1907 Jourdan Avenue is situated just past the east wall of the Industrial Canal. Shamarr Allen recalls growing up there, practicing his trumpet at home with encouragement from his father and Kermit Ruffins. Playing with his childhood friend Dinerral Shavers, buddies so close people thought they were brothers. But like so many other such New [...]
Tag Archives: Shamarr Allen
Midnite Disturbers: Jazz Fest Focus
May 1, 2010 – 12:26 am
The idea for the Midnite Disturbers came at drummer Stanton Moore’s kitchen table. He and fellow drummer Kevin O’Day had been tossing around the idea of forming an all-star brass band, and they had called Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews to see what he thought. When he agreed, they started calling friends and ended up with [...]
YouTube du Jour: NOLA Horns recording with R.E.M.
November 23, 2009 – 12:50 pm
R.E.M. just finished a 3-week recording session at The Music Shed Recording Studios, and R.E.M. lead singer Michael Stipe took some personal video of local trombone players Mark Mullins, Craig Klein, and Greg Hicks, and trumpeters Shamarr Allen and Leroy Jones providing horn parts for R.E.M.’s upcoming album.
Songs for the Saints
October 1, 2009 – 12:01 am
It’s no secret that New Orleans music and culture has a bit of a love affair with itself. Anyone who’s lived here understands that a big part of life in the Crescent City is regularly declaring how much we like our town. We march in second lines, we know what it means to miss New [...]
Two Good Nights
May 23, 2009 – 7:39 am
It’s nice to have two good nights of unpredictable music in a row. Thursday night at the Ogden, Jon Langford (Mekons, Waco Brothers, Pine Valley Cosmonauts) performed as an acoustic duo with violin player/frequent collaborator Jean Cook. The acoustic set dipped heavily into his Skull Orchard album, and he played an aboriginal country song [...]
Jazz Fest, Day Seven
May 4, 2009 – 9:30 am
Last day, and Jonathan Batiste starts it with admirable nerve with a melodian solo. The air-powered instrument only has a two-octave, making the piece a rather tight meditation on a simple phrase. In a white blazer, white dress shirt and black high-water slacks, he’s a striking presence onstage and offers up an audience-friendly notion [...]
On the Road Again
May 1, 2009 – 12:01 am
This past February, trumpet player Shamarr Allen was tapped to be part of the Willie Nelson’s touring band in support of Willie and the Wheel, his Western swing collaboration with Asleep at the Wheel. OffBeat asked Allen to keep a tour diary; here are excerpts.—ED. Feb 11: Red Bank, New Jersey The day started with [...]
Shamarr Allen, Box Who In? (Independent)
May 1, 2009 – 12:01 am
“I’m like a diamond in the rough / and it’s tough ’cause the game keep calling my bluff,” Shamarr Allen quips during an impromptu rap breakdown over the rhythms of Dizzy Gillespie’s “A Night in Tunisia.” Yes, it’s true: Allen is certainly one of the brightest diamonds in the rough to emerge from the Crescent [...]
Rumor Confirmed
January 8, 2009 – 1:13 pm
We’d heard rumor that trumpeter Shamarr Allen would be going on tour with Willie Nelson. Allen confirmed it. In early February, he’ll go into rehearsal with Nelson and his band, then he’ll tour with him for two weeks as part of a “Willie and the Wheel” tour – a pairing of Nelson with Austin [...]
