Portrait of Trombone Shorty (english version)

Portrait of Trombone Shorty before his first big gig in Paris, Bataclan, on February 29th. If you've never seen New Orleans' best entertainer on stage before, read why you can't miss that show.

The Soul Rebels Brass Band - Unlock your mind
(CD/Digital), Rounder Records, 2011-10-17

Unlock your Mind is the first Soul Rebels Brass Band's release on an important label, independent americana record company Rounder. The NOLa* brass band is well-know for its powerful live performances (more than 250 gigs per year!), but it's not so easy to capture that stamina and strengh on a studio record. Fortunately it's not the case with this new album produced by Big Easy music-specialist Scott Billington (Irma Thomas, Dirty Dozen Brass Band...). With friends and guests such as Cyril Neville, Trombone Shorty, Galactic's Ben Ellman and Meters guitarist Leo Nocentelli, the eight-piece band delivers a hot party-style gumbo. Both new compositions and covers (Eurythmics' Sweet Dreams and Stevie Wonder' Living For the City) include the classical second line funk recipe but also latin rhythms (the superb Showtime), hip-hop, reggae, and everything that makes New Orleans so special... Well, if you want to know what the true NOLa-ttitude is, you can't miss that record.
(* NOLa is an acronym of New Orleans, Louisiana : New Orleans, La)

Galactic - The Other Side of Midnight: Live In New Orleans
(CD/Digital) Anti- Records 87152, 2011-05-02

New Orleans outfit Galactic has a well earned reputation as one of the most exhilarating live acts around. Last year the band released the critically acclaimed genre defying sonic tribute to the Big Easy entitled Ya-Ka-May, which The Boston Globe described as "an album that showcases a breathtaking array of New Orleans talent, from old-school R&B legends to influential underground hip-hop artists" and the Huffington Post proclaimed as “NOT your grandparents' New Orleans record!” Now the celebrated outfit offers up a rollicking live counterpart to Ya-Ka-May with The Other Side Of Midnight: Live In New Orleans out 5/3 via Anti- Records. The album was recorded during an electrifying sold-out show at legendary New Orleans’ nightclub Tipitinas which has hosted countless luminaries such as the Neville Bros, the Meters, Dr. John and Professor Longhair. The venue has, of late, become something of a regular home court for Galactic, with the band playing multiple sold out shows at the historic club throughout the year. Like Ya-Ka-May, The Other Side of Midnight: Live in New Orleans features a host of guest appearances from the bawdy hip-shaking gender bending “bounce” star Big Freedia to local legends Cyril Neville and Trombone Shorty, the whole thing capturing Galactic's deep musical relationship with their storied hometown. Only in a city like New Orleans could a night this raucous, sweaty and wild also be so incredibly profound.