One To Watch
Shamarr Allen
By Jordan ShayThe first time Shamarr Allen heard a recording of Louis Armstrong playing the trumpet, he said, “Who is that? That is what I want to play” – and a dedicated performer was born.
If you like New Orleans music, you’ve probably seen Shamarr Allen play the trumpet – you just may not have known it. That’s about to change. He has played with many of New Orleans’ best-known brass bands: Rebirth, Soul Rebels, Hot 8, and the Treme Brass Band, among others. He plays with Paul Sanchez regularly and has performed with many of New Orleans’ greats from Branford Marsalis and Harry Connick Jr. to Dr. Michael White, Henry Butler, Bob French, Leo Nocentelli, George Porter, Ivan Neville, Tim Green, Marcia Ball, and Kermit Ruffins.
Perhaps surrounding himself with great musicians is what gives Shamarr the ease with which he performs and is what makes him poised for stardom in the New Orleans music scene. Awarded Best Emerging Artist of 2008 at the Big Easy Awards, Shamarr is already making a name for himself in his first year as a headlining solo artist. In addition to a busy schedule that saw him in the recording studio in Atlanta and onstage recently at festivals in Maine and Florida, Shamarr performs regularly in New Orleans with his band, the Underdawgs, and released his first solo CD, Meet Me On Frenchmen Street, in 2007 to rave reviews. He seems to be humbled by the process of making his first solo CD: “I didn’t know that so many famous musicians would want to be a part of it,” he said with regards to Kermit Ruffins, Arlee Leonard, Dr. Michael White, Irvin Mayfield, Bob French and Paul Sanchez, who all appear on his album.
His incredible versatility as a performer is clearly evident on his 2007 CD, where he switches from old songs to new songs, traditional jazz to funky, brass band hip-hop, songs he wrote to songs written by others, and handles them all with the ease of a seasoned professional. On the record, the songs run the full range from the snappy title track that he wrote, reminiscent of Kermit Ruffins and Louis Armstrong, to renditions of old classics like “It’s Only A Paper Moon” and “When You’re Smilin’.” The CD is definitely a celebration of life in New Orleans - the title track and wholehearted renditions of “Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans” and “When the Saints Go Marching In” further exemplify this enthusiasm.
Shamarr knew he wanted to be a musician from a young age. “I just wanted to play music, always wanted to perform. That’s it.”
He credits his father with cultivating his interest in music. His father was so fascinated by music as a hobby that he even picked out an instrument before Shamarr was born, and had it waiting for young Shamarr when he came home from the hospital. Later on, Shamarr played the trumpet in both the concert and marching bands through high school and served as his section leader.
Shamarr’s first paying gig was at age eleven. He and a group of six kids were walking through the neighborhood playing their band instruments when a man approached them and said that he would pay them all if they played on his porch for a while. “We were all eleven or twelve, and we got $3 apiece and a gallon of Kool Aid.” That was the moment he realized he could actually make money performing.
From then on, there was no looking back. At thirteen, Shamarr was invited to play with the Pittsburgh University Orchestra, and at sixteen, he appeared at Carnegie Hall with the Mahogany Brass Band.
Music has obviously become a big part of Shamarr’s family. This year, Shamarr’s eleven- year old brother performed onstage at Jazz Fest with Shamarr. Shamarr said that playing music with family is fun, but now he has to learn to play the guitar so he can compete with his younger brother. “I can’t let him get better than me,” he joked. Even Shamarr’s eight-year old son plays the drums and is featured rapping on the final track of Meet Me On Frenchmen Street.
Performing never gets old for New Orleans’ Best New Emerging Artist of 2008. He brings as much eagerness to the stage whether playing front and center in his own band, the Underdawgs, or playing as part of someone else’s band. He plays with a genuine enthusiasm for his instrument and his craft, always staying involved and trying to ensure a great show for the audience. At any point in a performance, you are liable to see Shamarr dancing back and forth enthusiastically, dreads swaying dramatically with the music. But the real show is when Shamarr gets a trumpet solo. Staying true to his childhood desire to pursue Louis Armstrong’s sound, Shamarr has a set of lungs that could compete with Satchmo himself. At this year’s Bayou Boogaloo, where Shamarr played as part of Paul Sanchez’s group, the other band members began fanning him off as he held one long note for over a minute, the crowd both cheering and staring incredulously.
He’s come a long way since those days of “$3 and a gallon of Kool Aid,” and the ambitious young man has no plans to slow down any time soon. He’s busy producing hip-hop tracks right now, and recently completed recording a song with Soul Rebels that may lead to a complete CD collaboration between Shamarr and the brass band. Over the next five years, he hopes to release five albums - one for each year - and he plans to complete his degree in music education from the University of New Orleans.
Currently, in addition to his already busy schedule, Shamarr helps cultivate an interest in music in young minds by volunteering at Sound Café, where he serves as an instructor for a free weekly music clinic for young jazz enthusiasts. He was honored by the city of New Orleans in 2007 for his dedication to music education and instruction.
The community and the city that he has made so many contributions to continues to pay him back. This August, Shamarr will move into his new house in the Musician’s Village. The house was furnished as a gift from Harry Connick, Jr. and has already been featured on CNN’s special on the Musician’s Village and will be featured in the September issue of House Beautiful. Shamarr has completed the 350 hours of community service and sweat equity required from Habitat for Humanity and is eager to settle in so that he can have a permanent base from which to operate.
And then what? He says with enthusiasm: “I just want to keep touring, playing, and helping the city get back to what it used to be.” Thanks to Shamarr’s performances and instruction, the city of New Orleans will be able to continue in the tradition of Louis Armstrong and traditional Jazz for many generations to come.