When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans 20 years ago, Troy Andrews was 19 years old, and already a seasoned professional musician who had toured with Lenny Kravitz.
Andrews, better known as Trombone Shorty, was planning on a short break enjoying home-cooked food and jamming with friends. Instead, when the storm came, he evacuated with other relatives and rented a place in Dallas, Texas. Texas, Andrews said, never became home because he was always on the road.
"I live on tour, so when I come back home, I want to be in New Orleans," he said in an interview with NPR's Michel Martin at his recording studio in the city's Garden District. "I want to be able to eat red beans and rice on a Monday night."
Raised in the historic neighborhood of Tremé, a center of Black and Creole life, Andrews grew up surrounded by brass bands and parades. His late mother Lois Andrews, a cultural icon in her own right, would often pull him out of school to join second line parades. It was through her that Andrews grew his deep connection to music, particularly the trombone.
On Aug. 29, Trombone Shorty is releasing Second Line Sunday, an album that is both a tribute to his mother and the rich tapestry of New Orleans' music culture.
"It just means that much more because we're celebrating the music that we thought that we would lose 20 years ago," Andrews explained.
Second Line Sunday is a collaboration with his cousins and nephews, who make up the Grammy-nominated New Breed Brass Band, many of whom Andrews has mentored over the years. The album's ten tracks capture the raucous, joyous sound of New Orleans streets, where moments festive and somber are celebrated with music and dance.
"Even at the funerals, we second-line," Andrews said. "We dance inside a funeral home. We celebrate life even in our saddest moments. We are very joyous people."
Andrews describes how, despite the sadness, the music always carries an undercurrent of joy. "It comes out through the music, but in a dancing way," he said. "If you're listening to solos and stuff, you can hear some stories being told in our souls. Some notes ... we might bend them a certain way that can be sad, but it's still on top of this happiness."
A track like "Under The Bridge" may not seem sad on the surface, but for Andrews and his band, it's a moment of collective excitement.
"When we get to the overpass, that's what we call a 'hyper part,' because everybody gets smooshed in together under the bridge. We get really excited musically. And we play louder because of the echo," he said. The song culminates in a bugle call, a signal for thousands of people to jump in the air in unison. "It's about creating that moment of all of us being close to one another."
The audio for this interview was produced by Lilly Quiroz, with digital production by Majd Al-Waheidi.
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