(Conqueroo) Trombone Shorty's star continues to rise as he is honored with more local and national awards. The just-turned 25-year-old New Orleans singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist and all-around musical powerhouse was awarded five Best of the Beat Awards from New Orleans' OffBeat magazine. And Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews was named among NBC News' The Grio's 100: History Makers in the Making, a list of the top 100 African-American men and women who are writing the next chapter of American history.
At the Best of the Beat ceremony January 28 celebrating OffBeat's nominees, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue received the most awards of the night, winning Artist of the Year, Album of the Year for Backatown, Best R&B/Funk Artist, Best R&B/Funk Album for Backatown, and Best Trombonist. "On Backatown, Trombone Shorty has created an album that brings the New Orleans brass band and funk traditions up to date," says Alex Rawls, editor of OffBeat. "His roots are clearly in the Crescent City, but he has the chops, charisma and stage savvy to take his music to a much larger audience."
Backatown, the band's major label debut, immediately hit #1 on Billboard's Contemporary Jazz chart, staying there for nine weeks and now, more than nine months later, is still in the Top 5. Backatown is also nominated for this year's GRAMMY for Best Contemporary Jazz Album.
This makes three times since 2007 that OffBeat has awarded Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue Best R&B/Funk Band, while Trombone Shorty himself has picked up three awards for Performer/ Artist of the Year and two awards for Best Trumpeter. The Best of the Beat Award nominees are selected by the magazine's editors and writers, and the public votes to choose the winners. Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue were on hand to receive their awards in person at the celebration in New Orleans. The next morning Trombone Shorty headed to Jamaica to join Gov't Mule's Island Exodus II in Negril, where he collaborated as a special featured guest with Gov't Mule as well as on Warren Haynes' solo performance.
In honor of Black History Month, theGrio.com, a division of NBC News, has announced its TheGrio's 100: History Makers in the Making, which this year includes Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews. The list is nominated by a team of experts, affiliates, and contributors from across the country, and members of TheGrio.com and NBC News editorial teams. The Grio's 100 shines a spotlight on African-American history makers and industry leaders from 10 fields, including business, education, sports, science and the environment, media, service and activism, politics, health, pop culture and the arts. Trombone Shorty joins First Lady Michelle Obama, singer and education advocate Jill Scott, actress Viola Davis, Olympic Gold Medalist Cullen Jones and NBA star Kevin Durant, among others.
Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue's Backatown tour continues this spring and summer beginning February 2 in Chicago with more dates across the European continent, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, and all over Canada and the U.S.
TROMBONE SHORTY & ORLEANS AVENUE Tour Dates:
Wed., Feb. 2 CHICAGO, IL Lincoln Hall (*to be rescheduled due to weather)
Thurs., Feb 3 STEVENS POINT, WI University of Wisconsin
Fri., Feb, 4 PLATTEVILLE, WI University of Wisconsin
Sat., Feb. 5 COLUMBIA, MO University of Missouri
Mon., Feb. 7 SEATTLE, WA Neumos
Tues., Feb. 8 PORTLAND, OR Roseland
Wed., Feb. 9 ARCATA, CA Humboldt Brews
Thurs., Feb. 10 SANTA CRUZ, CA The Catalyst
Fri., Feb. 11 SAN FRANCISCO, CA The Fillmore (Sold Out)
Sat., Feb. 12 LOS ANGELES, CA Conga Room
Tues., Feb. 15 DENVER, CO Bluebird Theatre
Wed., Feb. 16 BOULDER, CO Fox Theatre
Fri., Feb. 18 AUSTIN, TX Austin City Limits Live at Moody Theater (Sold Out)
Sat., Feb. 19 HOUSTON, TX House of Blues
Sun., Feb. 20 DALLAS, TX House of Blues
Tues., Feb 22 NASHVILLE, TN Mercy Lounge
Wed., Feb. 23 ASHEVILLE, NC The Orange Peel
Thurs., Feb 24 ATLANTA, GA Variety Playhouse
Fri., Feb 25 BOSTON, MA Paradise Rock Club
Sat., Feb. 26 NEW YORK, NY Terminal 5
Sun., Feb 27 NORFOLK, CT Infinity Hall
Sat., Mar. 5 NEW ORLEANS, LA Krewe of Endymion
Sun., Mar. 6 NEW ORLEANS, LA Tipitina's
Thurs., Mar 17 STUTTGART, GERMANY Die Rφhre
Fri., Mar. 18 FREIBURG, GERMANY Jazzhaus
Sat., Mat 19 FRANKFURT, GERMANY Brotfabrik
Sun., Mar. 20 DRESDEN, GERMANY Beatpol
Mon., Mar 21 BONN, GERMANY Harmonnie
Wed., Mar. 23 ATHENS, GREECE gazArte
Fri., Mar. 24 AUBERVILIERS, FRANCE Banlieues Bleues Festival
Sat., Mar. 25 BURGHAUSEN, GERMANY Internationale Jazzwoche Burghausen
Sun., Mar. 26 TERRASSA, SPAIN Terrassa Jazz Festival
Mon., Mar. 27 MADRID, SPAIN University of Madrid
Wed., Mar. 30 WYOMISSING, PA Berks Jazz Fest 2011
Thur., Mar. 31 ROANOKE, VA Jefferson Center
Fri., Apr. 1 INSTITUTE, WV Davis Fine Arts Theatre
Sat., Apr. 2 LOUISVILLE, KY Headliners Music Hall
Sun., Apr. 3 COLUMBUS, OH Capitol Theatre, Riffe Center
Wed., Apr. 6 NEW ORLEANS, LA Wednesday at the Square
Sun., Apr. 10 ST. PETERSBURG, FL Tampa Bay Blues Festival
Sat., Apr. 16 SINGAPORE Timbre Rock & Roots
Wed., Apr 20 MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA The Corner
Thurs., Apr. 21 SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA The Factory
Fri., Apr. 22 BYRON BAY, AUSTRALIA Bluesfest
Sat., Apr. 23 BYRON BAY, AUSTRALIA Bluesfest
Sun., Apr. 24 TAURANGA, NEW ZEALAND NZ Jazz Festival
Thurs., Apr. 28 CLEVELAND, OH Tri C Jazz Fest
Fri., Apr. 29 NEW ORLEANS, LA House of Blues
Sat., Apr. 30 NEW ORLEANS, LA House of Blues
Sat., May 7 NEW ORLEANS, LA Tipitina's
Sat., May 7 NEW ORLEANS, LA New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
Fri., May 20 RICHMOND, VA Friday Cheers
Sat., May 21 THOMSON, GA Blind Willie McTell Blues Festival
Fri., June 3 OZARK, AR Wakarusa Festival
Thurs., June 9 CHARLESTON, SC Spoleto Festival
Fri., June 10 CHARLESTON, SC Spoleto Festival
Sat., June 11 RALEIGH, NC North Carolina Museum of Art
Sat., June 18 FT. WORTH, TX Ft. Worth Botanic Gardens
Wed., June 22 APPLE VALLEY, MN Weesner Amphitheater
Fri., June 24 EDMONTON, CANADA Edmonton Jazz Festival
Mon., June 27 VANCOUVER, CANADA Vancouver International Jazz Festival
Sat., July 2 LONDON, ENGLAND London Blues & Jazz Festival
Sat., July 16 UMBRIA, ITALY Umbria Jazz Festival
Mon., July 18 MOLDE, NORWAY Moldejazz 2011
Tues., July 19 MOLDE, NORWAY Moldejazz 2011
