Angelique Kidjo (Festival International de Louisiane) Thursday, April 23, Scene Stabil Drill International Stage, 9:45 p.m.; (First Jazz Fest Weekend) Sunday, April 26, Congo Square, 1:55 p.m.

Building physical bridges requires labor, some creative engineering and a determination to connect two worlds that may not seem connectable. When it comes to cultural bridges—like the ones Angelique Kidjo has dedicated her career to building—the same basic requirements apply.

That fact was ...