The festival, which will take place April 28-30 and May 5-7 in its traditional home at the Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, was in danger of postponement or even cancellation in the wake of damage wrought by September's Hurricane Katrina and subsequent flooding which left much of the city underwater and caused billions of dollars worth of property damage.

However, in an unprecedented step, Shell stepped in as the festival's first presenting sponsor, along with associate sponsors including American Express and Tenet Choice, Inc., enabling the organizers to go ahead with the show on schedule.

"The true heart and soul of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, as with New Orleans itself, is music," Quint Davis, producer/director of the festival, said in a press release. "It is the force that drives and defines us. Not merely for entertainment, but to feed our souls. It is overwhelming how our musical family has rallied to our cause, especially the New Orleans musical mainstays, many scattered throughout the country, all committed to returning to be a part of the renewal of our spirit. Jazz Fest 2006, the great New Orleans homecoming. Anybody who comes to this year’s Festival will bear witness to the healing power of music."

The festival will run from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. each of its six days, with simultaneous performances taking place on multiple stages. The festival's Food Fair and three craft fairs will run concurrently, with hundreds of vendors expected.

Tickets for the event are on sale now.