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New Orleans Jazz Fest returns full bore
A slew of superstar acts have been booked to play this year's New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, which returns to its old self with seven full days of programming.
"Welcoming Stevie Wonder , Billy Joel , Tim McGraw , Sheryl Crow , and Keyshia Cole for the first time, in the same year that we've added the Thursday back to the Festival--and in the same year we're bringing back all-time Fest favorites The Neville Brothers, Jimmy Buffett, Santana, Widespread Panic, Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, and Diana Krall, among so many others--speaks to our serious effort to grow the festival at a time when New Orleans needs it the most," Jazz Fest producer/director Quint Davis said in a statement.
The long-running festival, which draws tens of thousands of attendees to the New Orleans Fairgrounds every spring, was reduced from seven days to six following 2005's Hurricane Katrina. This year's event, scheduled for April 25-27 and May 1-4, marks the return of "Jazz Fest Thursday."
Thousands of acts--including Dr. John, Al Green, Raconteurs, Irma Thomas and Robert Plant with Alison Krauss--will provide simultaneous music on 11 stages. A partial list of entertainers is included below; a full lineup and schedule is available at the Jazz Fest website.
Tickets are currently on sale at the festival's website and through Ticketmaster (LiveDaily's parent company). Most single-day passes are $40 in advance and $50 at the gate, and children ages 2-11 will be admitted for $5. VIP packages running from $450 to $1,000 are also available.
Partial list of Jazz Fest acts:
The Neville Brothers
Stevie Wonder
Billy Joel
Jimmy Buffett
Tim McGraw
Santana
Maze feat. Frankie Beverly
Sheryl Crow
Widespread Panic
Dr. John
Al Green
Diana Krall
Keyshia Cole
Robert Plant and Alison Krauss
The Raconteurs
Irma Thomas
Steel Pulse
John Prine
Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint
Randy Newman
Bobby McFerrin and Chick Corea
O.A.R.
Galactic
The Roots
Dianne Reeves
Michael Franti & Spearhead
Burning Spear
Ozomatli with Chali 2na
Rebirth Brass Band
Kenny Wayne Shepherd
Tower of Power
Delbert McClinton
John Hammond
Cassandra Wilson
Keb’ Mo’
The Count Basie Orchestra feat. Patti Austin
Pete Fountain
The Derek Trucks Band
Richard Thompson
Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn
The Radiators
James Cotton
Cupid
The John Butler Trio
Del McCoury
Vernel Bagneris: Jelly Roll & Me
Terence Blanchard with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra
Buckwheat Zydeco
John P. Kee & the New Life Community Choir
Cowboy Mouth
Byron Cage with Kim Burrell
Bishop Paul S. Morton, Sr. and the Greater St. Stephen Choir
Trinitee 5:7
Lizz Wright
Voices of the Wetlands Allstars
Dirty Dozen Brass Band
The Bad Plus
Carolina Chocolate Drops
Bettye LaVette
Trombone Shorty & Orleans Ave.
Gene "Duke of Earl" Chandler
Preservation Hall Jazz Band
Davell Crawford's N.O. R & B Orchestra
Henry Butler
Beausoleil avec Michael Doucet
Leo Nocentelli's "Rare Gathering"
Lee Boys
Harlem Blues and Jazz Band
MOOV of Martinique
Jackson Southernaires
Big Jay McNeely
Paul Porter of the Legendary Christianaires
Nicholas Payton
