NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) – We’ve seen him play since he was a small child, and today he’s New Orleans’ premiere music ambassador, playing shows from the White House to stages around the world. But for this bona fide superstar, Trombone Shorty, none of this would be possible without the influences of his neighborhood, Treme.
“What’s important to me about the Treme is the musical history we have here,” Shorty said. “From the Dirty Dozen Brass Band being created here, Rebirth, of course Kermit Ruffins came through my family.”
“As a young musician, it was always great for me because I had all these great teachers and people who were willing to pass on information,” Shorty added. “One of my biggest influences is Lenny Kravitz, Stevie Wonder. I’ve always tried to listen to different things.”
He’s the grandson of New Orleans later R&B great Jessie Hill, but he counts his brother James as possibly having the greatest effect on him.
“He’s been my biggest influence,” Shorty said. “Growing up as a kid, he kept me on his side. He had me traveling Europe when I was 7 years old, and the only thing I wanted to do was just be him. Even still today, I’m always watching videos, and checking out his gigs so I can steal some things –without James, I wouldn’t be who I am.”
Shorty’s musical influences extend far beyond just trombone players, “Well, with me being a musician, and being a lover of music, my influences come from different people. Jeff Beck on guitar, of course. One of my biggest influences is Lenny Kravitz, Stevie Wonder. I’ve always tried to listen to different things. Aerosmith, Nine Inch Nails, Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, things like that to try to not just listen to horn players. I always tried to have a different voice and do different things that I don’t hear the trumpets or the trombones in.”
Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue just completed 10 dates on the Lenny Kravitz European Tour. It was a fun run, but Shorty’s big interest these days is the Trombone Shorty Foundation. He see’s this as an opportunity to do for others what has been done for him, “Helping the kids, helping the community out and helping them keep the music of New Orleans alive. That’s the biggest thing for me.”
A number of folks were surprised a few years ago by the Trombone Shorty being named as the big stage closer at Jazzfest. We wondered would there ever come a time when he would be too big to close the fest?
“No, never!” Shorty said. “One of my goals was to play that. No matter what we play, what type of arena we play, that will always be the biggest show for me. To play at home and to have all of those people who have seen us in Europe, Asia, and Australia, to come to New Orleans to see what we have to offer, and see me in my hometown when they’ve seen me in their hometown is an amazing feeling and I also grew up wanting to do that.”