in 2018, specifically 00:27:30.440 --> 00:27:34.160 in the blues instrumentalist horn category, which 00:27:34.160 --> 00:27:36.779 again shows that cross -genre respect. And then 00:27:36.779 --> 00:27:39.359 finally in 2022, he received his first actual 00:27:39.359 --> 00:27:42.200 Grammy award. But interestingly, not as the main 00:27:42.200 --> 00:27:44.259 artist or for one of his own albums. That's right. 00:27:44.380 --> 00:27:46.799 He won his first Grammy as a featured artist 00:27:46.799 --> 00:27:50.099 on an album by his old NOCCA classmate, John 00:27:50.099 --> 00:27:53.319 Batiste. Ah. On Batiste's album, We Are, which 00:27:53.319 --> 00:27:55.569 famously went on to win the overall. album of 00:27:55.569 --> 00:27:57.650 the year Grammy that year. Wow, what a connection. 00:27:57.890 --> 00:28:00.609 Isn't it? It feels like this wonderful full circle 00:28:00.609 --> 00:28:03.069 moment of success, connecting him right back 00:28:03.069 --> 00:28:05.470 to the roots of his own musical education at 00:28:05.470 --> 00:28:08.990 NOCCA and showing how he continues to be part 00:28:08.990 --> 00:28:13.009 of and support this rising tide of incredible 00:28:13.009 --> 00:28:16.140 New Orleans talent hitting the world stage. And 00:28:16.140 --> 00:28:17.900 that connection back to the community, that's 00:28:17.900 --> 00:28:19.960 really where we want to pivot next, because it 00:28:19.960 --> 00:28:22.279 feels like maybe the most critical element of 00:28:22.279 --> 00:28:25.240 this whole deep dive. When you say Shorty didn't 00:28:25.240 --> 00:28:27.240 just take the tradition and run with it globally. 00:28:27.359 --> 00:28:30.799 He actively built pipelines, institutions to 00:28:30.799 --> 00:28:32.819 make sure that tradition survives and actually 00:28:32.819 --> 00:28:35.880 thrives back home. Yes, absolutely. This is where 00:28:35.880 --> 00:28:38.279 his legacy really starts to mature beyond just 00:28:38.279 --> 00:28:40.980 his own performance career. He clearly understood. 00:28:41.519 --> 00:28:43.059 probably from his own upbringing, that while 00:28:43.059 --> 00:28:45.140 he might have had access to instruments, mentorship 00:28:45.140 --> 00:28:48.480 through his amazing family, many other talented 00:28:48.480 --> 00:28:51.220 young musicians in New Orleans face really significant 00:28:51.220 --> 00:28:53.960 barriers, especially just getting their hands 00:28:53.960 --> 00:28:55.900 on quality instruments. Okay, so tell us about 00:28:55.900 --> 00:28:57.619 the Horns for Schools project. That sounds like 00:28:57.619 --> 00:29:00.140 a very direct, very practical way to tackle that 00:29:00.140 --> 00:29:02.339 specific problem. It was. It was established 00:29:02.339 --> 00:29:05.480 in collaboration with the mayor of New Orleans 00:29:05.480 --> 00:29:08.700 at the time, Mitch Landrieu. And the project's 00:29:08.700 --> 00:29:11.380 focus... exactly what it sounds like providing 00:29:11.380 --> 00:29:14.460 quality musical instruments horns specifically 00:29:14.460 --> 00:29:17.059 directly to schools and individual students across 00:29:17.059 --> 00:29:19.779 new orleans and shorty himself was involved oh 00:29:19.779 --> 00:29:21.700 yeah he personally donated instruments to get 00:29:21.700 --> 00:29:24.519 it started it addresses this very physical tangible 00:29:24.519 --> 00:29:26.839 need i mean you can't really join the brass band 00:29:26.839 --> 00:29:29.339 tradition you can't learn if you don't have a 00:29:29.339 --> 00:29:31.960 decent working instrument so this program helps 00:29:31.960 --> 00:29:33.839 ensure that young people with talent actually 00:29:33.839 --> 00:29:36.299 have the basic tools they need to even participate 00:29:36.299 --> 00:29:40.299 that's fantastic but his commitment pretty quickly 00:29:40.299 --> 00:29:43.119 went beyond just, you know, donating equipment, 00:29:43.400 --> 00:29:45.259 right? He moved towards establishing something 00:29:45.259 --> 00:29:48.119 more formal, more enduring, an actual educational 00:29:48.119 --> 00:29:51.099 infrastructure, the Trombone Shorty Foundation. 00:29:51.539 --> 00:29:53.480 Right, the foundation. That's the real long -term 00:29:53.480 --> 00:29:55.640 legacy play here. It was established, and then 00:29:55.640 --> 00:29:58.420 in December 2012, it formed this really key partnership 00:29:58.420 --> 00:30:00.880 with Tulane University. Okay, a major university. 00:30:01.339 --> 00:30:03.720 Exactly. They partnered to create an after -school 00:30:03.720 --> 00:30:07.059 academy. The focus is specifically on mentoring 00:30:07.059 --> 00:30:09.240 high school musicians from the New Orleans area. 00:30:09.579 --> 00:30:11.920 Why is that partnership with Tulane significant? 00:30:12.359 --> 00:30:14.799 Well, it brings together the best of both worlds, 00:30:14.839 --> 00:30:17.039 really. You get the structure, the resources, 00:30:17.200 --> 00:30:19.420 the academic credibility of a major university 00:30:19.420 --> 00:30:23.720 like Tulane, but you combine that with the street 00:30:23.720 --> 00:30:25.920 -level, real -world expertise and mentorship 00:30:25.920 --> 00:30:28.819 provided by Trombone Shorty himself and other 00:30:28.819 --> 00:30:30.799 professional New Orleans musicians he brings 00:30:30.799 --> 00:30:34.039 in. So what exactly does the academy teach? Is 00:30:34.039 --> 00:30:36.470 it just about playing better? No, it's designed 00:30:36.470 --> 00:30:38.410 to be much more comprehensive than just performance 00:30:38.410 --> 00:30:40.710 chops. While high -level musical instruction 00:30:40.710 --> 00:30:43.690 is definitely a core part, it also explicitly 00:30:43.690 --> 00:30:46.509 teaches students about the realities of the music 00:30:46.509 --> 00:30:49.289 business. Things like entrepreneurial skills, 00:30:49.549 --> 00:30:52.470 branding, navigating contracts, performance techniques 00:30:52.470 --> 00:30:54.990 needed to succeed in the modern music industry, 00:30:55.109 --> 00:30:57.230 not just the local scene. So it's trying to pass 00:30:57.230 --> 00:30:59.579 on the whole package. Exactly. It's an effort 00:30:59.579 --> 00:31:02.299 to transfer not only that traditional musical 00:31:02.299 --> 00:31:05.299 language of Treme in New Orleans, but also the 00:31:05.299 --> 00:31:07.880 practical knowledge of how to build and sustain 00:31:07.880 --> 00:31:11.220 a professional, maybe even global, career, just 00:31:11.220 --> 00:31:13.960 like Shorty himself managed to do. And his philanthropic 00:31:13.960 --> 00:31:16.039 work, it wasn't only focused within the city 00:31:16.039 --> 00:31:19.289 limits or just on music education, was it? No, 00:31:19.369 --> 00:31:22.369 absolutely not. Back in 2010, for instance, showing 00:31:22.369 --> 00:31:25.190 his broader civic engagement, he actually curated 00:31:25.190 --> 00:31:28.329 this two -night benefit concert series. It was 00:31:28.329 --> 00:31:30.750 called Red Hot Plus New Orleans, and it took 00:31:30.750 --> 00:31:33.170 place up at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Bam. 00:31:33.490 --> 00:31:36.309 Okay. And the benefit was for? All the proceeds 00:31:36.309 --> 00:31:38.569 were dedicated to raising money for the No AIDS 00:31:38.569 --> 00:31:41.490 Task Force in New Orleans. So it shows his commitment 00:31:41.490 --> 00:31:43.650 extended to, you know, general public health 00:31:43.650 --> 00:31:46.140 and welfare issues facing the city, too. Finally, 00:31:46.160 --> 00:31:47.920 we should probably touch on how he's also, in 00:31:47.920 --> 00:31:50.380 a way, immortalized his own story and the culture 00:31:50.380 --> 00:31:53.019 of Treme for the next generation through writing 00:31:53.019 --> 00:31:55.240 children's books. Yeah, that's such a wonderful, 00:31:55.380 --> 00:31:57.880 almost final step in his role as a cultural ambassador. 00:31:58.220 --> 00:32:00.660 His autobiography, written specifically for young 00:32:00.660 --> 00:32:03.420 readers, came out in 2015. It's just called Trombone 00:32:03.420 --> 00:32:06.259 Shorty. And it was successful. Hugely successful. 00:32:06.440 --> 00:32:08.799 Not just for the story itself, but also for the 00:32:08.799 --> 00:32:11.259 incredible artwork. The book was illustrated 00:32:11.259 --> 00:32:14.400 by Brian Collier, a renowned illustrator. And 00:32:14.400 --> 00:32:17.359 it was named a 2016 Caldecott Honor Book, which 00:32:17.359 --> 00:32:19.480 is a huge deal in children's literature. Wow. 00:32:19.619 --> 00:32:22.079 And it also won the Coretta Scott King Award 00:32:22.079 --> 00:32:24.660 for the illustrator, recognizing the cultural 00:32:24.660 --> 00:32:27.480 significance and artistic excellence of Collier's 00:32:27.480 --> 00:32:30.299 visuals, depicting Shorty's childhood and the 00:32:30.299 --> 00:32:32.299 Teressa's environment. And he wrote another one 00:32:32.299 --> 00:32:34.779 after that? Yep, he followed up with Five O 'Clock 00:32:34.779 --> 00:32:38.420 Band in 2018. So these books, they ensure that 00:32:38.420 --> 00:32:40.759 the story of New Orleans music, that early start, 00:32:40.900 --> 00:32:43.640 the importance of community, the joy of the second 00:32:43.640 --> 00:32:46.720 line, is accessible and engaging for kids all 00:32:46.720 --> 00:32:49.559 over the country, influencing them. Potentially 00:32:49.559 --> 00:32:51.759 long before they ever even think about picking 00:32:51.759 --> 00:32:53.880 up an instrument themselves. Well, we have covered 00:32:53.880 --> 00:32:56.900 a ton of ground in this deep dive into Troy Trombone 00:32:56.900 --> 00:32:59.220 Shorty Andrews. We've really traced his journey, 00:32:59.279 --> 00:33:01.680 haven't we? All the way from those deep roots 00:33:01.680 --> 00:33:05.220 in the Treme musical dynasty through the early 00:33:05.220 --> 00:33:08.130 tragedy. The intense mentorship he received, 00:33:08.349 --> 00:33:11.049 leading up to these massive global collaborations, 00:33:11.230 --> 00:33:13.829 performing at the White House, and then crucially, 00:33:13.890 --> 00:33:17.190 institutionalizing his legacy through the Trombone 00:33:17.190 --> 00:33:19.309 Shorty Foundation. Yeah, and I think the analysis, 00:33:19.430 --> 00:33:21.670 when you lay it all out like this, it really 00:33:21.670 --> 00:33:24.069 shows that Trombone Shorty's journey is, in many 00:33:24.069 --> 00:33:26.589 ways, kind of the ultimate blueprint for the 00:33:26.589 --> 00:33:28.210 modern artist who comes from a strong tradition. 00:33:28.410 --> 00:33:31.569 Oh, so. Well, he took this. Singular, incredibly 00:33:31.569 --> 00:33:34.130 deep -rooted tradition, the brass band music 00:33:34.130 --> 00:33:36.609 of Treme, the sound of New Orleans, and he used 00:33:36.609 --> 00:33:39.549 its power, its authenticity as this genuine launchpad 00:33:39.549 --> 00:33:43.549 for massive global multi -genre success. Right. 00:33:43.690 --> 00:33:46.450 But the key is he succeeded precisely because 00:33:46.450 --> 00:33:48.630 he never abandoned those roots. If anything, 00:33:48.849 --> 00:33:50.789 he actively worked to strengthen them through 00:33:50.789 --> 00:33:52.529 education, through philanthropy, giving back 00:33:52.529 --> 00:33:55.329 constantly. He really is a living bridge. That's 00:33:55.329 --> 00:33:57.890 a great way to put it. An indispensable cultural 00:33:57.890 --> 00:34:02.279 bridge builder. connecting the history of jazz, 00:34:02.680 --> 00:34:07.559 funk, brass bands, directly to modern rock, pop, 00:34:07.839 --> 00:34:10.599 and also to this really significant philanthropic 00:34:10.599 --> 00:34:14.159 mission. His whole career feels like a masterclass 00:34:14.159 --> 00:34:16.780 in how you can fuse traditions together without 00:34:16.780 --> 00:34:19.440 ever losing or compromising their essential core 00:34:19.440 --> 00:34:21.739 integrity. I think that fusion and integrity, 00:34:21.960 --> 00:34:24.480 that's ultimately why his appeal is so broad, 00:34:24.639 --> 00:34:26.940 why he connects with people across so many different 00:34:26.940 --> 00:34:29.650 genres and generations. So thinking about all 00:34:29.650 --> 00:34:31.409 this, what does it mean for you, our listener, 00:34:31.590 --> 00:34:33.949 as you maybe go back and listen to his music 00:34:33.949 --> 00:34:36.489 after this? We've detailed this just incredible 00:34:36.489 --> 00:34:38.590 volume of collaborations he's been part of, spanning 00:34:38.590 --> 00:34:41.030 absolute legends from Bo Diddley and Dr. John 00:34:41.030 --> 00:34:43.469 all the way to U2, Mystical, Ringo Starr. An 00:34:43.469 --> 00:34:46.130 unbelievable list. Right. When you consider that 00:34:46.130 --> 00:34:48.190 enormous range covering pretty much every musical 00:34:48.190 --> 00:34:50.469 style imaginable over the last five, six decades, 00:34:50.710 --> 00:34:53.409 it does raise a kind of final provocative thought 00:34:53.409 --> 00:34:56.230 for you to ponder. What is it? What is that fundamental, 00:34:56.489 --> 00:35:00.619 maybe universal? quality that's inherent in New 00:35:00.619 --> 00:35:03.199 Orleans music, you know, that unique gumbo of 00:35:03.199 --> 00:35:06.500 rhythm, improvisation, history, and that deep 00:35:06.500 --> 00:35:09.880 communal joy. What is it about that sound that 00:35:09.880 --> 00:35:11.900 makes it such an essential ingredient, such a 00:35:11.900 --> 00:35:14.500 desirable component for artists across seemingly 00:35:14.500 --> 00:35:17.139 every genre and every decade? That's the magic 00:35:17.139 --> 00:35:19.840 question. It is. So we encourage you, go listen 00:35:19.840 --> 00:35:22.199 to Trombone Shorty's discography, listen to his 00:35:22.199 --> 00:35:24.460 collaborations, trace those connections we've 00:35:24.460 --> 00:35:26.099 talked about, and maybe discover the answer for 00:35:26.099 --> 00:35:28.039 yourself. Thank you for joining us for the deep 00:35:28.039 --> 00:35:29.239 dive until next time.