New Orleans horn maestro will be joined by guitar great Robert Randolph
It's summertime at the Oregon Zoo, and the Zoo Doo isn't the only thing that's funky. Two thrilling musicians, Trombone Shorty and Robert Randolph, will share a bill Aug. 24 as part of the zoo's summer concert series presented by Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon with support from U.S. Bank and Toyota.
Hailing from Tremé, a New Orleans neighborhood known for its brass bands, Troy Andrews (aka Trombone Shorty) earned his nickname by taking up the trombone when he was just 6 years old. Andrews, who now stands 6 feet tall, has made the leap from child prodigy to professional master on both the trombone and trumpet. Having toured throughout the United States, Europe, South America and the Middle East, he has more experience at 25 than some musicians three times his age. The Washington Post described one live performance as a "funk-charged blast of percussion, brass, reeds and guitar distortion that might have knocked the crowd sideways had there been any room to move."
Sharing the bill Aug. 24 is steel-guitar wizard Robert Randolph and his Family Band. Randolph, who began his career on the gospel circuit, has toured with musicians spanning genres and generations, including B.B. King, Eric Clapton, the Roots and John Mayer. In naming him one of its 100 greatest guitarists of all time, Rolling Stone magazine wrote: "A pedal steel guitarist who made his name playing gospel, Randolph's family band is one of the most intense live acts in all of jamdom. His thirteen-string instrument has a chillingly clear tone, and his solos are dotted with howling melodies and perpetually cresting, lightning-fast explorations."
Tickets for the concert are $24 and can be purchased at the zoo during normal operating hours. Tickets can also be purchased (with service charge) at all Ticketmaster ticket centers, online at Ticketmaster.com and by phone at 800-745-3000. Purchase of a concert ticket allows entry into the zoo after 4 p.m; the concert begins at 7 p.m.
The zoo concert series will be showcasing a variety of world-renowned artists through September — from country royalty Roseanne Cash to classic-rock favorites Chicago. For more information and a full schedule, visit www.oregonzoo.org/summer-concerts.
In 1979, the Oregon Zoo became the first in America to host a summer concert series. Now, the series is one of the top outdoor events in the Northwest, and is the region's longest continuously running outdoor series.
Oregon Zoo Summer Concerts is presented by Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon with support from U.S. Bank and your local Toyota dealers, and media support from The Oregonian.