All That Jazz
The history of jazz and the history of New Orleans overlap so much it’s difficult to separate the two. The National Park Service offers Jazz Neighborhood Maps, a list of jazz music venues and Jazz History Walking Tours.
Whether you come to New Orleans for a special event or festival or you just want to see some live music while you’re here, you’re guaranteed to find some great jazz. A few special events worth making the trip for include:
The 2008 New Orleans Jazz Festival (April 25 – 27 and May 1 – 4) has an all-star line-up including Billy Joel, Delbert McClinton, Santana, Frankie Beverly, Buckwheat Zydeco , Sheryl Crow, Widespread Panic, New Orleans legend Dr. John, Diana Krall, The Raconteurs, John Prine, Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint, Irma Thomas, Tower of Power, The Roots, and of course, the Neville Brothers closing out the festival on May 4th.
Tickets range from $40 per day in advance to $750 for the weekend for the Big Chief VIP Experience. The Grand Marshall VIP pass includes special viewing areas near the stages, re-entry privileges for $500 per weekend while the Big Chief VIP Experience also includes covered viewing areas and a hospitality lounge for $750 per weekend.
And Jazz Fest isn’t just about the music – it’s also about the food. Many of New Orleans’ favorite restaurants will be on hand to provide traditional favorites including a variety of P-Boys, beignets, café au lait, jambalaya, gumbo, and lots more Creole cooking.
Hotel Maison de Ville is already sold out for the Jazz Festival weekends, but check back for any last minute availability. Additional hotel and festival information including ticket information is available at the New Orleans Jazz Fest web site.
While Jazz Fest may be the best known festival, it’s certainly not the only time to see great music in New Orleans.
Preservation Hall
Preservation Hall opened in 1961 as a sanctuary for New Orleans Jazz, and it is still going strong. You can hear veteran musicians as well as a new generation of performers Wednesday through Sunday nights. Later this month on April 25, Terence Blanchard will be joining the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. Currently the Artistic Director of the Thelonius Monk Institute of Jazz, Blanchard has performed with the Lionel Hampton Orchestra and Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers as well as composing scores for a number of films. Check the Preservation Hall Calendar for upcoming shows.
The Essence of Summer
Summer means more great music. Jazz influenced artists including Mary J. Blige, Chris Rock, Morris Day, Maze, Jill Scott, Chris Brown and Kanye West are performing at the Essence Music Festival over the 4th of July weekend at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Daytime festival activities include fine artists and crafts as well as a showcase of New Orleans cuisine, and a book fair with author signings. Tickets range from $56 - $165 per day and are available through TicketMaster.
Satchmo
Summer also brings Satchmo Summerfest, a celebration of the life and music of Louis Armstrong at the Old US Mint. The festival combines traditional jazz and brazz bands with contemporary. Plus there’s plenty for the entire family to enjoy with handon drumming, kids programs, puppet shows and storytelling about the life of Lois Armstrong. Workshops including interviews, recordings and discussions plus great food round out the program. Satchmo Summerfest 2008 is scheduled for July 31 – August 3, so make your reservations soon!
Fall Into Swamp Fest
The Swamp Fest at the Audubon Zoo features Cajun and Zydeco music, food and crafts. Scheduled for November 1 – 2, 2008, admission to Swamp Fest is free with Zoo admission. And what could be better than staying in one of the cottages where James Audubon painted Birds of America before heading out to the Zoo?
