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On his new album, Walking Through Heaven’s Gate, Glen Andrews proves once again that his soul remains deep into old school. The trombonist/vocalist went straight to his roots to record the gospel CD at the Zion Hill Baptist Church in the Tremé neighborhood where he grew up.
“I was born and raised in that church,” Andrew declares. “It’s not only my musical connection to the Tremé, but my spiritual connection too. I know everybody in that church and everybody in that church knows me. They are my family; they are my friends. My grandmother and great-grandmother have been in the Tremé a long time—my grandparents had a big hand in founding that church.”
Andrews, who, incidentally, has discontinued using his middle name, David, has been blowing trombone since age 13. He remains best recognized on the brass band and traditional jazz scenes. As a youngster, he honed his chops at the side of his idol, Anthony “Tuba Fats” Lacen out in Jackson Square and with Tuba’s band the Chosen Few as well as with the Olympia Brass Band. He continues playing in those styles that have always relied on gospel tunes as part of their repertoire.
“I do have a particular fondness for gospel,” Andrews says. “I perform gospel in every last one of my shows. The main thing is that I didn’t want to another brass band album. I think I’ve gone as far as I’m going to go with the brass band thing as far as recording. I want to record every style of music that I feel comfortable doing. Right now I’m comfortable doing that good-old gospel music. It’s kind of like doing traditional jazz – it’s the beginning of it. Nobody expected me to do a gospel record – nobody. So I really wanted to come out of left field and I think I succeeded in doing that.”
Andrews’ choice of material for the disc—tunes like “Jesus on the Mainline, “Just a Closer Walk with Thee” and “Rock of Ages”—also speaks of his love of and dedication to tradition. With his powerful and emotion-packed voice backed by his band and the church choir led by the dynamic organ of Charisse Mason, “Walking Through Heaven’s Gate” becomes one big hallelujah.
The title tune, an original by Andrews and guitarist Paul Sanchez, fits naturally among the classics. It opens quietly with Andrews accompanied simply by the organ. It and then takes off swinging.
Andrews calls in several special guests vocalist John Boutte to sing a stirring rendition of “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.” On a rousing “We Will Walk Through the Streets of the City, Andrews vocals wonderfully interact with the trumpet his cousin, Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews. The album and the service end stirringly with the Black National Anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing” as poet Chuck Perkins recites a moving poem about families.
In celebration of the inauguration of President Barack Obama, Andrews plans to perform this song at the stroke of midnight at his gig at Tipitina’s on January 19th—Martin Luther King Day.
“It’s a very special Martin Luther King Day considering everything that’s going on the next day,” Andrews declares. “There’s a lot of Black pride and American pride going around and I’m glad I’m a part of it. I’m relishing in it too. It’s a very positive thing to do a spiritual record at the shrine under Professor Longhair.”
At Tip’s, Andrews will take the music from “the church to the barroom,” performing all of the material from the album and then get into some funkier stuff. His usual Monday night haunt is d.b.a. where he mixes it up starting at 10 p.m. Andrews can also still be found blowin’ his bone and singing at second-line parades, most often with the Tremé and New Birth brass bands. This is usually where his signature improvisational prowess really takes off. It’s a style that he says he learned from both local musicians and from watching videos and listening to recordings by Louis Armstrong.
“In the Sixth Ward I’ve been around a lot of musicians and a lot of them—like Uncle Lionel (Batiste) are storytellers. Those people improvise and make faces and tell stories all day long. I think that’s kind of where I got it from—all those old men on the corner in front of the Caldonia who were just clowns. I just watched them clowning and I learned how to apply it to music. So I got it naturally but I did watch some of the best improvisers like Danny Barker and James Andrews.”
Whether he’s clowning at a second line or singing and testifying at the over 90-year-old Zion Hill Baptist Church, Glen Andrews, brings a similar, natural spirit. It’s the spirit of the neighborhood where he was born and nurtured. It’s the spirit of those who came before.
As he once said, “To continue to preserve the tradition, you have to learn the music and the tradition the right way because you have to earn these stripes.”
This article was originally published in the January 19, 2009 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper
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