Can't meet you at the flagpole this year

April 23, 2020 12:32 PM

For the first time since it began in 1970, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival is canceled. Today would have been the first day, but instead we're Festing in Place with WWOZ's broadcast of past Jazz Fest sets. WWOZ released Cubes for all eight days, and a list of Jazz Fest food for home (mostly local pickup or delivery, but there are a few mail order options).

Daily highlights: Fats Domino's 2001 set (4/23 at 6:10), a currently undated Ellis Marsalis set (4/24, 4:15), Dr. John's 2006 set (first post-Katrina Fest, 4/25 at 6:10), highly underrated gospel singer Raymond Myles from 1994 (4/26, 11:00), a 2015 set from Cajun greats Beausoliel (4/30, 4:00), rare recording of the 1974 Tipitina's Fire Benefit with Professor Longhair (5/1, 6:10), a 2009 Allen Toussaint set (5/2, 6:10), and the 2007 Irma Thomas tribute to Mahalia Jackson (5/3, 11:00).

posted by CheeseLouise (10 comments total)

Crap, already missed the James Booker Tribute earlier today with New Orleans piano players Josh Paxton, Joe Krown and Tom McDermott. I've been enjoying the new Debbie Davis/Josh Paxton record , Interesting Times which I learned about by hearing the track "Other than everything, everything's great" on WWOZ.
posted by larrybob at 5:31 PM on April 23, 2020

PS. I use Tune-in (which you can even request from Alexa) to listen to WWOZ.
posted by larrybob at 5:31 PM on April 23, 2020

Kinda weird to listen to WWOZ lately and realize there's no "live local music" right now.

I was there before Covid hit and remember thinking what kind of natural disaster would prevent the crowds from coming, if Katrina couldn't. Welp. It's going to hurt, but NOLA will be back.

But man, what an all-star virtual lineup.
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 6:40 PM on April 23, 2020 [1 favorite]

Crap, already missed the James Booker Tribute earlier today

OZ is posting an archive of the sets too, I can't find it right this sec on my phone but i know I saw the link on the website.
posted by CheeseLouise at 7:47 PM on April 23, 2020 [1 favorite]

DJ Swamp Boogie is spinning some good stuff right now, too.
posted by RobotVoodooPower at 7:52 PM on April 23, 2020 [1 favorite]

I guess my streak of attending Jazz fests is intact, but it sure does not feel like it. This is great. Thanks for posting.
posted by AugustWest at 9:10 PM on April 23, 2020 [1 favorite]

I’ve worked jazzfest off and on (mainly on) for 15 years, and this is devastating. There is a certain energy in the air during jazzfest that isn’t replicated by another festival I have ever worked (and I have worked quite a few). WWOZ is killing it with their virtual jazzfest programming. larrybob thanks for the Debbie Davis / Josh Paxton link.

Cancelling jazzfest affects not only the amazing musicians and visual artists, but the sound engineers, backline techs, production / stage managers, vendors, logistics folks, carpenters, security guards, ticketing people, and everyone else in the city who counts on jazzfest and the festival season as their livelihood.
posted by nolabasashi at 4:43 AM on April 24, 2020 [2 favorites]

Thanks for this post. Every year, I host one of the interviews on the interview stage, and it feels so odd to not be madly preparing for that right now.
posted by umbú at 3:07 PM on April 24, 2020 [1 favorite]

I am partial to French Quarter Fest. I think my whole year is going to feel lopsided without the traditional spring weekend in NO. I didn’t realize how much it had gotten into my bones - how vital the fresh air and fantastic music had become. This is why humans have rituals, isn’t it?
posted by double bubble at 10:35 PM on April 24, 2020 [1 favorite]

Listening to the 1974 Professor Longhair Fire Benefit!
posted by larrybob at 3:53 PM on May 1, 2020