Stop me if you’ve heard this one before, but are you as underwhelmed with this year’s Jazz Fest lineup as I am? Before launching into my familiar jeremiad, I should specify that I’m really only talking about the national acts booked at the Fest, which is a small part of the overall event.

As far as I’m concerned, local acts will always be the real raison d’etre of the festival, and it’s the revenues generated by the big national names that allow the Fest to continue showcasing the Louisiana folk artists who too often go unappreciated or underappreciated.

That being said, it’s safe to say that this year’s headliners represent another lackluster, uninspired mishmash of things we’ve seen too many times before: jam bands and the complement, aging rockers who inspired them.

On the positive side, there are a few unqualified winners this year. Ray Charles and Willie Nelson, neither of whom has played Jazz Fest in recent memory, are both living legends and naturals for the Fest.

In fact, it’s hard to think of a mote distinguished figure in the history of rhythm and blues than Ray. Except for maybe Fats Domino, who coincidentally is also playing on the Fair Grounds.

A step below those giants are a coterie of mildly interesting performers. Steve Miller hardly qualifies as a top-tier rock and roller, but his hits are so catchy and so plentiful that it should make for a can’t-miss set.

The Isley Brothers feature most of the Isleys who appeared on their string of hits in the ’70s, so they should deliver a solid, if slick, show. Los Lobos is a excellent band, but I wouldn’t mind their taking a break from Jazz Fest for the next few years to make way for other acts. Taj Mahal is another fine artist but uncreative booking.

In the “Why Bother” category, the award this year goes to Hootie & the Blowfish. This unassuming quartet from South Carolina struck a chord with audiences in 1995 with a warm, bland, roots pop sound and Went on to sell an astonishing 17-million records. But now, four years later, does anybody still care?

To be fair, there’s nothing terribly wrong with Hootie, who deserve thanks for helping our own Cowboy Mouth make national inroads. Ir’s just that I could name 10 bands off the top of my head working in roughly the same style who are, if now quite as popular, certainly mote interesting. As a matter of fact, I will: Neil Young, REM, Lucinda Williams, Cracker, the Wall-flowers, Wilco, Sun Volt, Sheryl Crow, Counting Crows and Whiskeytown.

There are quite a few wastes of space this year. Santana makes its fourth appearance in a decade. Little Feat makes its third Jazz Fest appearance in 10 years; which is three appearances too many as far as I’m concerned. Widespread Panic, playing their second Fest in three years, and the Fiji Mariners featuring Col. Bruce Hampton once again lay bare the Fest’s ridiculous jam band bias.

Of all the H.O.R.D.E.-ish acts, the only one malting creative, groundbreaking music is Medeski Martin & Wood, who are nowhere to be found on the Fair Grounds. As luck would have it, you can catch them at the State Palace Theatre on April 30 along with Pharoah Sanders. Maybe’ Festival Productions should outsource a percentage of their talent buying to Superfty Productions.

I don’t want to turn Jazz Fest into a Bayou Lollapalooza. I’m just saying that Jazz Fest is stuck in a booking rut. There’s a national swing revival, but has the Fest showcased acts like the Squirrel Nut Zippers, the Royal Crown Review, Brian Setzer, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy or native son Sam Butera? No. Likewise, they haven’t featured alternative country, acid jazz or hip hop, avant blues or avant garde jazz. What we have gotten is reactionary artists who also happen to be phenomenally popular — Ani DiFranco, Phish, Dave Matthews Band, Wide- spread Panic, Blues Traveler and Joan Osborne.

Either somebody at Jazz Fest has never taken the time to learn what’s out there or somebody has really bad taste.