Shamarr Allen

Shamarr Allen is carrying on a New Orleans musical tradition. Unlike many of the young lions of Crescent City jazz and funk, he didn't have any scholastic-based musical training growing up, opting for an education in science and math over the performing arts. Instead he learned his craft in the lower ninth, passed on to him by those who learned from their forefathers. It is the way it has always been in this musical city.

Shamarr studied with New Orleans legends Leroy Jones, Joe Torregano and Clyde Kerr Jr. He also attended the Louis Armstrong Summer Jazz Camp in the late 90's, a program that has turned out many other talented young musicians, including Concord Records artist Christian Scott, Troy ?Trombone Shorty? Andrews, Jonathan Batiste and Courtney Bryant.

Shamarr was honored by the City of New Orleans in 2007 with a proclamation for his work as a teacher and role model for the city's young people. He runs a weekly clinic on Wednesdays at the Sound Caf?, passing on the musical traditions that he learned from his mentors.

With the spirit and demeanor of Louis Armstrong, he has put his own unique spin on the interpretation of traditional jazz, and like Louis, his concern about people and pleasing an audience always come first. He has also mastered the art of fusing the traditional with contemporary jazz and funk.

From performing on the streets in youth brass bands he moved on to six years with the legendary ReBirth Brass Band, playing at festivals, concert halls and clubs all over the world. Now he is working on his own projects, but don't try to pigeon-hole this young man, his traditional jazz band has just recorded ?Meet Me On Frenchmen St?, his band, The Underdawgs, play nasty New Orleans-style Funk, and he has written and produced hip hop tracks as well. He continues to hone his craft, working with some true legends, playing on Monday nights with Bob French's jazz band at dba, with The Neville Brothers drummer ?Mean Willie? Green in the ?Dawgs, with Branford and Harry at Jazzfest, even some long distance collaborations with Atlanta's rap group "Outfit", who took him in after he lost his home, which was directly in the path of the Lower Ninth canal breach.

Shamarr's latest album, the traditional jazz offering, ?Meet Me On Frenchmen Street?, was released on October 11th.The title track is written by Shamarr, and features Kermit Ruffins sharing the vocals with Shamarr. Other special guests on the CD include Herlin Riley on drums. former Cowboy Mouth guitarist Paul Sanchez sharing vocals with Miss Ellen Smith on Do You Know What Means To Miss New Orleans, clarinetist Dr Michael White, on When You're Smilin'. Irvin Mayfield on Blues for Chester, and Bob French on Paper Moon and Do You Know What it Means.