There’s no better way to close the Tucson Jazz Festival than with the explosive energy of Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue. More than a concert, this is a celebration of everything that makes New Orleans one of the world’s great music cities where jazz, funk, soul, rock, R&B, and the irresistible pulse of the brass band tradition come together in one unforgettable live experience.
Every performance by Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue is fueled by extraordinary musicianship, infectious grooves, and an unmistakable sense of joy. The band’s electrifying chemistry transforms every show into a shared celebration, moving effortlessly from fiery improvisation and powerhouse solos to deep-pocket funk, singalong anthems, and exhilarating musical interplay. Whether you’re a lifelong jazz fan or experiencing this music live for the first time, the energy is impossible to resist.
For longtime festival patrons, this is the kind of headline event that defines a memorable Tucson Jazz Festival. For newcomers, it’s an exhilarating introduction to live jazz at its most accessible, exciting, and exhilarating. It’s the rare performance that feels equally at home in a world-class concert hall, at a legendary music festival, or in the streets of New Orleans itself. As the festival-closing concert for TJF2027, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue promise an unforgettable night filled with celebration, connection, and the pure joy of live music.
“We want to bring that joy to people.” — Trombone Shorty
“…one of this music’s most exciting acts.” — DownBeat
“…an undeniable star with utterly magnetic charisma, a natural-born showman who can command an audience with the best of them.” — Blue Note
Trombone Shorty
Few artists embody the heart and soul of their city like Trombone Shorty. Perhaps the most recognizable ambassador for New Orleans music working today, Shorty has spent his entire life not only carrying the torch for Crescent City culture, but also propelling it forward into the 21st century with his ecstatic live performances and intoxicating blend of rock, funk, soul, jazz, blues, hip-hop, and Caribbean influences.
Born Troy Andrews, Shorty made his first appearance at New Orleans’ iconic Jazz Fest at the age of four, when he took the stage for an impromptu performance with Bo Diddley. By six, he was heading up his own brass band, and by his early twenties, he’d released the first in a string of critically acclaimed, chart-topping albums that would lead to performances everywhere from the White House and the Grammy Awards to Madison Square Garden and the 2025 Super Bowl. Along the way, Shorty would tour with artists as diverse as Jeff Beck and the Red Hot Chili Peppers; play Coachella, Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, the Roots Picnic, and countless other festivals; perform alongside Juvenile on his instantly legendary NPR Tiny Desk Concert; earn his first Grammy Award; appear on The Tonight Show, The Late Show, Conan, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Good Morning America, Today, CNN, HBO’s Treme, and even an episode of The Simpsons; and collaborate with an eclectic mix of stars including Pharrell, Bruno Mars, Mark Ronson, Jon Batiste, Lenny Kravitz, Foo Fighters, ZHU, Zac Brown, Normani and Ringo Starr.
On top of his relentless touring schedule, Shorty also managed to launch The Trombone Shorty Foundation in 2011, which supports youth music education in New Orleans and beyond (each year, he brings nearly 100 students on a cultural exchange trip to Cuba, where they join him and a host of special guests for workshops and performances with an all-star cast of Cuban musicians). Additionally, Shorty’s youth and cultural advocacy led him to release a pair of children’s books, the first of which earned the prestigious Caldecott Honor in 2016.
At home in New Orleans, Shorty now leads a beloved annual Mardi Gras parade atop a giant float crafted in his likeness, hosts the annual Treme Threauxdown shows (which have drawn guests including Usher, Nick Jonas, Mavis Staples, Dierks Bentley, Andra Day, and Leon Bridges), mentors younger artists like New Breed Brass Band (his 2025 collaboration with the group, Second Line Sunday, earned them both a Grammy nomination), and has taken over Jazz Fest’s hallowed final set, which has seen him closing out the internationally renowned gathering after performances by the likes of Neil Young, the Black Keys, and Kings of Leon.
Shorty brought that same festival energy to his latest album, 2022’s Lifted, which he recorded live at his own Buckjump Studio in New Orleans. Raw and exhilarating, the collection bottles the explosive power of his transcendent stage show, balancing raucous, joyful anthems with poignant reflections on loss and resilience. Like Shorty himself, it’s a living, breathing invitation to experience the magic of New Orleans for yourself, a transportive spiritual experience steeped in family, community, and tradition, with both eyes fixed firmly on the future.
