Trombone Shorty & The New Breed

Biography

Troy 'Trombone Shorty' Andrews, born January 2, 1986, in New Orleans' Tremé neighborhood, began performing music at age four, earning his nickname because he was shorter than his trombone; he debuted onstage with Bo Diddley that year and played with an adult band at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival the following year. By age six, he led his own group, the Tiny Toones Brass Band, performing for tips in Jackson Square, and as a teenager, he joined the Stooges Brass Band while studying at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA), where he honed his skills in trombone, trumpet, and more.

After graduating high school in 2005, Andrews joined Lenny Kravitz's band for the Electric Church World Tour, gaining high-profile experience and building his reputation amid Hurricane Katrina's aftermath, which elevated him as a New Orleans ambassador. He formed Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue around age 19, blending New Orleans brass band traditions, jazz funk, second-line rhythms, rock, hip-hop, and R&B; key albums include Backatown (2010), For True (2011), Say That To Say This (2013), and Parking Lot Symphony (2017), which topped the Billboard Jazz chart. His style reveres tradition while innovating, as seen in collaborations like re-recording The Meters' 'Be My Lady' with its original members.

Andrews' legacy includes the Trombone Shorty Foundation (est. 2011), providing instruments, the Trombone Shorty Music Academy, and Shorty Fest to nurture young musicians, alongside partnerships like the Fredman Music Business Institute with Tulane University. He has released eight albums, earned a Heinz Award in Arts and Humanities, and remains a leading figure in modern New Orleans music.

Fun Facts

• Earned his 'Trombone Shorty' nickname at age four because he was shorter than the instrument he mastered immediately.
• Family opened a Tremé nightclub named Trombone Shorty’s, where he performed briefly as a child despite age limits.
• Played all instruments except bass on 'Shortyville' from Say That To Say This (2013).
• Post-Katrina, secured a Verve Forecast deal at age 24, a major label milestone.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• James Andrews - older brother and early trombone teacher (family performances and street music) [childhood]
• Fred Wesley - significant trombone influence from James Brown era (inspirational style) [early teens]
• Tuba Fats (Anthony 'Tuba Fats' Lacen) - neighborhood mentor in Tremé (street performances) [childhood]
• Cyril Neville - local music scene inspiration (club jams) [childhood]
• Rebirth Brass Band - stylistic influence on funk-infused brass (early sound development) [teens]
• NOCCA Teachers - formal education building on street learning (trombone and foundational NOLA sound) [high school]

Key Collaborators

• Lenny Kravitz - horn section member and later vocal mentorship (Electric Church World Tour) [2005 onward]
• The Meters - guest appearance on re-recording ('Be My Lady' on Say That To Say This (2013)) [2013]
• Bo Diddley - debut onstage performance (New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival) [1986 (age 4)]
• Orleans Avenue band members - handpicked core band (all major albums including Backatown (2010), For True (2011)) [2005-present]
• NOCCA Classmates - fellow students on recordings (second album) [post-NOCCA]

Artists Influenced

• Trombone Shorty Music Academy Students - proteges via custom curriculum and instruments (foundation programs) [2011-present]
• Shorty Fest Participants - young grade-school musicians inspired and featured (annual festival) [2010s-present]

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia