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A Jazz Fest Diary: Final Day Blowout, Part 1

Tue, 05/12/09

Authored by:  Hunter King

As much as I enjoy a local-heavy Jazz Fest, I couldn't turn down an opportunity to see Neil Young performing at the Fairgrounds for the first time ever. When I heard the electric buzz of just the first few chords, I got goosebumps. Read more

The Worst Show of All Time

Thu, 05/07/09

Authored by:  Jamie Dell'Apa

Conspiracy theorists unite! This Saturday night, we will broadcast audio and music that ties Bill O'Reilly, Dick Cheney and Ray Nagin to a common missing link. Audio snippets from Voldemort, Darth Vader, Butterfly McQueen, Paul Harvey, Marlon Brando (Kurtz), Secret Squi... Read more

Sunday: Allen Tousaint and Cedric Burnside

Wed, 05/06/09

Authored by:  Hunter King

The words seem strange as I type them, but Sunday you could really catch some of the best this festival has to offer without moving from the Acura stage. Example: Allen Toussaint sat himself at the piano and belted out a string of classics from the nearly endless collection of... Read more

Non-Stop Saturday Action

Mon, 05/04/09

Authored by:  Hunter King

With everything going on it had been a while since I visited my dependable fallback the Gospel Tent. I was greeted by the Voices of Distinction, an all-female quartet studded in sparkly green dresses. Their foot-stomping soul was an absolute blast, and it felt good to know tha... Read more

Funky Friday

Mon, 05/04/09

Authored by:  Hunter King

Esperanza Spalding has been exploding lately, and with good reason. Her enthusiastic and earthy character is matched by an articulate and proficient style of breezy jazz. The WWOZ Jazz Tent was certainly hypnotized, and I think more than a few crushes were formed. Read more

A Slice of New Orleans Heaven: Rebirth, Dirty Dozen, and John Boutté

Mon, 05/04/09

Authored by:  Hunter King

The Congo Square Stage was just as overflowing as its Festival schedule square for the Dirty Dozen Brass Band and the Glass House Reunion with the Rebirth Brass Band. Later on, John Boutté put on a refreshing set at the 'OZ Jazz Tent. Read more

Frankie and Fredy On Saturday

Mon, 05/04/09

Authored by:  Hunter King

I'll admit I decided to go see Freddie Ford mostly out of curiosity, but apparently he anticipated this. Twenty-seven Jazz Festivals, and way more since his R&B smash "Sea Cruise", the "New Orleans Dynamo" gladly beat us to every joke about his age that we could have imagined,... Read more

The Meter Men, Theresa Andersson, and Po' Henry & Tookie

Sat, 05/02/09

Authored by:  Hunter King

The Meter Men described themselves as senior citizen funk, but by looking and listening to them it was hard to agree. George, Leo and Zig were tight and together, playing the low-down grooves they were known for in their Meters days but with plenty of vicious shredding from Le... Read more

Thursday Afternoon Blues

Sat, 05/02/09

Authored by:  Hunter King

I'm starting to think there's a competition among Blues Tent performers to outdress each other. I'm having a hard time choosing a winner so far, but Lil' Ed (pictured at right) is certainly in the running. Showy regalia aside, I'm a big fan of his recent Alligator Records rele... Read more

Weekend 2 Kickoff: Honey Island Swamp Band and Little Freddie King

Sat, 05/02/09

Authored by:  Hunter King

Little Freddie King was already a big glowing square on my Jazz Fest schedule, but his single-song appearance at the Ponderosa Stomp last night really whetted my appetite. You see, despite his modest moniker and innocent smile on the cover of his MadeWright Records release, Me... Read more