Trombone Shorty’s Voodoo Threauxdown is a curated mini-festival, a history of New Orleans music and a vision of where that music is headed in the 21st century. “I want to share the music and the vibe of my city,” Trombone Shorty says.

Born Troy Andrews, Trombone Shorty got his start (and nickname) earlier than most: at four, he made his first appearance at Jazz Fest performing with Bo Diddley; at six, he was leading his own brass band; and by his teenage years, he was hired by Lenny Kravitz to join the band he assembled for his Electric Church World Tour. Shorty’s proven he’s more than just a horn player, though. Catch a gig, open the pages of the New York Times or Vanity Fair, flip on any late-night TV show and you’ll see an undeniable star with utterly magnetic charisma, a natural born showman who can command an audience with the best of them.

Since 2010, he’s released four chart topping studio albums; toured with everyone from Jeff Beck to the Red Hot Chili Peppers; collaborated across genres with Pharrell, Bruno Mars, Mark Ronson, Foo Fighters, ZHU, Zac Brown, Normani, Ringo Starr, and countless more; played Coachella, Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Newport Folk, Newport Jazz, and nearly every other major festival; performed four times at the GRAMMY Awards, five times at the White House, on dozens of TV shows, and at the star-studded Sesame Street Gala, where he was honored with his own Muppet; launched the Trombone Shorty Foundation to support youth music education; and received the prestigious Caldecott Honor for his first children’s book.

The other artists on the Threauxdown–Tank and the Bangas, Big Freedia, Cyril Neville the Uptown Ruler, George Porter, Jr. and Dumpstaphunk playing the music of The Meters, and The Soul Rebels–are of the same mindset.  Together, they represent different generations coming together to celebrate and advance the sounds of New Orleans in one jam-packed night of live music and collaboration. “These are people that I grew up listening to, people I came up with, and people who have been inspired by me and my band.  It’s the full package and an expression of what is unique and beautiful about New Orleans.”

Tank and the Bangas explore the most tender and true parts of life’s journey. Unique and with a vibrance that could only come from New Orleans, the lead vocalist, Tank has stretched her vocals over quirky raps, poetry, and rich melodies since the release of their first album, Think Tank in 2013. Four years later, they had a viral breakthrough as the winners of the NPR Tiny Desk Contest — an eclectic performance that has since been praised by musicians like Miguel and Anthony Hamilton and has now amassed over 14 million views on YouTube. Now, Tank and the Bangas arrive with a new 3-part album The Heart, The Mind, and The Soul. With this offering, Tank opens up about the wisdom she’s gained from new beginnings, endings, and in-betweens.

The concept of an album series came to Tank two years ago while traveling on a train with her group members. Its structure makes it different from the rest of the catalog, and so does the special emphasis Tank has put on her poetry, collaborators, and its cohesive sound. “It explores self-discovery, the journey to confidence, believing in your ability, matters of the heart, the mind, and just free thought flowing,” Tank says about the album.

On The Heart, the first part to be released and produced by James Poyser, Tank flows back and forth between poetry and a velvety alto that deepens every thoughtful word as she riffs about her deepest sentiments on life. The opening track, “A Poem Is” boasts a feature from Jill Scott — an appearance that Tank is thrilled about especially because her mission with this release is to magnify poetry as a music genre.

“I want for poetry to get that much more respect and for even more young people to get into the expression of poetry,” Tank expresses. “I want it to be seen as even more cool again.”

Tank has always considered herself a poet first, but at the start of her career, she used singing to draw listeners into her music. This album is a return to that first love and one we can hear on “Open to Thy Self,” a song Tank penned in a cottage in The Netherlands and a standout track that gives us a look into her gentle inner monologue as she gives herself unconditional self-love through all of her phases.

Tank created a different soundscape with each collaborator for each part of the project. Producer Iman Omari, known for his lo-fi dreamy loops, paid attention to every detail of each beat and brought out a more “vibey” side of Tank on The Mind. She built The Soul with producer and jazz musician Robert Glasper, who led free-formed recording sessions that made room for Tank to discover the melodies and let ideas flow.

Out of all the music, she feels especially drawn to a song co-produced by Kaidi Tatham, called “This Black Girl.” It’s a self-proclamation of the beauty and transformative power of black woman/girlhood — along with the realities of combating the privilege of white women and misogyny. “I think it’s one of the best poems in history. Yeah, I said it,” Tank says.

With The Heart, The Mind, and The Soul, Tank and the Bangas affirm the thoughts, feelings, and complexities of these key parts of self. ”I’m writing about my experience and feeling more open, free, and much more confident,” Tank says. “Before, even though I had such a big voice, sometimes I felt quieted. It feels good to stretch on my own terms.”

Brass sensation The Soul Rebels started with an idea – to expand upon the pop music they loved on the radio and the New Orleans brass tradition they grew up on. They took that tradition and blended funk and soul with elements of hip hop, jazz and rock all within the style of a modernized and contemporary brass band.

The Soul Rebels built a career around an eclectic live show that harnesses the power of horns and drums in a party-like atmosphere. The eight-member collective frequently appear on major record label releases with star artists including Sony Music artist GEazy’s single ‘When You’re Gone” featuring Lil Wayne, Def Jam artist Dave East and Nas’
“Godfather 4”, Big Freedia and Icona Pop’s “Pipe That” and Warner Music Group artist Phony Ppl’s new album. The Soul Rebels have scored original music for Walt Disney’s 2023 movie Haunted Mansion and appeared on the official soundtrack for Universal Pictures’ hit comedy Girls Trip.

The Soul Rebels have impressed viewers with two appearances on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, featured on NPR’s Tiny Desk series with Wu Tang Clan front man GZA, and headlined the global TED Conference.

The Soul Rebels are riding high in 2024 after receiving national attention following the release of their new album, Poetry In Motion.

The Soul Rebels continue to expand their international reach touring four continents including Europe, Australia, China, South Korea and Japan. Their explosive stage presence has led to live collaborations with the likes of Katy Perry, Nas, G-Eazy, DMX, Robin Thicke, Macy Gray, Portugal. The Man, Robert Glasper, Pretty Lights, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Matisyahu and most notably their new supergroup with the legendary Wu Tang Clan.

The Soul Rebels continue to chart new territory and are respected for their ability to combine topnotch musicianship with songs that celebrate peace, love and soul.