New Orleans singer, songwriter, producer, trumpeter, and multi-instrumentalist Shamarr Allen has released his new single “Dance With Me” and announced his new album, True Orleans 2, a jubilant collection of original songs that melds the diverse styles of the Crescent City, will be available on Friday, May 6th via his own imprint, POME Music Group. The joyful and spirited “Dance With Me” is an invitation to bust out of the isolation of the last two years and feel good again. PRESS HERE to listen and PRESS HERE to watch the official music video for “Dance With Me,” a fun and beautiful visual representation of the many cultures found within New Orleans featuring Kermit Ruffins, Big Sam, Baby Dolls, Zulu Tramps, Mystic Krewe of Femme Fatale, Pussy Footers, True Orleans Brass Band, Beyjorettes and DJ Polo 504.
“I think everyone wants to dance, they just need something to dance to - a song to let them know it’s ok to let go of all the crazy around us for a second and dance,” shares Allen. “This song makes me feel like that even when I don’t want to. So, I hope anyone that listens feels that same energy.”
“The music video for ‘Dance With Me’ is by far the biggest representation of several different True Orleans cultures at once,” Allen adds. “No paid actors, all True Orleanians, real culture bearers, that makes it feel authentic. It’s my video but the people of True Orleans made this video special. I’m glad I got to witness it and had a front row seat to something special like this. I want the world to get a glimpse of what’s really going on down here. True Orleans shows me a lot of love.”
True Orleans 2 was recorded and produced by Allen at his own studio in New Orleans and features the multi-talent playing trumpet, trombone, drums, keyboards, and bass as well as programming the electronic drums. He is accompanied on some of the album tracks by his working band: bassist-guitarist Kyle “Corndawg” Chervanik, guitarist Matt Galloway, and drummer Clarence King. The forthcoming 13-track set marks Allen’s first collection of new music in four years and follows his previous albums: Box Who In? (2009), 504-799-8147 (2011), and True Orleans (2018), the latter of which featured “Hit the Sean Payton,” a paean to the New Orleans Saints’ Super Bowl-winning coach that became a major local singalong success and viral hit.
Shamarr Allen will be out on the road all year supporting True Orleans 2 with headlining shows confirmed across the U.S. throughout the spring and summer commencing April 7 in Atlanta. His 45+ date upcoming tour schedule includes stops in Charleston, Tampa, Asheville, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Cleveland, Columbus, Charlotte, Chicago, Nashville, Memphis, Madison, Buffalo, Denver, and Rochester as well as New York City on June 16. In addition, Allen will celebrate the release of True Orleans 2 at home with his annual appearance at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival on Saturday, May 7 on the Congo Square Stage as well as a free, public performance on Wednesday, May 4 at Wednesday at the Square at Lafayette Square. See below for full list of upcoming tour dates and visit www.shamarrallen.com for more details, additions and ticketing information.
Active professionally in his hometown since his teens as a member of the Rebirth Brass Band, Shamarr is a stylistic synthesist who brings together many sounds indigenous to New Orleans, often in the same surprising track: the city’s traditional brass bands; the in-the-alley R&B of such ‘50s giants as Fats Domino; the steamy funk of ‘60s and ‘70s stars like the Meters and Allen Toussaint; the hard-hitting ‘90s rap of such breakout Cash Money and No Limit stars as Master P and Lil’ Wayne; and the booty-shaking bounce of new-millennium performers like Big Freedia (who was featured on “The Greatest Place in the World,” the lead-off track on the first True Orleans). But his sources run well outside of the city limits, with Allen naming Willie Nelson as his favorite songwriter and Prince, Pharrell Williams, Stevie Wonder, Quincy Jones, and many others as influences, thus resulting in what Shamarr has dubbed “bridge music” because of the way his music bridges a variety of styles and people. Following his time in Rebirth as the band’s third trumpet player, then a rarity, the versatile Allen has since collaborated with everyone from local icons such as Galactic and Harry Connick and international stars like Patti LaBelle, Lenny Kravitz, and Willie Nelson.
A turning point for Allen’s career came in 2009, when he not only released his debut album but had the honor of performing the National Anthem for President Obama in New Orleans, which resulted in an invitation to play at the esteemed Governor’s Ball at the White House. Since then, Allen has served as an official musical ambassador for the U.S. traveling to Brazil, Kazakhstan, Kurdistan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, and the Congo.
Though he’s traveled the world on behalf of his country, some of Allen’s most important charitable work takes place right at home in his own backyard. For the past decade, Shamarr has been teaching music to local children, free of charge, at weekly sessions held in his mother’s home, with some of these students even performing at Allen’s Jazz Fest dates. And in 2020, Allen launched his Trumpet Is My Weapon gun exchange program after a nine-year-old was killed and two other youngsters were wounded in a New Orleans shooting. Giving away some of his own horns and using donations and money raised online to buy instruments, Allen offered a trumpet to any New Orleans youth who turns in a gun — free of charge, no questions asked.
Music is not just a job for Shamarr Allen. It is also the path to his destined place in this world, fulfilled right at home.
SHAMARR ALLEN TOUR DATES
April 7 – Atlanta, GA @ Vinyl
April 8 – St. Augustine, FL @ Colonial Oak Music Park
April 9 – Charleston, SC @ Pour House
April 13 – Gainesville, FL @ High Dive
April 14 – Jupiter, FL @ Guanabanas
April 15 – Tampa, FL @ Hooch & Hive
April 16 – Sanibel, FL @ Beer in the Bushes
April 23 – Huntsville, AL @ Crawfish Festival
May 1 – Westwego, LA @ Westwego Farmers Market
May 4 – New Orleans, LA @ Wednesday at the Square (Lafayette Square)
May 5 – Asheville, NC @ Grey Eagle
May 7 – New Orleans, LA @ New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (Congo Square Stage)
May 11 – Philadelphia, PA @ City Winery
May 12 – Milton, DE @ Milton Theatre Outdoor Stage
May 13 – Arden, DE @ Arden Concert Gild
May 14 – Baltimore, MD @ Mother’s Grille
May 15 – Cape May, NJ @ Exit Zero Jazz Festival
May 17 – Cleveland, OH @ The Winchester
May 18 – Columbus, OH @ Woodlands
May 19 – Lexington, KY @ The Burl
May 20 – Charlotte, NC @ Divine Barrel
May 21 – Beaufort, NC @ Beaufort Music Festival
May 28 – Chicago, IL @ Navy Pier
May 31 – Rockford, IL @ Andersen Japanese Gardens
June 2 – Nashville, TN @ Exit/In
June 3 – Memphis, TN @ Overton Park Shell
June 4 – Conway, AR @ Kings
June 7 – Grand Rapids, MI @ The Listening Room
June 8 – Lake Orion, MI @ 20 Front Street
June 10 – Madison, WI @ The Bur Oak
June 11 – Galva, IL @ Levitt AMP
June 15 – Buffalo, NY @ 9th Ward at Babeville
June 16 – New York, NY @ The Groove
June 17 – Amagansett, NY @ Stephen Talkhouse
June 19 – White Sulpher Springs, WV @ CorssCreek On Main
July 4 – Chicago, IL @ American Music Festival
July 8 – Los Alamos, NM @ Los Alamos Summer Concert
July 9 – Steamboat Springs, CO @ Old Town Pub
July 12 – Denver, CO @ Hi-Dive
July 14 – Ridgway, CO @ Hartwell Park
July 15 – Paonia, CO @ Delicious Orchards
July 16 – Durango, CO @ Concert Series
July 22 – Sioux City, IA @ Downtown Live
July 28 – Rochester, NY @ Party In the Park
July 29 – Saratoga Springs, NY @ Caffe Lena
July 30 – Rockland, ME @ Strand Theatre
August 5-6 – Bethlehem, PA @ Musikfest
