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Trombone Shorty and Cyril Neville bring New Orleans funk to Season 44

Austin City Limits showcases Trombone Shorty & his 10-piece band Orleans Avenue in an electrifying hour with the New Orleans funk shooting stars.

“What’s up, ACL? We meet again!” proclaims Trombone Shorty, aka Troy Andrews, in his second appearance on the ACL stage. The celebrated singer/songwriter/trombone sensation made his ACL debut in 2010 and has become New Orlean’s biggest musical ambassador, channeling his hometown’s rich cultural heritage of soul, funk, jazz, rock and hip-hop to audiences worldwide. The bandleader and his band of aces, including horns, guitar and percussion, show off their bona fides on the instrumental opener “Buckjump,” before easing into the brass-band funk of the Allen Toussaint classic “On Your Way Down.” The non-stop party features selections from Shorty’s catalog, including funky rocker “Where It At?” and the show-stopping “Here Come the Girls” from 2017’s acclaimed Parking Lot Symphony, along with numbers from 2011’s For True and 2010’s Backatown.

In a show full of musical highlights, Shorty takes the mood even higher, announcing “We about to take you to uptown New Orleans right now,” introducing a very special guest, ACL Hall of Famer Cyril Neville, “from the mighty, mighty Neville Brothers.” In an exhilarating performance, the beloved showman reaches back to the Nevilles’ origins, burning through the legendary Meters’ “No More Okey Doke” and “Fiyo On the Bayou,” certified Big Easy classics that have the Austin crowd on their feet for a glorious finale.

photo by Scott Newton

“The music of New Orleans has been a part of Austin City Limits’ legacy since the beginning,” according to executive producer Terry Lickona. “The two cities are kindred spirits in so many ways. Virtually every major artist from The Big Easy has played ACL over the years, and Trombone Shorty is the music of New Orleans today.”

Tune in this weekend for this episode, and, as always, check your local PBS listings for the broadcast time in your area. Go to the episode page for more info, and don’t forget to click over to our Facebook, Twitter and newsletter pages for more ACL info. Join us next week for another brand new episode, featuring Latin superstar Residente.