NO Jazz & Heritage Festival

[Lois Gilbert]

40th Jazz Fest To Offer Broad Array Of Music

NEW ORLEANS -- The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival will celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2009 with performances by Aretha Franklin, Dave Matthews, James Taylor and dozens of other acts.

Jazz Fest founder George Wein said the festival reaches virtually every demographic.

"Everybody can relate to what happens here in New Orleans and that's what makes the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival a great event," Wein said.

This year, the festival has reached its 40th birthday with a lineup that producer Quint Davis calls its broadest array of musicians yet.

"We've got Wynton Maralis coming home, Tony Bennett, Aretha Franklin, James Taylor, Earth Wind and Fire," Davis said.

Tickets for the Festival, which takes place April 24-26 and April 30-May3 at the Fair Grounds Race Course, went on sale Tuesday.

"By coming to see your favorite superstar, you can go check out Rebirth Brass Band or anybody you may have never heard if you're not from here," said musician Trombone Shorty.

The festival is a showcase to nearly 400,000 tourists each year, bringing in close to $300 million. That's something tourism leaders say will continue despite the recent economic crunch.

"This festival is going to be one of the beacons for this city next year and be one of the shining examples of the power of our culture," said Stephen Perry with the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Performers include:

Wynton Marsalis, Aretha Franklin, Dave Matthews Band, James Taylor, Sugarland, Joe Cocker, Ben Harper, Tony Bennett, Earth, Wind, and Fire, Kings of Leon, The Neville Brothers, Wilco, Bonnie Raitt, Allen Toussaint, The O’Jays, Erykah Badu, Etta James, Johnny Winter, Buddy Guy, Los Lobos, Robert Cray, Toots and the Maytals, Dr. John, Spoon, Third World, Common, Orishas, Emmylou Harris, Irma Thomas, Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings, Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, Mavis Staples, The Whispers, Hugh Masekela, Doc Watson, Pete Seeger, John Mayall, Solomon Burke, Jakob Dylan, Rance Allen, Chuck Brown, Meter Men; Zig, George, & Leo, Kinky, Drive-By, Truckers feat. Booker T. Jones, Better Than Ezra, Avett Brothers, Pete Fountain, Galactic, Marcia Ball, Roy Haynes, Patty Griffin, Kurt Elling, Poncho Sanchez, John Scofield & the Piety Street Band, Marc Broussard, Rebirth Brass Band, Esperanza Spalding, Kind of Blue @ 50 Tribute to Miles Davis, Del McCoury Band, Aaron Neville, the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Odadaa of Ghana, The Genius of Sydney Bechet: A Tribute feat. Bob Wilber, Guy Clark, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Roy Rogers, Chris Owens, VaShawn Mitchell, Dew Drop Inn Revisited hosted by Deacon John, George Wein and Friends w/ Randy Brecker, Kermit Ruffins and the Barbeque Swingers, Terence Blanchard, Ivan Neville & Dumpstaphunk, Tab Benoit and the Wetland Allstars, Anointed Jackson Sisters, Ellis Marsalis, Dirty Dozen, Robert Mirabal, Trombone Shorty, The Vettes, Cedric Burnside, Lil’ Ed & the Imperials, Stephanie Jordan, Radiators, Buckwheat Zydeco, Amanda Shaw, The Ebony Hillbillies, Cowboy Mouth, Trout Fishing in America, Harlem Blues & Jazz Band, Tribute to Danny Barker, Amameresso Agofomma of Ghana, Crocodile Gumboot Dancers of South Africa, Ori Danse Club of Benin, Ladysmith Redlions of South Africa, Cheick Hamala Diabate of Mali and hundreds more.

For the first time ever, a limited number of discount ticket packages including tickets to each day of a particular weekend of the festival will be offered. Ticket packages purchased for all three days of the first weekend (April 24, 25 and 26) will be $105, while second weekend packages purchased for all four festival days (April 30, May 1, 2 and 3) will be $140. (Tickets included in each package are day-specific.)

Advance single day Jazz Fest tickets are still only $40 with the gate price of $50. Children’s tickets (ages 2 - 11) are only $5 in advance or at the gate. Single day tickets to Jazz Fest are on sale by specific weekend, with each ticket valid for a single day’s attendance.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit nojazzfest.com.