Talk to anyone old enough to remember the first Jazz Fest in 1970, and they probably have a story about a killer show by the Meters, Bois Sec or maybe Roosevelt Sykes. Odds are they can’t help but mention that tickets were only $3. And then they’ll shake their heads sadly about the $50 gate price for the 2008 fest.

Adjust that original $3 ticket for inflation, though, and it turns out that the first Jazz Fest actually costs $16.32. Is today’s Jazz Fest worth ...