2008 New Orleans Jazzfest
Tim McGraw, Stevie Wonder and Billy Joel Making First Appearances
The Jazz and Heritage Festival returns to its pre-Katrina format with a lineup that is called the best in 39 years. It starts April 25 at the Fair Grounds Race Course.
The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (Jazzfest) returns to its full pre-Katrina format in 2008 with perhaps the best musical lineup in its 39-year history, including some top musicians and singers making their first appearance in the 7-day festival.
The thousands of performers on the 11 Jazzfest stages will include Tim McGraw, Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel, Jimmy Buffett, Sheryl Crow, Al Green, Keyshia Cole, Robert Plant, Alison Krauss, Randy Newman, Buckwheat Zydeco and Canadian Diana Krall.
Also: New Orleanians Pete Fountain, Dr. John, Irma Thomas, Allen Toussaint, Kermit Ruffins, Walter "Wolfman" Washington and Terence Blanchard, who will team with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra to perform "A Tale of God’s Will, A Requiem for Katrina."
Performing Groups Will Include Neville Brothers, Santana, Widespread Panic
The performing groups will include the Neville Brothers, Santana, Cowboy Mouth, Galactic, Rebirth Brass Band, The Radiators, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Maze (featuring Frankie Beverly), Widespread Panic, The Raconteurs and dozens of choirs, bands and combos.
The music will range from Dixieland and Gospel to Motown and Country, with a lot in between.
The 2008 Jazzfest is returning to the seven-day format, spread over two weekends, that it followed before Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans August 29, 2005. The 2008 dates at the Fair Grounds Race Course are April 25-27 and May 1-4, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day.
Food Fair Will Offer "Authenic Louisiana Cuisine"
The festival will offer simultaneous music at 11 stages spread across the race track inner circle and grandstand.
Jazzfest officials said the accompanying food fair will feature "more than 100 varieties of authentic Louisiana cuisine."
A wide array of crafts will also be offered during the festival.
Little Richard Will Perform at Foundation Gala
Jazzfest will be preceded by the Foundation’s 10th annual gala featuring Little Richard, Deacon John, and The Ivories. It is scheduled April 24 at the Hilton Riverside in downtown New Orleans.
Jazzfest Producer/Director Quint Davis raved about being able to schedule McGraw, Wonder, Joel, Crow and Cole for the first time.
In his January 24, 2008 article titled "What A Lineup,", Keith Spera, The Times-Picayune music writer, attributed the festival’s impressive lineup to "good will, good fortune and a goodly invesment of cash."
Shell Oil is now listed as lead sponsor of the festival, which helped with the talent investments. The festival also raised its prices $5 to $50 per person.
Davis said the success of the 2008 event was due to:
- The festival’s commitment to growth
- The desire of some performers to help New Orleans recover from Hurricane Katrina
- The fondness for the city by some performers
- The new partnership with AEG Live, which has extensive connections in the entertainment field.
"We’ve got a lot of people who want to play this festival," Davis told The Times-Picayune.
Davis said he expected the daily crowds to run into "tens of thousands."
The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation, which owns Jazzfest, contributes to a variety of New Orleans civic causes. It also distributes 8,500 free Jazzfest tickets to community groups, high schools, religious organizations and non-rofit groups.
Billy Joel Took Motorcycle Tour of Flooded Areas
According to The Times-Picayune, Billy Joel decided to perform at Jazzfest after riding a motorcycle through some of the city’s still flood-ravaged neighborhoods in December 2007.
"I have a personal commitment to help restore and preserve the unique musical community and tradition of the great city of New Orleans," he told the paper.
