New Orleans JAzz & Heritage Festival
April 24-May 3
The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival is something to get excited about this year. One look at the lineup will have any music fan’s jaw dropping and heart pumping. The lineup this year features some incredible acts, offering something for everyone. At the top of the lineup there are bigger, more famous artists. However, towards the bottom of the lineup, I found many artists I was unfamiliar with. After learning about the festival’s history, I began to understand why.
Beginning in 1970, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival was conceived as a way to host a jazz festival in the Big Easy, arguably the jazz capital of the United States. The festival promotes local New Orleans musicians of diverse genres. In addition, the festival offers its attendees a taste of authentic Louisiana cuisine. Beginning as a four-day-long festival, it did not gain much traction or attention in its first few years. It wasn’t until the 1980s that the festival expanded to two weekends, evoking over 300,000 attendees each year. This surge in popularity has not since wavered and the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival remains one of the most well-known festivals each year.
This year, the festival will take place from April 24 - May 3. That’s 10 whole days of music and culture. If you can make it down, I definitely recommend doing so.
Lineup:
ELTON JOHN, THE WHO, JIMMY BUFFETT AND THE CORAL REEFER BAND, TONY BENNETT & LADY GAGA, NO DOUBT, KEITH URBAN, PITBULL, JOHN LEGEND, ED SHEERAN, LENNY KRAVITZ, T. I., CHICAGO, TROMBONE SHORTY AND ORLEANS AVENUE, HOZIER, WIDESPREAD PANIC, JERRY LEE LEWIS, RYAN ADAMS, STEVE WINWOOD, WILCO, THE METERS: ART NEVILLE, LEO NOCENTELLI, GEORGE PORTER, JR., & JOSEPH “ZIGABOO” MODELISTE, JIMMY CLIFF, BUDDY GUY, ALLEN TOUSSAINT, THE O'JAYS, IRMA THOMAS, TEDESCHI TRUCKS BAND, ALISON KRAUSS & UNION STATION, "DR. JOHN: OFF DA HOOK!”, A LOUIS ARMSTRONG CELEBRATION, THE RADIATORS, ANTHONY HAMILTON, KACEY MUSGRAVES, ROBERT CRAY, SHOVELS & ROPE, IVAN NEVILLE’S DUMPSTAPHUNK WITH GUEST ART NEVILLE, THIRD WORLD, AARON NEVILLE, DELBERT MCCLINTON, ANGELIQUE KIDJO, THE TAJ MAHAL TRIO, ESTELLE, MAZE FEATURING FRANKIE BEVERLY, TAB BENOIT, CASSANDRA WILSON COMING FORTH BY DAY: A CELEBRATION OF BILLIE HOLIDAY, SHIRLEY CAESAR, CHARLES LLOYD QUARTET, JUVENILE & MANNIE FRESH TOGETHER, MARCIA BALL, KERMIT RUFFINS & THE BBQ SWINGERS, THE BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA, BIG FREEDIA “QUEEN OF BOUNCE”, JIMMIE VAUGHAN & TILT A WHIRL BAND FEAT. LOU ANN BARTON, GURRUMUL, PALOMA FAITH, GALACTIC FEATURING MACY GRAY, REBIRTH BRASS BAND, ANDERS OSBORNE, THE WORD, PRESERVATION HALL JAZZ BAND, JOHN P. KEE AND NEW LIFE, CHRISTIAN MCBRIDE BIG BAND WITH SPECIAL GUESTS DIANNE REEVES AND JEFFREY OSBORNE, IRVIN MAYFIELD & THE NEW ORLEANS JAZZ ORCHESTRA, PASTOR MARVIN SAPP, TERENCE BLANCHARD E-COLLECTIVE, STURGILL SIMPSON, BWB FEATURING RICK BRAUN, KIRK WHALUM & NORMAN BROWN, VINTAGE TROUBLE, SHOOTER JENNINGS WITH WAYMORE’S OUTLAWS, CÉCILE MCLORIN SALVANT, BÉLA FLECK AND ABIGAIL WASHBURN, DAVELL CRAWFORD PRESENTS “TO FATS WITH LOVE” A TRIBUTE TO FATS DOMINO, LÁGBÁJÁ, THE WILD MAGNOLIAS, BUCKWHEAT ZYDECO, LIL' ED AND THE BLUES IMPERIALS, BIG SAM'S FUNKY NATION, JON CLEARY AND THE ABSOLUTE MONSTER GENTLEMEN, LUKE JAMES, DONALD HARRISON JR., GLEN DAVID ANDREWS, LA SANTA CECILIA, WALTER “WOLFMAN” WASHINGTON & THE ROADMASTERS, MONTY ALEXANDER: HARLEM-KINGSTON EXPRESS, ELLIS MARSALIS, COWBOY MOUTH, KENNY GARRETT, VIEUX FARKA TOURÉ, ROYAL TEETH, MS. RUBY WILSON’S TRIBUTE TO BESSIE SMITH FEAT. BRIAN “BREEZE” CAYOLLE, IRONING BOARD SAM, AMANDA SHIRES, PINE LEAF BOYS: LOUISIANA MUSIC, ROCKIN’ DOPSIE, JR. & THE ZYDECO TWISTERS, SNARKY PUPPY, THE DIRTY DOZEN BRASS BAND, THE REVIVALISTS, CAROLYN WONDERLAND, CREOLE STRING BEANS, THE NEW ORLEANS SUSPECTS, EAGLE AND HAWK, NICHOLAS PAYTON, HONEY ISLAND SWAMP BAND, THE SOUL REBELS, BUTLER, BERNSTEIN & THE HOT 9, JEWEL BROWN WITH GREGG STAFFORD’S JAZZ HOUNDS, BIG CHIEF WALTER COOK & THE CREOLE WILD WEST MARDI GRAS INDIANS, BIG CHIEF MONK BOUDREAUX & THE GOLDEN EAGLES, YOUNG GUARDIANS OF THE FLAME, WHITE CLOUD HUNTERS MARDI GRAS INDIANS, YOUNG MEN OLYMPIA AID SA & PC, DIVINE LADIES SA & PC, BIG FOUR AND ORIGINAL FOUR SA & PC, MORNING STAR MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH MASS CHOIR, THE SENSATIONAL CHOSEN VOICES, ROSIE LEDET & THE ZYDECO PLAYBOYS, OTTERTRAIL NATIVE AMERICAN DANCE TROUPE, RISING DRAGON LION DANCE TEAM, CALLIOPE PUPPETS
My Top 10:
1. Ed Sheeran - I’ve heard incredible things about his live performances, especially his improvisations. He is a must-see.
2. Tedeschi Trucks Band - One my favorite bands. Derek Trucks is quite possibly the greatest guitarist alive and Susan Tedeschi has one of the most powerful voices I’ve ever heard.
3. Hozier - Everybody knows I love Hozier and I’m still dying to see him live.
4. Widespread Panic - Jimmy Herring, another awesome guitarist, with a fantastic band of musical veterans.
5. Preservation Hall Jazz Band - They just released an amazing record two years ago called “That’s It!”. This band is extremely talented.
6. Ryan Adams - Great songwriter and performer.
7. Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga - What an interesting combination, but damn, they work together so well.
8. Wilco - I’ve been trying to get into this band for about a year, but just can’t for some reason. Everyone says they’re amazing and I feel like seeing them live would seal the deal.
9. John Legend - Great musician, great voice. Who wouldn’t want to see him play live?
10. T.I. - Classic ATL rapper
Honorable Mentions:
Estelle - Anyone remember “American Boy”?
Buddy Guy - Legend
Bela Fleck - Jazz banjo virtuoso. He basically reinvented the instrument.
Get tickets here
By David Cooper