CHECK IT OUT: TROMBONE SHORTY

I talked about Trombone Shorty's Backatown a few weeks ago on The Morning Jolt with Larry Flick, but I haven't really had the chance to write about it here.  Trombone Shorty is so named because he iis a kazoo virtuoso.  Ha ha.  But really, besides playing the 'bone, he also also plays trumpet, keyboards and drums, as well as sings.  He reminds me a bit of Robert Randolph (a sacred steel guitar prodigy), in that he plays very rootsy music and specializes in an instrument that isn't often used in pop or rock music. To me, his music sounds influenced by New Orleans hot jazz (he's from there) and also marching band music. But the guitar (played by Pete Murano) is pretty hard rock influenced... all and all the thing has a pretty distinct sound. 

"Hurricane Season" leads off with a very drumline/hip-hop kind of thing, I can see that being an anthem at high school and college sports events. It's instrumental besides a bunch of "HEY!"s.  Shorty (aka Troy Andrews) wrote or co-wrote the entire album, except "On Your Way Down," which is by New Orleans legend Allen Toussaint (who plays piano on the song as well). But the whole thing swings and is very funky and doesn't sound like anything else out there today.  There aren't that many artists with too distinct of a sound these days, but Shorty has got his own thing going.  I definitely recommend this if you're looking for something different and you're in the mood for some New Orleans music.