77th Annual readers Polll Trombone Trombone Shorty Evolving Naturally By Jennifer Odell // Photo by Ingrid Hertfelder When DownBeat sat down with Troy Andrews in September 2011 to discuss the impending release of his album For True (Verve Forecast), the trombonist was a little bleary-eyed. He and his band, Orleans Avenue, had been pulling long hours in daily rehearsals ahead of the tour’s kickoff at the New Orleans club Tipitina’s, working out how to translate the studio album to a live show. They were barely off the road from touring behind 2010’s Backatown (Verve Forecast) when For True hit stores. And it remained unclear whether their second major-label release would live up to the high expectations set by their first, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz chart—a position it did not give up for nine straight weeks. One year later, Andrews, better known as “Trombone Shorty,” was back in New Orleans for two days between dates in France and Colorado. Despite a still-grueling schedule, the 26-year-old bandleader sounded invigorated—and with good reason. Wide critical praise had followed the release of For True, which, like its predecessor, debuted at No. 1. The international tour that followed was a soaring success as well, and likely helped earn him the top trombonist spot in the DownBeat Readers Poll, an honor usually reserved for players twice his age. Plans for the next album were taking shape, too, complete with a new producer and a more focused creative process. So much for the sophomore slump. Speaking from his home in New Orleans, Shorty reflects on the difference a year of touring has made on his music. “It’s gotten much stronger,” he says. “We got comfortable with it. And it’s evolving naturally. Being able to tour and let the new ideas take over has been a fun process.” Later this fall, those ideas will have a chance to blossom in the studio under the guidance of Raphael Saadiq, a graduate of the early ’90s hip-hop and r&b scene who has since produced albums for The Roots, D’Angelo and Macy Gray. Given Saadiq’s ear, he’s poised to help Shorty experiment with new concepts without compromising his audible reverence for all things New Orleans. Praising Saadiq’s “retro” music taste and musicianship, Andrews adds that “he has a great musical knowledge and he knows what it takes to make hit records.” Most of the music on For True was created in spurts during rare moments of down-time and brief breaks from the barrage of tour dates, press engagements and TV appearances that defined Andrews’ life after Backatown was released in April 2010. This time, the process will be more concentrated. “We’ll have more time in the studio to do the full recording,” says Andrews. “We’re going to go to California and spend a month there and not play any shows, so we’ll get into a studio frame of mind.” Recently, his original musical ideas— which Andrews calls “sketches here and there”—have come out of time spent playing piano alone, and inspiration from his bandmates. But the past year has also afforded its share of inspirational moments. During a performance at the White House in February, Shorty shared a stage with B.B. King. While he was thrilled to meet President Obama and play with Mick Jagger, it’s clear that meeting his blues guitar hero trumped all. “[King] always sings with a lot of soul, and it’s very powerful,” Andrews marvels. “When I hit the stage, I approach it as if it’s the last time I ever will. What I get from B.B. is [the intensity of his] heart and soul—I mean, you can see it in his face. It’s what I’ve been trying to do my whole life.” Other recent collaborators have included Gov’t Mule singer/guitarist Warren Haynes and country-rock act the Zac Brown Band, which featured Andrews and members of his band on its July release, Uncaged (Southern Ground/Atlantic). Working in a variety of musical settings is a challenge Andrews relishes. It also illustrates to younger fans just how wide the range of artistic possibilities can be. “For some kids, being in the band or playing trombone can be … not so cool,” he admits. “But that’s because you’re not always playing music you like.” At home in the Crescent City, Andrews is doing what he can to ensure that no young musical talent goes to waste. His Horns For Schools program has distributed customized trumpets and trombones to students in four schools, and its board is investigating ways to broaden their efforts. “I’m happy I’ve had an impact on a younger generation,” he muses. “I hope I can inspire them to take what I’m doing and go beyond it.” DB 48 DOWNBEAT DECEMBER 2012
Trombone Shorty performing at Terminal 5 in New York City on Nov. 11, 2011