New Orleans Rising

Suddenly, New Orleans is a media darling.

Tremendous positive vibes extended from the whole Gulf Coast as the Super Bowl celebration morphed into a more joyous than usual Saints-led Mardi Gras.

The French Quarter Festival in early April continues to grow and bring tourists in to sample the local music and great restaurant food.

Then, last week HBO premiered their new series “Treme” a celebration of the culture and music of New Orleans set against the backdrop of Katrina recovery. It’s getting rave reviews and hopefully will expand the appreciation of the music.

The first show was a little uneven as the characters got established, but the second show last Sunday was a rollicking good time. If you don’t have HBO, now is the time to get it. This is incredible television, and it gets New Orleans right.




And now it’s time for the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. For 2 magical weeks starting the last weekend in April, the Fair Grounds pulse with national and local music acts as well as the most incredible cuisine-sampling of local food one could experience.

Here’s a little helpful Q&A:
Where do I get tickets?
Any ticketmaster outlet, such as The Coast Coliseum. Cash only. $53.25 per day, all fees included. Whatever you do, get advance tickets. The “at the gate” line to buy tickets is not where you want to be.

What do I bring?
Sunscreen, hat, a lawn chair, plenty of cash, maybe a blanket.

What do I wear?
If you are a male, shorts and a t-shirt will do.
If female, you will need to wear a sheer, nearly transparent t-shirt, that kind that, should it get wet, would be terribly revealing. Of course, please rest assured that it never rains at Jazz Fest.

What do I eat?
The Jazz Fest begins with a soft-shell crab poboy. The music can not begin until Crawfish Monica is tasted. After that, you’re on your own.

Where do I sit?
We will be set up facing the Acura Stage. We’ll be stage right by the Big Chief Stands, against the fence, usually as far back as the big speaker stand. Easy access to Crawfish Monica.

What are the cubes?
That's the name for the music schedule you can find at www.nojazzfest.com, which you should study intently for the next few days.

What music?
This Saturday, our first day at the fest, it will be Simon & Garfunkel making their only US appearance of the year. It will undoubtedly be as memorable as some of my favorite previous moments from 30 years of intermittent festival attendance:

The Temptations – 1987 – Can’t Get Next to You. – Yes, finally got to see about 10,000 people sing along.

Sheryl Crow – 2008 – Closes a great set by ripping through Led Zeppelin’s “Rock & Roll.”

Alison Krause – 2008 – an accapella version of “Down to the River” with Robert Plant singing back up.

Bonnie Raitt – several times. A Jazz Fest favorite, her set last year with Jon Cleary, and the first time I heard her sing “Nick of Time” stand out;

Marcia Ball – 2009 – her heart felt version of Randy Newman’s “Louisiana 1927” brought the Fair Grounds down.

Cowboy Mouth – several times. In their first performance since Katrina they opened with the song they had written in exile, “Take Me Back to New Orleans.” One of many bone shaking performances they’ve provided. When you’re dancing in the rain with lightening flashing around you, you know you’ve lost your sanity. Not that it ever rains.

Kenny Neal – 2003 - ignites the Blues Tent

Stevie Wonder -2008 - blasts through hit after hit while we rock out in a pouring rain, the highlight being Sir Duke. Not that it ever rains.

Van Morrison – 2004 - Into the Mystic. He’ll be there this year as well, and I swear his 3 backup singers are the most beautiful on the planet. I think they can sing too.

Irma Thomas, Fats Domino, Allen Toussaint and many other legends

What are you waiting for?

You don’t want to miss Simon & Garfunkel sing one of their great New Orleans songs saluting our most famous sandwich:

The Crawfish:

I am just a poor boy
Though my bread is often dressed
I have squandered my resistance
For a mealtime full of miracles
All lies and jest
Still a man eats what he wants to eat
And disregards the rest

When I left Mothers for Parasol’s
I was no more than a boy
In the company of oysters
In the quiet of the Central Grocery
Running scared
Laying low seeking out the poor boys
Where the ham and catfish go
Looking for the places only they would know

Lie la lie…

Asking only shrimp for wages
I come looking for a job
But I get no offers
Just a come-on from the whores on Orleans Ave
I do declare, there were times when I was so lonesome
I took some comfort there

Lie la lie…

Now soft shells are rolling by me
They are rocking evenly
And I am hungrier than I once was
Fatter than I’ll be
That’s not unusual
No it isn’t strange
After Ferdi upon Ferdi
We are more or less the same
After changes we are more or less the same

Lie la lie…

Now I’m laying out my eating clothes
And wishing I was gone
Going home
Where the New Orleans levees aren’t bleeding me,
Leading me, going fest

In the clearing stands a crawfish
And a mudbug by his trade
And he carries the reminders
Of etouffe that laid him down
Or stewed him till he cried out
In his anger and his shame
I am leaving, I am leaving
But the crawfish still remains

Lie la lie


See you there!