WILMINGTON — A taste of NOLA will take over Wilmington once again this August, as Trombone Shorty and the Orleans Avenue are headed back to town.
The band opened for Gov’t Mule at Live Oak Bank Pavilion last fall but will be headlining their own show at the Wilson Center Aug. 31. Tickets will go on sale Friday, May 27, 10 a.m. (in-person and telephone sales will open at 2 p.m.)
READ MORE: In Photos: Gov’t Mule and Trombone Shorty and Orleans Ave play Live Oak Bank Pavilion
Troy Andrews, better known by his stage name Trombone Shorty, got his start in the Treme neighborhood of New Orleans at the age of 4 and made his first appearance at his hometown’s famed Jazz Fest alongside Bo Diddley. By 6, the musician was leading his own brass band, and as a teenager he began touring with Lenny Kravitz as part of the Electric Church World Tour.
Since, he has joined performances with Jeff Beck, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Bruno Mars, Mark Ronson, Foo Fighters, Zac Brown, and Ringo Starr, as well as performed at top festivals from Coachella to Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo to Newport Jazz Festival.
Over the last 20 years, Trombone Shorty has released 12 albums — four chart toppers — with his latest, “Lifted” (Blue Note), combining funk, gospel, street rhythms, Mardi Gras Indian chants and second lines. Recorded at Shorty’s Buckjump Studio with producer Chris Seefried, it also includes collaborations with artists such as Gary Clark Jr. and Lauren Daigle.
“I think this is the closest we’ve ever gotten to bottling up the live show and putting it on a record,” Shorty said about his album, in a press release from the Wilson Center. “Normally, when I’m in the studio, I’m trying to make the cleanest thing I can, but this time around, I told everybody to really cut loose, to perform like they were onstage at a festival.”
He and his 11-piece band, Orleans Avenue, are now touring in its support.
The Wilson Center show is expected to be a full-capacity event and audiences will be required to adhere local and state guidelines concerning Covid at the time of the performance.
Have tips or comments? Email info@portcitydaily.com
Want to read more from our staff? Subscribe now and then sign up for the newsletter, Wilmington Wire, to get the headlines delivered to your inbox every morning.