Corey Henry, a trombone player from New Orleans, La., is the leader of the Treme Funket.

Many would consider Henry’s upbringing a musician’s dream: Raised in the neighborhood of Treme, the birthplace of jazz and a stone’s throw away from Congo Square, surrounded and nurtured by some of the most noted musicians in New Orleans’ history.

TREME: THE BIGGEST INSPIRATION
Born in July 1975, Henry grew up on Barracks Street just down from Little People’s Place, once a popular spot for second-line parade stops in the Treme. Henry was the third child in a family of five boys and two girls. His grandfather Chester Jones played bass drum in a traditional jazz band at Preservation Hall. His uncle is Bennie Jones of the world-renowned Treme Brass Band.

“Being in Treme was my biggest inspiration, being around all that music at once. We always had brass bands playing – the Pinstripes, Olympia, the Dirty Dozen. I’d go outside and they’d be playing a party or doing a second line. I got inspired by that, and of course it’s in my family, my uncle and grandfather.”

Immersed in this culture, Henry didn’t learn his craft in the school band like many other New Orleans brass band musicians do. Treme was his music class; family members and neighbors on every block were his teachers.

“I always had people like Tuba Fats giving me tips on what I needed to do during gigs; Freddie Kemp, sax player with Fats Domino; also Stack Man, Frederick Shepard, Roderick Lewis. They all lived in the neighborhood and played with the Treme Brass Band.”

Henry started on the snare drum but switched over to the trombone at age 10. When he turned 16, his uncle Bennie hired him to play with the Treme Brass Band.

“He just threw me in the mix with all those bad musicians, said ‘This is how you gon’ learn. Just go for it.’ So I learned doing it live, not during rehearsals. It was like learning on the job.” Showing him the ropes along with his uncle was trumpeter Kermit Ruffins. “They put me with a lot of musicians who were phenomenal, taught me a lot about stage presence, how to conduct yourself, coming to gigs on time.”

He counts legendary trombonists Keith ‘Wolf’ Anderson and Revert Andrews as mentors who helped him develop his own sound that blends New Orleans brass with funk, rock, soul and jam-based music. “It was these two different musicians showing me things and me listening and practicing and just researching, being hungry and eager to learn.”

LAPEITAH
On “Lapeitah,” his national debut from Louisiana Red Hot Records, Henry reveals his signature style. His ability to lead the Treme Funktet with his muscular voice and trombone blasting through the crowd like a fast-coming train charges packed venues with fire and excitement wherever he plays.

OTHER PROJECTS
An expert musician and a charismatic entertainer, Henry is sought after by the most accomplished bands in New Orleans. He has performed with the Rebirth Brass Band, is a current member of Galactic and sits in with Treme Brass Band when his schedule allows.

Be sure to follow Corey Henry as his star rises.