Say That to Say This

Though his stock has skyrocketed since his 2010 Verve debut, Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews has never forgotten where he came from. The trick here (and with Shorty in general) is that he's found a way to bring New Orleans music of today to the world at large with a sound that honors the brass band tradition and the New Orleans funk of The Meters while also having a passing resemblance to the rock of Lenny Kravitz (see the title track) and The Red Hot Chili Peppers (“Dream On”). The big news here is that Andrews got the legendary Meters to reunite in the studio for the first time since 1978 for a smooth take on the band’s “Be My Lady.” The rest of the album, co-produced by Shorty and Raphael Saadiq, follows that funky vibe, with Shorty joined by his regular band, Orleans Avenue. Highlights here include the smooth horn-driven “Sunrise” and “Shortyville” (where he and Saadiq are backed by a drum machine). The band shines on “You and I (Outta This Place)” and the snaky “Get the Picture.”