Maurice Trosclair - Grateful: A Sudden Cardiac Arrest Survivor's Awakening (2019)

The New Orleans music scene has always been a playground for trombonist, arranger, composer, producer and Miracle Meaux band-leader Maurice Trosclair. Born a Crescent City native from Pigeon Town in the Carrollton area of New Orleans, he was inspired by his musical family to pursue a life in music. At the young age of 2 he took the stage with the legendary traditional New Orleans Jazz band, Dunc's Honky Tonks "The World's Youngest Dixieland Band." To this day, he is deeply committed to the preservation and exploration of all indigenous forms of New Orleans music including funk, jazz, rock and pop.

Over the years Maurice has performed with many musical groups with both local and national appeal. He currently leads his own traditional New Orleans Brass band Funky Bone. He has toured with both Bonerama and Delfeayo Marsalis and the Uptown Jazz Orchestra all over the U.S. He's a "first -call" trombone sub in the New Orleans area and also the former leader of New Orleans' legendary cover band, The Nobles. He also performs with The Storyville Stompers and The Third Line Brass Band. He has performed many times over the years at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival with various New Orleans musical groups, most recently with Delfeayo Marsalis and the Uptown Jazz Orchestra in May of 2019.

On Valentine’s Day February 14, 2017, after suffering a Sudden Cardiac Arrest on an elevator, Maurice Trosclair was the recipient of an incredibly miraculous and successful “chain of survival.” Bystander CPR and on-location access to an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) not only saved his life but also proved to maximize the extent of his recovery. Citizen first responders provided life-saving efforts before EMS arrived on the scene. Just 4 days after this event, Maurice was released from the hospital, neurologically unscathed by the event. To date, he has resumed all of his previous life’s activities including musical performance.

After surviving his sudden cardiac arrest, he formed the local 501c3 non-profit Heartbeat NOLA whose mission is to make the Greater New Orleans area a “heart safe” community by raising awareness of sudden cardiac arrest, providing CPR instruction and fundraising to install publicly accessible automated external defibrillators (AEDs). Heartbeat NOLA has already installed AED’s in Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro and Tipitina’s in New Orleans, LA.

His original music projects over the years cover a wide spectrum of musical styles including his hit Mardi Gras song "Let's Party, It's Mardi Gras" - by The Nobles Mardi Gras Records, several local jingles as well as writing, arranging and producing two albums, "Healing Grace" 1993 - Rookie Records and "Illumination" 1998 - Rookie Records with his original new-age folk fusion project Polaris.

Maurice's lyrical/melodic improvisational style is a driving force for his passion to create new music. The Miracle Meaux Project is music with a mission! All of the original songs on Trosclair’s debut solo album are inspired by the citizen first responders, EMS and advanced aftercare professionals who saved Maurice Trosclair’s life on Valentine’s Day 2017. The musical styles cover New Orleans Funk, R&B, Gospel, Pop and Jazz. Miracle Meaux’s album release is set for December 1, 2019 at Tipitina’s.

The musician lineup on the GRATEFUL album is comprised of some of New Orleans’ most seasoned and successful performers along with up and coming young instrumentalists and vocalists. The Miracle Meaux Band is as an all-star lineup.

Tracklist:

01. Before I Believed, Now I Know
02. Sudden Cardiac Arrest Blues
03. Even If Tomorrow Never Comes
04. Guardian Angel
05. Keep Dat Funky Beat
06. You Are Not Alone (A Sudden Cardiac Arrest Survivor's Anthem)
07. Stayin' Alive
08. Before I Believed, Now I Know (Instrumental)
09. Awakening
10. Grateful