New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival 2013

“I love Nawlins,” exclaimed former Heart guitar player Howard Leese about the city that Hurricane Katrina tried to destroy in 2005. “New Orleans is my spiritual home,” Scott Sharrard, guitar player for the Gregg Allman Band, expressed when he played there on New Year’s Eve. “It is my number one favorite city in the United States.” Talk to just about any musician who has played a gig in Louisiana’s most popular city and they will definitely sing her praises. From the food to the architecture to the bacchanalian Mardi Gras, this is where people come to have fun. And there is no better way to celebrate life than to party outdoors at one of NOLA’s many festivals, of which the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival is the King. It has been revered for years as THE place to play at least once in your musical life. And once you play there, you want to go back again and again.

Jazz Fest 2013 is right around the corner, starting on Friday, April 26, and running two weekends in a row. Whether you are going for the food – and yes, some people actually do go mainly for the food. This is New Orleans, remember, where crawfish beignets, Cajun jambalaya, gator-on-a-stick and cochon de lait po-boys (don’t ask, just eat) make for a mouthwatering experience all it’s own – the homemade crafts or the many stages of music, the Fest has become the #1 of it’s species. And one of the oldest, having started in 1970. Coachella didn’t come to life until 1999, Wanee in 2005 and Bonnaroo in 2002. Even Jazz Fest’s extremely popular fall sister festival, the Voodoo Music Experience, didn’t arrive on the scene until 1999.

Heading out to Jazz Fest has become an American tradition, with people traveling from all corners of the country and beyond. A few years ago, I talked to a gentleman from Florida who planned his vacations for the last ten years around Jazz Fest weekends. And why not? Over the years Jazz Fest has seen not only some of the most popular artists play on the many stages scattered across the Fairgrounds, but some of the most respected: Stevie Ray Vaughan, Bob Dylan and Miles Davis; the Allman Brothers, Stevie Wonder and Mahalia Jackson; Howlin’ Wolf, Chuck Berry and Santana. The past couple of years alone have seen Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, Pearl Jam, Jeff Beck, Foo Fighters, Simon & Garfunkel, Robert Plant, Bonnie Raitt, John Mellencamp and the Eagles.

With this over-abundance of supreme talents, how do you choose who to see? Well, it’s not as easy as you think. There are about twelve different stages, the main ones being the massive Acura and the ever-popular Gentilly. “Tents” specialize in blues, Jazz and gospel; there is even a kids tent full of music for the little ones of all ages. The Congo Square stage highlights funk and rhythm while the Fais Do-Do stage brings out the Cajun. There is a place for everyone. But oftentimes, some of your favorite artists will play at parallel times or the artist you want to see the most won’t play till the end of the day. So what do you do?

Of course, Jazz Fest 2013 is loaded with big boy headlining musicians: Fleetwood Mac, Billy Joel, Patti Smith, Maroon 5, BB King, the Black Keys, Widespread Panic, Earth Wind & Fire, the Dave Matthews Band, John Mayer, Ben Harper, Willie Nelson, George Benson, Dr John and Frank Ocean. But, there a few other less obvious ones… Glide took a look at the cubes and picked the top 8 other artists to see while at Jazz Fest.

Kristin Diable & The City
(Sunday, April 28) – The singer-songwriter has a sweet Southern charm of a voice that’s more molasses than sweet tea, humming with some bluesy charm. Check out her very talented guitar playing accompanier Casey McAllister.

Gary Clark Jr
(Friday, April 26) –  The hottest young blues guitarist in music today, just ask Eric Clapton what he think of Clark.

Calexico (Sunday, April 28) – Not your typical Jazz Fest band, but this Tucson, AZ collective just released their strongest album (Algiers) in years, which just happened to have been recording in the Crescent City.

Bryan Lee & The Blues Power Band
(Friday, April 26) – Another outstanding bluesman, Lee is beloved in his adopted home of New Orleans. Blind since youth, he mentored a young Kenny Wayne Shepherd, and knows his way around some thrilling blues chords.

Phoenix (Saturday, May 4) – Fresh off the heels of an outstanding Coachella performance with guest R Kelly, Phoenix might be the least jazz-centric band on the lineup, but fans hope to hear more cuts from their new album (Bankrupt!) released earlier this week.

Honey Island Swamp Band (Sunday, April 28) –  A festive NOLA-bred band, Honey Island delivers soulful jams and keeps it real with grade A musicianship that is euphoric as much as charming.

Mia Borders (
Thursday, May 2) – If Diable has the charm, Borders has the sass. No one else can take NIN’s “Closer” and own it better than it’s creator Trent Reznor.

Mardi Gras Indians
– The coup de grace of New Orleans are these purveyors of tradition, dressed in elaborately handmade beautiful costumes. They can be found all during the festival, on stages and parading throughout the grounds.

For more information, check out the Jazz Fest website www.nojazzfest.com

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