TROMBONE SHORTY “BACKATOWN” Review

TROMBONE SHORTY “BACKATOWN”
By Rick Zeigler

Backatown creates a dilemma for any record store owner (or record store shopper)—where to file it? Equal parts New Orleans jazz, southern marching bands(!), soul, r & b, hip-hop, and rock, this is a release that defies easy characterization. Trombone Shorty (aka Troy Andrews) himself, defies such characterization, as he has led bands in New Orleans since the age of six, but has also played with Lenny Kravitz, Green Day, U2, and the Meters, to name just a few. Infused with loops and samples, but also firmly within the New Orleans tradition (including an appearance by the legendary Allen Toussaint on his own “On Your Way Down”), Backatown is a hip-swinging, varied treat from start to finish. Opener “Hurricane Season” starts things off with its funky jazz stylings punctuated by a stripped down middle in which Shorty takes a beautiful trumpet solo. “Something Beautiful” (with guest guitar from Lenny Kravitz) would sound perfectly placed on a classic Gladys Knight album, while the title cut is a funky trombone showcase. “Suburbia” juxtaposes heavy metal guitar riffs with rapid-fire New Orleans style hornplay, while “One Night Only” is smooth soul of the highest order. If there is one complaint, it is that the songs are too short (the longest being just under four minutes), which limits the degree to which Shorty can show off his outstanding chops.  With an album this original and varied (and outstandingly produced by Galactic’s Ben Elman), however, this is a minor quibble. With his good looks and vocal abilities, Shorty seems poised for stardom (he’s also a regular on the HBO series Treme). Backatown is the evidence that he is deserving of whatever accolades come his way.

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