First Weekend of Jazz Fesst

Wow.  What a perfect day.  Beautiful weather, Trombone Shorty, good friends from out of town to share the day with, Dr. John, mango sorbet, running into old friends, Lionel Ferbos (age 101 trumpet player

still killing them), Gary Clark, Jr. (young guitar player from Austin who's at his beginning of killing them), white beans, Mardi Gras Indians, not- so -young couples dancing like they were 20 years old,
iced rose-mint tea and little kids just learning to love Jazz Fest.  Oh, yeah, Bruce Springsteen, only if you were able to get within a quarter mile of the Acura stage.

Day2

Another beautiful day with perfect weather for Jazz Fest.  My good friend, Joy, and I got an early start and made the artist rounds before the stages got rolling.  We shopped a bit (yeah, jewelry) and gossiped with other Jazz Fest artists.  We caught Tracy Thomson sewing her hats and Jennifer Chenevert selling her jewelry; ate some yummy (but probably unhealthy) food; walked around at least a hundred miles to get to as many music stages as we could and finally wound up in the Blues Tent to watch Bobby Rush do his dirty blues best, including the "shimmy" girls

Day 1

Jazz Fest is not only known for its' awesome music and food but for its' great arts and crafts which are very strictly juried.  Many of the artists are my friends and it is always a coup to get into the festival and show your artwork to a huge and appreciative crowd.  The artists switch out every weekend and next weekend it will be my turn to show my work.  In the meantime, here are two of my friends showing out at the festival fairgrounds.  Kiki Houston does jewelry and Peter Boutte does photography that has been painted over,

It's That Time Again

Our favorite time of the year in New Orleans is Jazz Fest.  Some might say Mardi Gras but that's like trying to compare Christmas and your birthday.  They're kind of equal but you might tip either one way or the other. Anyway, at Jazz Fest all of the musicians who are out there in the world touring and traveling from gig to gig all come home to roost for at least two weeks.  It's sort of like a family reunion in that respect because we get to go and see the most successful of the lot right here at home.  They always give their best shows here, too, because the audiences are so receptive.  From the big stages at Jazz Fest, to the outside arenas in the streets, to the clubs like Tip's and House of Blues to small venues and in-stores, the musicians are everywhere all at once.  Cyril Neville, youngest brother of the Neville Brothers, appeared at the Louisiana Music Factory with his new band, the Royal Southern Brotherhood, the other night and rocked the room.  This is only the beginning.  More in-store performances there continue on Monday.

Meanwhile, out at the Fairgrounds the music never stops.  Last set yesterday was a reunion of another sort....the Beach Boys on the Acura Stage at Jazz Fest.  What a treat.  It's like an all- you- can- eat feast for the ears.