As the old adage goes, all good things must come to an end. And so it is with the inaugural Trombone Shorty Foundation’s New York City odyssey. We arrived home to MSY Sunday evening just before midnight with a combination of elation and exhaustion, and today we are all back at school and work, but we carry with us such wonderful memories we shared as a cohesive, cooperative group.

When we woke up in Lower Manhattan up Sunday morning, our bus was waiting outside the hotel to take us to the final leg of the trip, and what a finale it was! Load-in at the Brooklyn Bowl started at 10 a.m. followed by a sound check, and by show time at 11:30, this remarkable venue was teeming with a diverse and excited audience that represented every age group imaginable. Tipitina’s and Tulane garb was noticeable throughout the crowd, and when the Shorty Academy students took the stage at noon, the house was rocking.

Yet again, we were blown away by the generosity of our hosts, and the staffs at Brooklyn Bowl and Rock and Roll Playhouse, the organizations responsible for the day’s activities, were certainly no exception. Love and respect for music (and New Orleans) permeates this special venue, and we couldn’t think of a better way to finish off the trip.

Our new friends in the Black Tie Brass Band started the show off, followed the Shorty Academy students doing a full set of their material, then another second line with both groups parading through the “Bowl.” When the last note was played, we were treated to a lunch of their legendary fried chicken then a few hours of highly-spirited bowling. It made the 2 hour TSA line at the Newark somewhat tolerable.

We return home to New Orleans having experienced and learned so much, and we are truly grateful to the many individuals that went out of their way to make the trip so memorable. Special thanks go to Anthony Sylvester and Linda Consolazio from the Gia Maione Prima Foundation, Walter and Christie Isenberg from Sage Hospitality and Amp The Cause, John Scofield and Alex Kurland at the Blue Note, Herlin Riley and the staff at Jazz at Lincoln Center, everyone at Sony Music ATV, Micheal Reinert, Marilyn Caulfield and Ray and Barbara Dalio for sending us to School of Rock the Musical, and Amy Striem and the staffs at Rock and Roll Playhouse, Industry City, and the Brooklyn Bowl.

We will see everyone at Shorty Fest on May 3!