"Bourbon Street Parade" - Trombone Shorty

"Bourbon Street Parade'" (PDF) from the album James & Troy Andrews album, 12 & Shorty, and compilation, Putumayo Presents New Orleans Brass.

Drummer and composer Paul Barbarin wrote this tune about the city of New Orleans, specifically the party scene on Bourbon Street.  Although it has become a standard tune to represent the crescent city, its romanticizing of Bourbon Street seems to no longer reflect the fraternity party that the scene has become.  Nonetheless, as I wandered up and down the street, I did witness a second line parade celebrating a newly married couple and I heard this tune singing out of Fritzel's jazz club, so it still holds true today.

On this recording, James Andrews' trumpet plays the melody while Shorty's trombone provides a counter-melody using a tailgate style, a technique that evolved from Dixieland music.  The role of the trombone is to outline the harmony while also providing a call and response feel to the melody.  Additional emphasis is added through the use of smears and glissandos.

I had the pleasure of seeing the Preservation Hall Jazz Band recently, with Frederick Lonzo on the trombone.  He was introduced as "the greatest tailgate trombone ever," which is a bold statement considering that the term "tailgate" is usually associated with Kid Ory, but perhaps Lonzo is the best of this generation.  Regardless, the band opened its set with "Bourbon Street Parade," and you should check out both of those trombonists.

Here’s a YouTube video of Trombone Shorty taking the lead on this tune with his band.

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