On the heels of the Grammy-nominated Corey and the Treme Funktet: Live at Vaughan’s on Louisiana Red Hot Records, Corey Henry has released “My City,” a brass-driven tribute to the neighborhoods, traditions, and late-night energy of New Orleans.
Framed by hip-hop influence and Henry’s unmistakable trombone style, “My City” draws from the musical lineage of the Treme Brass Band and Rebirth Brass Band while capturing the loose, after-hours energy of a New Orleans crowd. Much of that atmosphere comes from Henry’s ongoing Thursday residency at Vaughan’s Lounge, the storied venue he took over from Kermit Ruffins. Over the years, the night has become a regular stop for musicians passing through town, including members of War and Parliament.
As with Henry’s Thursday night sets at Vaughan’s Lounge, “My City” moves like a snapshot of New Orleans after dark. References to footwork culture, live performance, and the musicians who shaped him carry the same communal energy that defines his live presence in the city.
“I invite anyone coming to town to pass by Vaughan’s,” Henry said. “Everyone’s welcome to the funkiest party in New Orleans, it’s Thursday Night Live down here.”
Collective celebration carried into Henry’s recent appearance at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, where Black Masking Indians, dancers, singers, family members, and the Treme Funktet became part of the performance. “It’s a collaborational effort,” Henry said.
A longtime supporter of New Orleans music education and community programs, Henry received the Spirit of Satchmo Music Award for his commitment to honoring the legacy of Louis Armstrong. This summer, he continues his mentorship work with young musicians at the North Rampart Community Center and will again lead the annual NOLA Footwork Festival, extending his focus on passing the culture forward through performance and teaching. The connection runs deep for Henry. Long before international tours and festival stages, New Orleans itself served as his musical education, guided by figures like Tuba Fats and Kermit Ruffins.
“Where I grew up in Treme, it was a vibrant area with social aid and pleasure clubs and brass bands,” Henry said. “I used to go and stand outside the walls and follow the second line around the block. Me and Uncle Benny Jones (Treme Brass Band for 50 years), my grandfather (Preservation Hall), and my dad (Grand Marshal with the Treme Brass Band) — it’s in the blood.”
At 16, Corey’s uncle Benny invited him to join the world renowned Treme Brass Band, so the Grammy-nominated Corey Henry and The Treme Funktet: Live at Vaughan’s album, and his anthem “My City,” land as a kind of full circle. “I grew up listening to the music coming down the street,” Henry says. Now his music is coming out of New Orleans to the rest of the planet. Or as the song says: “Authentic start to finish lay it down every minute til the pain diminish we go hard worldwide on the scene like you never seen then we take it all the way back to New Orleans.”
