Trombonist Charlie Halloran seems to be everywhere at once in New Orleans. A fixture of the Crescent City’s traditional jazz and Frenchmen Street scene, Charlie’s 60’s-style Caribbean lounge band, the Tropicales, entertain regularly at Zony Mash, The Spotted Cat and DBA. He’s recorded prolifically, appearing on Jon Cleary’s Grammy winning Go-Go Juice and followup Dynamite and Maria Muldaur’s Grammy nominated Don’t You Feel My Leg. Charlie has released 5 albums under his own name, and made countless records alongside the Squirrel Nut Zippers, John Boutte, Rickie Lee Jones, U2, Meschiya Lake and the Little Big Horns, the Panorama Jazz Band, The Shotgun Jazz Band, the Palmetto Bug Stompers, Pokey Lafarge, Luke Winslow King, Alex McMurray, you name it. Additionally, Charlie’s horn is in the background on plenty of episodes of NCIS New Orleans, Treme, and other films and television programs produced in New Orleans.
Twice named a rising star in Downbeat Magazine and recognized as one of New Orleans’ top trombonists in Offbeat Magazine numerous times, Charlie performs regularly with Meschiya Lake and the Little Big Horns, the Palmetto Bug Stompers, the Panorama Jazz Band and the Shotgun Jazz Band. Still Charlie can often be found bringing up the rear over at the Palm Court Cafe, with Tuba Skinny, the Preservation Hall Allstars, and occasionally with Jon Cleary or Anders Osborne.
The Tropicales’ Christmas album Presents for Everyone released on candy cane colored vinyl on Nutone Recordings in November of 2023, while 2022 saw the official label release of two albums, The Alcoa Sessions on ArtistShare and Shake the Rum on Hi-Tide Recordings. Mixing traditional New Orleans Jazz, 1950s R&B, beguine from the French Caribbean, calypso from Trinidad, with a couple of Venezuelan waltzes thrown in for good measure, Charlie has received glowing reviews and radio play throughout the hemisphere. And plenty in Europe and Australia. The Alcoa Sessions brings together 18 musicians from the USA, Trinidad, Martinique, and Cuba to imagine the musical experience aboard a 1950s cruise from New Orleans through the Caribbean. Shake the Rum presents the Tropicales on pink vinyl, riffing on largely instrumental numbers pulled from 1950s and 60s Caribbean dance bands! The pre-release was named one of the top 50 Louisiana albums of 2021 in OffBeat Magazine.
Halloran’s CD, “Charlie Halloran and the Quality 6”, was nominated for best traditional jazz CD by Offbeat magazine in 2016 and listed in the top 50 Louisiana recordings that same year. His followup recording, “Ce Biguine”, features music from the French Antilles recorded straight to 78rpm acetate discs and was hailed by Caribbean Beat magazine for its “nostalgic ambience, while the music has a quality that makes you want to grab a partner and dance the night away under tropical stars”.
Charlie joined the platinum selling Squirrel Nut Zippers in 2009 with whom he recorded and traveled all over the USA and South America, but you’re more likely to spot him at French Quarter Festival or Jazz Fest where he is a frequent face on the traditional jazz stages. Charlie has also performed with Allen Toussaint, the O’Jays, and indie rockers Calexico and the Walkmen. His preferred drink is a well made margarita with salt and real limes – no sour mix here – or a classic Mai Tai. He has an undying love and appreciation for vintage calypso music and mid century modern design.
