Excerpt from Mojo Mouth - OffBEAT Magazine October 2007

Jan Ramsey - Publisher / Editor in Chief

Shamarr Allen is a trumpet player—formerly of Rebirth Brass Band—who, like many other musicians in New Orleans, lost everything to Katrina. “I went back to an empty lot,” Allen says. “We lost everything.” He’s a hard-working guy, and he constantly hones his musical skills in an interesting and productive way. Shamarr has run his own music clinic for young aspiring musicians at the Sound Café in the Bywater. His October series takes place every Tuesday in October from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. All kids who are interested in music are welcome to participate. “I want to give something back to the kids of New Orleans,” Allen says with his disarming smile. “I want them to have more than I did—a place to learn, a place to find out what music can do for you. Every week we have different guys from the brass bands come in to the clinic, just to give the kids the ability to participate in music.”

Allen needs instruments for the kids, and is even considering buying them himself. “We haven’t received a lot of help from the organizations who say they want to give the kids instruments,” said Allen. “But if I have to, it’s worth it to me to buy some myself.”

Shamarr Allen is a young guy who’s a good dad (he has a seven year-old son), and he’s seen a lot of the problems that young kids can endure in post-Katrina New Orleans. He and Dinerral Shavers—who was recently murdered in New Orleans—were best friends. “He was like a brother to me” said Allen, “and when he was killed it really was hard.” Shavers’ son D.J. (also seven years old) spends a lot of time with Allen and his son Jarrel. “They’re like they’re both my kids, you know? I know that if something had happened to me, Dinerral would have done the same for my kid.”

Talking to someone like Shamarr always makes me glad that he’s chosen to live here, raise his children here, and grace us with his musical talent. He’s one of the many fine young New Orleans area musicians who are putting their money where their mouth is: they live here, work here, and take New Orleans music around the globe with their recorded music and live performances. And they’re passing the traditions down to a new generation. Thanks, Shamarr, and all the rest of you unnamed and unheralded guys who are keeping the faith, and keeping the flame of music alive and coursing through the future.

Shamarr Allen has collaborated with many of the city’s finest musicians (Dr. Michael White, Paul Sanchez, Bob French, Kermit Ruffins, Herlin Riley, Irvin Mayfield, and many more) on his new CD Meet Me on Frenchmen Street. He’ll headline a parade with the Hot 8 Brass Band on Thursday October 11 at 6:30 p.m. that begins outside the OffBeat offices at Frenchmen and Decatur and heads down Frenchmen to Snug Harbor, where Allen plays to celebrate the release of his new CD at 8 p.m.