It’s the most wonderful time of the year!  No Andy Williams, not Christmas, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, the unchallenged greatest music and culture event on the planet.  I hope you all had better luck getting to see all your picks yesterday that I did. It was so great being out there and seeing the sights and sounds and my Fest friends that I just do not know where the day went.

Today –

If I could only see one stage today it might be Fais Do Do. Jambalaya with Cajun living legend D. L. Menard gets the party started, followed by the lovely and talented Gal Holiday. Louisiana legends Warren Storm and Tommy McLean appear next with Willie Tee & Cypress. The three closing acts sandwich the Osborne Brothers between the zydeco sounds of Keith Frank and the Zydeco Sweetheart herself, Rosie Ledet.

Early in the day Bobby Cure hosts a review featuring Clarence “Frogman” Henry, Al “Carnival Time” Johnson and more at Gentilly, Meters guitarist Leo Nocentelli appears on Acura, one of my favorite new acts, Darcy Malone is over on the most relaxed stage, Lagniappe, and James Andrews gets it going in the Blues Tent. The next wave features Tab Benoit just before Nathaniel Rateliff at Gentilly and World Music Appreciation pick Alpha Blondy followed by New Orleans born rapper Mystikal at Congo. As we round the clubhouse turn, I am looking forward to seeing Henry Butler back in town for the Jelly Roll Morton tribute at Economy Hall and Papa Mali appearing with Cha Wa at Jazz & Heritage. I’m not too interested in most of the big name closers today, but since I was in an a cappella group before it was cool, I am stoked to see Naturally 7 closing out the Jazz Tent. And that, Music Lovers, is just a small sampling of all the awesome performances on tap for today.

Remember to practice the “Walk By”, stroll by the many different stages to see bands that you have never heard of for a song or two.  I promise that you will discover something fabulous you never even know existed. Whatever adventures lie before you, remember to always Go Hear Some Live Local Music!