N.O. Jazz Fest wrap
Posted on May 10th, 2008 – 4:55 PMBy Chris Riemenschneider
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, even after Katrina: The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (a k a Jazz Fest) is the best big music fest in the country. As you can read in my full review (click here to see it online), I especially loved how the fest seems to have become a call-to-arms for New Orleans preservation.
Please let us know if you agree, especially if you were down for either weekends of the fest this year.
5 Responses to "N.O. Jazz Fest wrap"
[…] Chris Riemenschneider wrote an interesting post today on N.O. Jazz Fest wrapHere’s a quick excerptN.O. Jazz Fest wrap I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, even after Katrina: The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (a k a Jazz Fest) is the best big music fest in the country. As you can read in my full review (click here to see it online), I especially loved how the fest seems to have become… Read the full post from Pop Life Tags: main, Concerts via Blogdigger blog search for country music. […]
[…] N.O. Jazz Fest wrap I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, even after Katrina: The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (a k a Jazz Fest) is the best big music fest in the country. As you can read in my full review (click here to see it online), I especially loved how the fest seems to have become… […]
I’ve been to Bonnaroo, and I’ve been to the 10,000 Lakes Festival, and I attended several large Phish festivals on the east coast… and none of them compare to the three NOLA Jazz Fest’s I’ve attended. This was our first year back since Katrina — that freakin’ whore — and definitely won’t be our last. The people in New Orleans are as nice as they come, and the food is second to none. I love that music and libations are flowing 24 hours a day throughout the FQ. I only wish I could have stuck around to see Stevie this year!
Agreed. For the second year in a row, I did most of both weekends. JazzFest is the one show to see. Start with the local artists. Actually, you could finish there and it would still beat the others. Pine Leaf Boys. Oh yeah…they got it going, picking up from Beausoleil and Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys. Not that the older bands are an oldies act. Riley is still the best cajun show in town, and Geno Delafose’s zydeco band outshines Buckwheat’s in my opinion. It was especially nice to see Sunpie, who led the Clifton Chenier tribute, dancing as Geno played.
Then there is Sonny Landreth, who cannot be explained. You have to see him play guitar to appreciate the amazing sound and rhythm he gets out of it.
I agonized about whether to see Stevie or Terence
Blanchard (and John Prine and Marva Wright). I chose Terence and was treated to the most moving performance I have ever seen save Springsteen’s at the Fest a few months after the flood, when My City of Ruins had the toughest of rest crying. “A Tale of God’s Will”, much of which provided the music to Spike Lee’s “When the Levees Broke” is an incredible work, even more moving live when surrounded by New Orleanians who lived through it.
Finally, I had to leave before Snooks played at the Fest but I saw him at the Rock ‘n Bowl. Even better.
Have you been to the Beale Stree Music Festival in Memphis? Runs over one of the same weekends as New Orleans and has always been fantastic every time. Diverse line-up over three days and only $70 bucks.
Memphis is a great town with the best barbeque on the planet. Can’t recommend it enough.
