The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival is days away and this year’s lineup of artists ranges across the musical spectrum.
The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation puts on Jazz Fest each year and features thousands of artists who vary in musical styles such as jazz, blues, modern rock and hip-hop. The non-profit organization uses Jazz Fest to pump an estimated $300 million back into New Orleans and to promote, preserve, perpetuate and encourage the music, arts, culture and heritage indigenous to New Orleans.
The Jazz and Heritage Festival is held at the Fairgrounds Race Course in New Orleans. It runs for two weeks, from April 24 through May 4. The festival’s big draw, its musical acts, perform Thursday through Sunday each week.
LSU students once again will make the annual pilgrimage to New Orleans to see their favorite artists.
“It was a lot of fun last year, but it was really crowded,” said Jennifer Todd, a marketing junior. “I’m going again this year because I want to see John Mayer.”
Mayer isn’t the only modern artist to be gracing the stage at Jazz Fest; rappers LL Cool J and Lil’ Romeo, rockers Cowboy Mouth, college favorites Widespread Panic and locals The Benjy Davis Project will all be on stage during the eight days at the Fairgrounds. The true gem of Jazz Fest is the timeless artists that will be performing, including Bob Dylan, Buddy Guy, The Neville Brothers, Gladys Knight, Crosby, Stills and Nash and blues legend Fats Domino.
Nick Tolson, a business freshman, said he’s more interested in the local acts that will be playing at Jazz Fest.
“The guys from The Benjy Davis Project are friends of mine,” Tolson said. “I’m going to support them.”
Popeye’s Chicken and Biscuits is sponsoring the addition of a new day to the festival, Thursday, April 24, lengthening it to eight days of music and mayhem. New Orleans legend Fats Domino will headline the new day, along with a slew of other artists, including local favorite Bag of Donuts.
“Adding a day to Jazz Fest has given us the ability to go even deeper into the culture, highlighting both the classic and the current like never before,” Jazz Fest Producer Quint Davis said. “This year’s Festival makes its most powerful statement ever about how Louisiana music stands alone in America in its indigenous diversity, vitality and cultural importance.”
The festival’s hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, but after the gates close, the Foundation sponsors evening concerts around New Orleans. This year, the evening concert series includes major acts from around the country that are legends in their musical genre.
Evening concert series tickets vary in price from $35 to $60, depending on the act. Featured performers include Crosby, Stills and Nash with John Hiatt and The Goners on Friday, April 25, and Bob Dylan and Lucinda Williams on the following Saturday, April 26. Widespread Panic and North Mississippi All Stars headline the evening series Friday, May 2, followed by Grammy-award winner India Arie and soul/hip-hop artist Musiq on Saturday, May 3.
The series will be held at the Morris F.X. Jeff Municipal Auditorium, the Mahalia Jackson Theatre of Performing Arts, the Palm Court Jazz Café and the House of Blues, depending on the performers. Most of the artists mentioned above also will be performing shorter sets on one of the Jazz Fest stages before the gates close for the day.
Jazz Fest begins this Thursday and runs until Sunday, May 4. Tickets to the festival are $20 in advance and $25 at the gate. The evening concert series hours and locations vary depending on the musical act featured. Check out Jazz Fest’s Web site at www.nojazzfest for artist biographies, tickets, show times and more information about the festival.