2011 Commemorative Poster Artist, Tony Nozero

 There are photos of Tony Nozero as a toddler that show him alternately painting and banging away on a drum set. Both passions have since defined his adult life -- but so intensely that only one could fully materialize at a time. Drums came first.

Nozero formed the band Drums & Tuba in Austin, Texas, in 1995, and its eclectic mix of brass band rhythm, free-form jazz, rock and electronica soon propelled him from busking on the streets for change to touring the nation and overseas. The band put out eight full-length albums and traveled incessantly for years. Nozero moved to New Orleans in 2002, after stints in NYC and Chicago and the Drums & Tuba schedule never let up. All the while, his interest in painting simmered, but the hard-driving lifestyle of a rock musician on the way up left little room for it.

"I mainly used [painting] for decompression between tours," says Nozero. "But I knew in the back of my mind that when this whole road thing was over I'd have this to come back to, and that's exactly what happened."

 The band hung up it's gloves in 06 shortly after Hurricane Katrina did it's thing in New Orleans and Nozero went full throttle into his painting career. After an incubus of about a year in the art studio he was ready to start showing his work. In 2008 Tony Nozero's first solo show in New Orleans at Terrence Sanders Gallery completely sold out and he has never looked back. Now exhibiting monthly all over the country, his work continues to evolve at a herculean pace enveloping a pensive yet playful style rife with a loose musicality that is all his own. Nozero is self taught in both disciplines.  "I just try and keep my hands moving, that's all"

POSTER INFORMATION: The posters are available on site  at the Bayou Boogaloo for for $15.  Tony will be on site to sign the poster durning the event

Click HERE to purchase your tickets to the 22nd  Annual AT&T Bayou Boogaloo & Cajun Food Festival