Trombone Shorty

Youth Orchestra Petting Zoo

Lionheart was only three years old when he first tried on a trombone for size.  I'm not sure why he was drawn to such a large instrument.  Fast forward six years later, Lionheart has studied violin and an assortment of percussion instruments, but no brass.  Yet, he's still drawn to the instrument.  Maybe it's on the horizon?  Maybe Trombone Shorty and Lionheart know something that we don't about the power of brass!

When I saw this book at the local library, I knew we had to read it.  I had never heard of Troy Anderson or the Treme, "music in the air," neighborhood in New Orleans where he grew up.  Anderson was a musical prodigy who taught himself to play using an old, discarded trombone.  By the time he was six years old, he had his own band.  That kind of determination and confident spirit reminded me of Lionheart.  After we finished reading his story, we searched YouTube and found a performance by Trombone Shorty at the age of 13.




When Lionheart asked me if the man playing the trumpet was any good, I chuckled and said, "Look him up."  I explained that Trombone Shorty playing with Wynton Marsalis would be like him playing basketball with Michael Jordan.  He immediately got it.  So many conversations were sparked from reading this book.  We learned about famous jazz musicians, Mardi Gras, New Orleans Jazz and just how far determination, hard work and dedication can take you in life.  Today, Troy Anderson is a Grammy-nominated artist who headlines the New Orleans Jazz Festival.