Turning 50 is always something to celebrate, whether it’s our physical body hitting the top of the proverbial hill, an anniversary with a beloved mate or a place or event that you love to go to, 50 is golden. And you want to throw one heck of a party for it. The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival was no exception.
Although Mick Jagger kind of let the cat out of the bag before the official Jazz Fest headliners announcement when he posted a short video harmonizing the cities the Rolling Stones would be playing on their North American No Filter tour, it still was a huge deal for the festival that began in 1970. The world’s most iconic rock & roll band was going to perform at Jazz Fest’s biggest birthday party to date. But things would be different. What is traditionally known as “Locals Day,” Thursday of the second weekend, suddenly became “Stones Thursday,” with specially priced tickets. Some cheered because the Stones were coming while others groaned at the price. Tickets still sold out before you could blink an eye or get through the online waiting line on Ticketmaster. They were gone.
Then on March 30th, Jagger posted the following: “I’m so sorry to all our fans in America and Canada with tickets. I really hate letting you down like this. I’m devastated for having to postpone the tour but I will be working very hard to be back on stage as soon as I can. Once again, huge apologies to everyone.” The gasp was heard round the world. Jagger had medical conditions that needed to be taken care of and that meant Jazz Fest was losing their main headliner. After undoubtedly working so hard to secure the British legends, I’m sure Quint Davis was immensely disappointed.
But the show always goes on so he was quick to find someone for the Stones Thursday slot: Fleetwood Mac. However, a few days later, they also pulled out due to health concerns, this being with singer Stevie Nicks. This was not looking good for Jazz Fest#50. Bob Seger had cancelled early on, Jerry Lee Lewis as well. Widespread Panic has now taken over that Thursday slot and refunds have been issued for those special day tickets.
But if you really think about it, Jazz Fest is more than the BIG headliners. Granted, those are the names that flash across the screen and get people to hop on airplanes from all over the world. But it is the other special things about this festival that keeps people coming back year after year. It is the atmosphere, it is the variety of music, it’s the food, it’s the culture. You just can’t get that at any other festival. So yeah, we may hang our heads in disappointment that the Stones won’t be playing but that won’t stop the fun – not for a minute. The roster is still bursting at the seams with great artists – from locals to mega-million-dollar sellers. No Stones, no problem. This 50th birthday party will still be a blast without them.
To prove that, here is a day-by-day listing of some of the artists playing, with our pick of the Glide Artist Of The Day, a local performer you really need to check out:
FIRST WEEKEND:
Thursday, April 25: Taj Mahal & The Phantom Blues Band, Amy Helm, BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet, Ciara, Alanis Morissette, the Doobie Brothers, Mia Borders, Jonathon Long, Russell Batiste & Friends.
Glide Artist Of The Day: Rockin’ Dopsie Jr & the Zydeco Twisters on main Acura Stage 1:55
Friday, April 26: The Revivalists, Santana, Tab Benoit, the Pride Of Zulu of South Africa, The Head & The Heart, New Orleans Suspects, Paula & The Pontiacs, Robert Cray, Dirty Dozen Brass Band.
Glide Artist Of The Day: Bonerama on Gentilly Stage 12:30
Saturday, April 27: Leon Bridges, Spencer Bohren & The Whippersnappers, Johnny Sansone, Logic, Boz Scaggs, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Kristin Diable & The City, Steve Earle & The Dukes, Rebirth Brass Band, Hurray For the Riff Raff, Maggie Koerner, Katy Perry.
Glide Artist Of The Day: Erica Falls on Gentilly Stage 1:35
Sunday, April 28: Al Green, Bonnie Raitt, Irma Thomas, Indigo Girls, Royal Teeth, Flow Tribe, Cedric Burnside, Corey Henry & Treme Funktet, the Tribute To Dave Bartholomew & Fats Domino, NOCCA Jazz Ensemble, Givers, Van Morrison.
Glide Artist Of The Day: Walter Wolfman Washington & The Roadmasters on Congo Square Stage 12:20
SECOND WEEKEND:
Thursday, May 2: Anders Osborne, Samantha Fish, Rita Coolidge, Mavis Staples, Widespread Panic, Big Sam’s Funky Nation, Johnny Sketch & The Dirty Notes, Tom Jones, Cowboy Mouth, Marc Broussard, Eric Lindell, Tonya Boyd-Cannon, Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk, Ziggy Marley.
Glide Artist Of The Day: Clay Parker & Jodi James on Lagniappe Stage 11:30
Friday, May 3: Gary Clark Jr, Sonny Landreth, North Mississippi Allstars, Ani DiFranco, Chris Stapleton, Kamasi Washington, Kermit Ruffins & The Barbeque Swingers, John Mooney & Bluesiana, Wayne Toups, Los Lobos.
Glide Artist Of The Day: Honey Island Swamp Band on Acura Stage 12:40
Saturday, May 4: Pitbull, John Prine, Galactic, The Earls Of Leicester, Marcia Ball, Shirley Caesar, Big Freedia, Diana Ross, Dave Matthews Band, Amanda Shaw, Kenny Neal, Aaron Neville, John “Papa” Gros, Tank & The Bangas.
Glide Artist Of The Day: Judith Owen on Lagniappe Stage 2:55
Sunday, May 5: Buddy Guy, John Fogerty, Little Feat, Savoy Family Cajun Band, Little Freddie King Blues Band, Xavier University Jazz Ensemble, Tribute To Allen Toussaint, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, The Radiators, Chaka Khan, John Hammond, Jimmy Buffett & The Coral Reefer Band, The Mavericks.
Glide Artist Of The Day: Yvette Landry & The Jukes on Fais Do-Do Stage 1:50
Keep in mind that the Mardi Gras Indians will be performing on stages as well as parading around the grounds; there will be exhibitions, live interviews at the Alison Miner Stage in the grandstand, fun events in the Kids Tent, Pow Wows, plenty of arts & crafts in the village, delicious food and ice cold snowballs. There are stages devoted to Jazz, Zydeco, Gospel, Blues and singer-songwriters.
Something else to keep in mind is to take a closer look at your cubes. There are stars beside artists who performed at the first Jazz Fest in 1970 – such as Germaine Bazzle, Leo Nocentelli, George Porter Jr and Little Freddie King – so try to catch them if at all possible. They are legends.
And lastly, we share with you some recollections from artists who have performed at Jazz Fest in the past, just in case you need a little extra enticement to buy a ticket:
Paul Barrere (Little Feat) = We have played there many times; at least six that I can count. Then I played there a couple times with other organizations. And we’re going to be there again on May 5th. Fred and Kenny and I are coming down a few days early and play with Anders Osborne. We do this Dead Feat thing at the Republic and that’s always fun and this will be like our seventh time doing it. We kind of mash up Little Feat and Grateful Dead songs, and then some of our own and Anders songs and my songs. It’s a hoot. That’s the thing I like about New Orleans, you can go down there and play with fourteen different people in one night. What do I love about Jazz Fest? I think just the fact that there is so much music. It’s a different kind of celebration than say Mardi Gras. You have a lot of the same aspects as far as the fans are concerned but there is just so much amazing music that you can’t go wrong. And the food has gotten better over the years. And you can go in that Gospel Tent and be sitting in there for an hour and fill up your soul and then walk next door and hear like John Mooney. It’s just classic, you know, something you can’t find anywhere else.
Ed Williams (The Revivalists) = Our first Jazz Fest, I remember it was very early when we got there and when we looked out into that crowd at Jazz Fest we felt like this was a city that was going to embrace our music. You know, it was that type feeling where you can’t remember the specifics, you just remember the feeling, and the feeling was a gratitude, a really good feeling just about where you were. Food Recommendation: Oh Crawfish Bread but only one (laughs). Every year I’m like, I eat one but that’s so delicious I’ve got to get another one and about halfway through the second one, you’re like, I am full. I should have stopped at one (laughs). But Yaka Mein, Crawfish Monica, do the whole round.
Reese Wynans (SRV & Double Trouble) = We used to play it every year with Stevie and then I played it a bunch with Delbert McClinton too. What I liked about Jazz Fest, of course I loved the food down there and I loved all the music. One of my favorite memories is I would go into the Gospel Tent, where they had all the great choirs, and I would just sit there and listen and just let all this inspired music just wash over me. And I would do that every single time. And I also loved when they had the local bands, the actual New Orleans musicians. It turned a little bit corporate to where they had bands from all over, and it’s great to hear the bands from all over, it really is, but I loved it when they had the New Orleans sound going on cause it’s the music that I love.
Jake Shimabukuro = The energy there is incredible. You just feel like the people there, they sincerely love the music and the nice thing about the festival, the festival environment lends itself so nicely to collaboration. You’ll see artists sitting in with other bands and all that. It’s so cool and I was so happy to have those opportunities to jump on with Sonny Landreth, to jump on with Jimmy Buffett; those things are just great. But then to have your own set too where you can do your own thing, it’s such a blessing to have all those opportunities. I had a great time at Jazz Fest and I know my bandmates did and we hope to go back again someday. And oh my gosh, did we have food! We ate so good while we were there. It was such a blessing cause I love all that creole and Cajun food.
Larkin Poe = We would love to play Jazz Fest! I’ve watched so many live sets on YouTube of artists performing and it looks like it’s so much fun.
Judith Owen = I remember the first time I went to Jazz Fest, I couldn’t get out of the Gospel Tent. I couldn’t leave because I was seeing something that I connected with so naturally and I was going to the source, which is where the power of voice is. The power of someone speaking and delivering and preaching, it was incredible. And I’m not a religious person but I’m not talking religion, I’m talking about that feeling where a person’s life is dependent upon it and whose soul is in it. That is something so special. I played Jazz Fest last year and I probably played maybe four years before that. And I guested and jumped onstage and did various things with various people, which is a hootenanny and I love it. Nothing makes me happier than getting on any stage at that place. But I must say, when Raymond Myles was alive, obviously, and Raymond Myles & The Ram came to the Gospel Tent, it was an out-of-body experience for me. The hair was up on the back of my neck, I had goosebumps, it was something that made me feel so elated, it was like a life-affirming experience. It was the closest thing I’ve come to feeling like, okay, if there is a God, if there is a religion in this world, then this is it. It’s music, music is a religion. But I felt very privileged and honored, in hindsight of course, to have seen that, cause it was so special and so short-lived and so many people who did not see Raymond Myles missed something so incredible. It makes me sad to think about it.
For all of your Jazz Fest questions, visit the official website https://www.nojazzfest.com/ for ticket information, parking locations, daily music schedules and mouthwatering food photos.
And don’t forget to check out our daily photo galleries here on the website, plus from-the-grounds highlights on Twitter and Instagram. Be sure to #glidemagazine whenever you’re at one of our Artist Of The Day sets and let us know what you thought of them.
Photographs by Leslie Michele Derrough
