That's a bit of a misnomer, since Jazz Fest actually started this weekend. In what has become something of a recent trend, I'm attending Jazz Festival yet again, this time on the second of the two weekends. You can see some pictures I took during previous Fests on Flickr. I put the Jazz Festival link on the right side here, and this guy has a pretty good site too. He also does a blog.
Jazz Festival, for those of you uninitiated, is not just a music festival, but a food festival, cultural, heritage, and art festival. The whole city pretty much focuses on Jazz Fest during those seven days. Post-Katrina, the Festival had been reduced to six days. This year, the second-weekend Thursday has been resumed. That was traditionally the "locals" day, with the lightest attendance overall but highest attendance from New Orleans-area residents.
Highlights of this year's second weekend include the return of the Neville Brothers. The Nevilles, longtime New Orleans and Jazz Fest stalwarts, had fled the city after Katrina, allegedly owing to Aaron's asthma flaring up. They have not played any shows in New Orleans since the storm, although brother Cyrill Neville has played with his band "Dumpstaphunk" many times. Other highlights include the initial Jazz Fest performances of Stevie Wonder and Diana Krall, as well as return engagements by Widespread Panic, Randy Newman, Santana, the Subdudes, Marcia Ball (sadly overlapping the Subdudes), everyone's favorite white trash rocker Kenny Wayne Shephard, Jimmy Buffett, Rebirth Brass Band, the Radiators, the Zion Harmonizers, the Dixie Cups ("Iko Iko"), and a return solo Gospel Tent performance by Aaron Neville.
Dozens of other acts I've never heard of will play, some of whom I'll hate, others I'll start to follow. Jazz Fest has introduced me to such great musicians as the Subdudes, Anders Osborne, Dash Rip Rock, Rebirth Brass Band, Cowboy Mouth, Charmaine Neville, Irma Thomas, Marcia Ball, and many others.
Some of my favorite things to do at the Festival are to take shade and a seat in the Gospel Tent and combine great music with a worshipful repose, tour the Heritage Festival displays, check out the circa 1900-1920 style jazz performances in the Economy Hall tent, stuff my face with the best food EVER (this isn't funnel cake and turkey legs, this is outstanding locally produced restaurant quality food), check out the chanky-chank music at the Fais-Do-Do stage, and just generally go searching for new acts I've never heard of. The two big stages can offer some treats as well, although the huge crowds generally make it difficult to experience any sort of musical nuance. One welcome development is the banning of lawn chairs in a large centered expanse near the stage. This allows more people to get an "up close" experience (and for better photos).
I aim to blog each night after the day's shows. I'll also take tons of pictures and put those on flickr, again, each night (although they may not get labelled until later).
Each year's Jazz Fest seems to bring one-of-a-kind performances. My favorite performances include Rev. Al Green, Five Blind Boys of Alabama, Dash Rip Rock, Johnny Rivers, Isaac Hayes, Irma Thomas, Aretha Franklin, Tito Puente, and Solomon Burke. Without question the greatest single moments were (1) Randy Newman's performance of "Louisiana 1927" ("Louisiana...they're trying to wash us away") beginning right when it began to storm on the 1994 Festival, and (2) Marcia Ball singing the same song at the first post-Katrina Fest. Oh, and the first time I ever had Crawfish Monica, which along with the Prejean's quail, pheasant, and andouille gumbo (also available at the Festival) clearly is the food of the gods.
There's other things I like to do as well. Its fun driving around town in the mornings. I like the breakfast buffet at my hotel, which gives me a rare and treasured opportunity to read the paper and drink tea in solitude over breakfast. The local public TV station also plays old movies on weekend nights. I also like to jog on the streetcar lines on St. Charles Avenue in the mornings. It may be a bit trickier now that they've resumed full service (post-storm the streetcars stopped at Napoleon Avenue; now they go all the way). Oh, and I like calling my friend Donna to gloat that I'm there (again) and she's not (again-hope you're enjoying Thousand Oaks California you misplaced Cajun girl). Each night I used to hit one of the local music clubs, where other bands would usually play some great sets. Now I'm too tired and sore after standing out in the sun all day (and walking about 20 miles to and from my car at the Festival), so I generally just go back to my room at night (where I'll blog this year).
So make sure to check in this weekend if you can't make it to New Orleans. I'll be your eyes, ears, and mouth. Actually that sounds kind of disgusting. How about I'll let you know what I see, hear and eat?
Jazz Festival, for those of you uninitiated, is not just a music festival, but a food festival, cultural, heritage, and art festival. The whole city pretty much focuses on Jazz Fest during those seven days. Post-Katrina, the Festival had been reduced to six days. This year, the second-weekend Thursday has been resumed. That was traditionally the "locals" day, with the lightest attendance overall but highest attendance from New Orleans-area residents.
Highlights of this year's second weekend include the return of the Neville Brothers. The Nevilles, longtime New Orleans and Jazz Fest stalwarts, had fled the city after Katrina, allegedly owing to Aaron's asthma flaring up. They have not played any shows in New Orleans since the storm, although brother Cyrill Neville has played with his band "Dumpstaphunk" many times. Other highlights include the initial Jazz Fest performances of Stevie Wonder and Diana Krall, as well as return engagements by Widespread Panic, Randy Newman, Santana, the Subdudes, Marcia Ball (sadly overlapping the Subdudes), everyone's favorite white trash rocker Kenny Wayne Shephard, Jimmy Buffett, Rebirth Brass Band, the Radiators, the Zion Harmonizers, the Dixie Cups ("Iko Iko"), and a return solo Gospel Tent performance by Aaron Neville.
Dozens of other acts I've never heard of will play, some of whom I'll hate, others I'll start to follow. Jazz Fest has introduced me to such great musicians as the Subdudes, Anders Osborne, Dash Rip Rock, Rebirth Brass Band, Cowboy Mouth, Charmaine Neville, Irma Thomas, Marcia Ball, and many others.
Some of my favorite things to do at the Festival are to take shade and a seat in the Gospel Tent and combine great music with a worshipful repose, tour the Heritage Festival displays, check out the circa 1900-1920 style jazz performances in the Economy Hall tent, stuff my face with the best food EVER (this isn't funnel cake and turkey legs, this is outstanding locally produced restaurant quality food), check out the chanky-chank music at the Fais-Do-Do stage, and just generally go searching for new acts I've never heard of. The two big stages can offer some treats as well, although the huge crowds generally make it difficult to experience any sort of musical nuance. One welcome development is the banning of lawn chairs in a large centered expanse near the stage. This allows more people to get an "up close" experience (and for better photos).
I aim to blog each night after the day's shows. I'll also take tons of pictures and put those on flickr, again, each night (although they may not get labelled until later).
Each year's Jazz Fest seems to bring one-of-a-kind performances. My favorite performances include Rev. Al Green, Five Blind Boys of Alabama, Dash Rip Rock, Johnny Rivers, Isaac Hayes, Irma Thomas, Aretha Franklin, Tito Puente, and Solomon Burke. Without question the greatest single moments were (1) Randy Newman's performance of "Louisiana 1927" ("Louisiana...they're trying to wash us away") beginning right when it began to storm on the 1994 Festival, and (2) Marcia Ball singing the same song at the first post-Katrina Fest. Oh, and the first time I ever had Crawfish Monica, which along with the Prejean's quail, pheasant, and andouille gumbo (also available at the Festival) clearly is the food of the gods.
There's other things I like to do as well. Its fun driving around town in the mornings. I like the breakfast buffet at my hotel, which gives me a rare and treasured opportunity to read the paper and drink tea in solitude over breakfast. The local public TV station also plays old movies on weekend nights. I also like to jog on the streetcar lines on St. Charles Avenue in the mornings. It may be a bit trickier now that they've resumed full service (post-storm the streetcars stopped at Napoleon Avenue; now they go all the way). Oh, and I like calling my friend Donna to gloat that I'm there (again) and she's not (again-hope you're enjoying Thousand Oaks California you misplaced Cajun girl). Each night I used to hit one of the local music clubs, where other bands would usually play some great sets. Now I'm too tired and sore after standing out in the sun all day (and walking about 20 miles to and from my car at the Festival), so I generally just go back to my room at night (where I'll blog this year).
So make sure to check in this weekend if you can't make it to New Orleans. I'll be your eyes, ears, and mouth. Actually that sounds kind of disgusting. How about I'll let you know what I see, hear and eat?
1 comment:
Have a great time. Don't get arrested. ;)
Post a Comment