FRENCH QUARTER FEST 2018
☞ FQF Map & Cubes
☞ Quicksearch schedule
☞ Full line-up and schedule
FQF Map & Cubes
Quicksearch schedule
| Artist | Date | Stage | Time | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A2D2 Experience with Antoine Diel & Arsene DeLay | Sat, Apr 14 | New Orleans Magazine Cabaret Stage at the Palm Court | 2p | This duo focuses on jazz and R&B. Antoine Diel who was born in Manila and grew up in Los Angeles now calls New Orleans home. Arsene DeLay soulful jazz singing has a passion for the power of words. |
| Adam Crochet | Sun, Apr 15 | Pan-American Life Insurance Group Songwriter Stage | 12:15p | The singer, songwriter, and guitarist blends classic blues, R&B, funk, soul, and roots music into moving arrangements of what he’s dubbed “Louisiana smooth blues.” He also backs the Wild Magnolias and Big Chief Monk Boudreaux & the Golden Eagles. |
| Airpark | Fri, Apr 13 | House of Blues Voodoo Garden Stage | 6p | Ben Ford and Michael Ford Jr. launched this duo last year after the dissolution of their previous band, Apache Relay. The two brothers newest project offers a minimalist approach to pop-rock. |
| Al “Lil’ Fats” Jackson | Sat, Apr 14 | Tropical Isle Hand Grenade Stage | 12:30p | At a young age, Alvin E. Jackson had accomplished the mastering of rhythm and blues in the New Orleans style. Al’s grandmother owned the “Vet’s Club” roadhouse where she booked Fats Domino, Lloyd Price and Tommy Ridgely. Jackson pursued a musical career that has brought him the nickname "Lil Fats" for his indistinguishable voice to Fats Domino. See feature in this issue. |
| The Albinas Prizgintas Quartet | Sun, Apr 15 | St. Mary’s at the Old Ursuline Convent Classical Music Stage | 2p | Trinity Episcopal Church organist Albinas Prizgintas leads this jazz quartet. |
| Alex McMurray | Thu, Apr 12 | Tropical Isle Hand Grenade Stage | 12:30p | McMurray’s wit-spiked and often gleefully dark songwriting takes center stage in a band that both showcases new work and harkens back to the guitarist’s Royal Fingerbowl days, lineup and repertoire-wise. |
| Alexandra Scott | Sat, Apr 14 | Pan-American Life Insurance Group Songwriter Stage | 12:15p | The quirky, versatile folk guitarist spins out songs that can be heartrending, achingly lovely, and optimistic all at once. |
| Alfred Banks w/CoolNasty | Sat, Apr 14 | WWL-TV Stage: Esplanade in the Shade Stage | 2p | The Uptown native rapper earned tremendous accolades for The Beautiful, a 2017 album inspired by his brother's schizophrenia. The lyrically elite MC is poised to expand his artistry this year with a live band and new music. See feature in this issue. |
| Alvin Youngblood Hart’s Muscle Theory | Thu, Apr 12 | Jack Daniel’s Stage | 3:30p | This Grammy-winning singer, guitarist and mandolin player was inspired in his youth by the sound of Mississippi country blues, which he makes his own by adding elements of roots rock and a deep knowledge of folk and Americana. |
| Amanda Ducorbier | Sat, Apr 14 | Jack Daniel’s Stage | 12:30p | New Orleans based singer songwriter who was a contestant on NBC’s “The Voice.” She performs at the Roosevelt Hotel and NOPSI Hotel in New Orleans. |
| Amanda Shaw | Sat, Apr 14 | Chevron Cajun/Zydeco Showcase | 7:30p | This Cajun fiddle prodigy has been in the spotlight since age 10. Her sets can jump from teen-friendly pop to straight-up Cajun, with a classic rock cover or two thrown in. |
| Anais St. John | Sat, Apr 14 | MorrisBart.com Stage | 3:45p | St. John is an accomplished singer specializing in jazz, torch songs, and cabaret tunes. She currently plays Saturday nights at the Windsor Court Hotel. |
| Andre Bohren | Sat, Apr 14 | St. Mary’s at the Old Ursuline Convent Classical Music Stage | 11a | After making a name for himself as a drummer and percussionist with Johnny Sketch and the Dirty Notes, Bohren began developing a strong solo career on the piano. |
| Andrew Duhon | Sun, Apr 15 | House of Blues Voodoo Garden Stage | 2p | With his tender voice and penchant for lyrical depth, folk-pop singer-songwriter Duhon’s lyrics tap into personal experience as he strums his way through original music that echoes the blues. |
| Andrew Hall's Society Brass Band | Sun, Apr 15 | Popeyes/OffBeat Magazine Stage: Brass Band Jam Stage | 11:15a | Hall is a skilled traditional jazz and rhythm and blues pianist who has performed with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Dr. John, and the Olympia Brass Band. |
| Andy J. Forest Treeaux | Sun, Apr 15 | Pan-American Life Insurance Group Songwriter Stage | 4p | Blues master Forest has mellowed out in recent years and the result offers a window onto his keen lyric writing skills without compromising the power of his abilities as a harmonica player and guitarist. |
| Arrowhead Jazz Band featuring Sam Kuslan | Sat, Apr 14 | Chevron Children’s HQ (National Park Service Kids Stage) | 3p | Pianist and vocalist Sam Kuslan performs the great American songbook from Cole Porter to Bob Dylan. |
| Ashlin Parker Quartet | Fri, Apr 13 | Jazz Playhouse at the Royal Sonesta Hotel | 5p | Ashlin Parker takes charge of a trumpet onslaught as leader of Trumpet Mafia, but his quartet finds him taking a different approach with his horn. |
| Astral Project | Sun, Apr 15 | WWL-TV Stage: Esplanade in the Shade Stage | 5:30p | All four members of this band—guitarist Steve Masakowski, saxophonist Tony Dagradi,bassist James Singleton and drummer Johnny Vidacovich—are influential bandleaders in their own right. Together, they’ve been one of New Orleans’ premiere jazz groups for three decades. |
| Audacity Brass Band | Fri, Apr 13 | Popeyes/OffBeat Magazine Stage: Brass Band Jam Stage | 11:15a | This traditional group formed to play at French Quarter Fest 2008 and includes talented locals Tom Fischer, Charlie Fardella and Freddie Lonzo. |
| Aurora Nealand & the Royal Roses | Sun, Apr 15 | The Helis Foundation Preservation Hall Stage | 3p | Inspired by Sidney Bechet and Django Reinhardt, singer/saxophonist Nealand is a bright young player whose non-Roses work spans performance art-inspired improvisation and the rockabilly of Rory Danger and the Danger Dangers. |
| Babineaux Sisters Band | Sat, Apr 14 | Chevron Cajun/Zydeco Showcase | 3:45p | Sisters and songwriters Gracie and Julie Babineaux lead this south Louisiana roots rock band. Their first CD covered “All Along the Watchtower” (“Le Tour de Garde”) was inspired more by the Hendrix version than Dylan’s original and featured lyrics sung in Cajun French. |
| Bag of Donuts: | Thu, Apr 12 | Tropical Isle Hand Grenade Stage | 5:25p | Known for their outlandish costumes, Bag of Donuts delivers an unusual take on popular songs of the ’60s onward, as well as tunes from TV, film and commercials. |
| Bamboula 2000 | Sun, Apr 15 | MorrisBart.com Stage | 11a | “Bamboula” was originally a form of drum and dance ceremony held in Congo Square. Bamboula 2000’s leader Luther Gray brings that spirit into the present with a troupe of players and dancers. |
| Banu Gibson & the New Orleans Hot Jazz | Thu, Apr 12 | Hilton Tricentennial Stage | 12:45p | A singer/dancer who specializes in the Great American Songbook and has been captured by caricaturist Al Hirschfeld, Gibson has been instrumental in popularizing the New Orleans Traditional Jazz Camp. |
| Barbara Shorts and Blue jazz | Sun, Apr 15 | Omni Royal Orleans Stage | 2:45p | Vocalist Barbara Shorts has appeared in One Mo’ Time and fronted the Gospel Soul Children. |
| Benny Grunch & the Bunch | Fri, Apr 13 | WWL-TV Stage: Esplanade in the Shade Stage | 12:30p | This jovial crew is responsible for the carnival sendup “Ain’t No Place to Pee on Mardi Gras Day,” plus a bunch of seasonal albums built around the regional standard “12 Yats of Christmas.” |
| Beth Patterson | Sun, Apr 15 | Pan-American Life Insurance Group Songwriter Stage | 2:45p | A native of Lafayette, multi-instrumentalist Patterson performs Celtic-inspired folk music with a dollop of humor and sting. |
| Big Chief Bo Dollis, Jr. & the Wild Magnolias | Sat, Apr 14 | Abita Beer Stage | 11a | Big Chief Bo Dollis, Jr. carries on the legacy of his father, leading the Wild Magnolias’ impassioned, funk-inspired Mardi Gras Indian music. |
| Big Frank & Lil Frank and the Dirty Old Men | Fri, Apr 13 | Tropical Isle Hand Grenade Stage | 7:20p | This father and son singing duo combines modern day hip-hop sensibilities with old school R&B flavors. |
| Big Sam’s Funky Nation | Sat, Apr 14 | Abita Beer Stage | 5:25p | The charisma of former Dirty Dozen trombonist Sam Williams makes him an able focal point for a musical party that blends brass, Meters-style funk, hip-hop and rock. The band has toured hard and earned a following in the jam-band world. |
| Bill Summers & Jazalsa | Fri, Apr 13 | GE Digital Big River Stage | 5:30p | Known for his membership in Los Hombres Calientes and Herbie Hancock’s Headhunters, legendary percussionist Summers explores Latin and world music with his Jazalsa band. |
| Blato Zato | Sun, Apr 15 | Heart of Bourbon Street Stage | 1:30p | Blato Zlato (“Swamp Gold” in Bulgarian) is a New Orleans-based Balkan band. The band performs folk music from the Balkans and Eastern Europe, with a particular focus on Bulgarian songs. |
| Bon Bon Vivant | Fri, Apr 13 | WWL-TV Stage: Esplanade in the Shade Stage | 11a | Formed in 2013 Bon Bon Vivant is a collection of musicians steeped in the traditional jazz of New Orleans. Their original songwriting includes blues and folk that makes for a unique sound. See FQFIQ feature in this issue. |
| Bonerama | Fri, Apr 13 | Abita Beer Stage | 3:45p | Mark Mullins and Craig Klein’s trombone-centric jazz/funk/rock combo is as comfortable with James Brown as it is with Black Sabbath. |
| Bonsoir Catin | Sun, Apr 15 | Chevron Cajun/Zydeco Showcase | 2p | These Cajun musicians got together in 2005. They are inspired by old Cajun accapella ballads, raunchy drinking songs and write original material. The band includes accordionist Kristi Guillory, guitarist Christine Balfa, bassist Ashley Hayes, violinist Anya Burgess, guitarist Maegan Berard and drummer Danny Devillier. |
| Brass-A-Holics | Sat, Apr 14 | Abita Beer Stage | 2:10p | Formed by ex-Soul Rebels trombonist Winston Turner, this band created its own genre of “go-go brass funk,” combining New Orleans music elements with the strong grooves of Washington DC’s go-go scene. |
| Bruce Daigrepont Cajun Band | Sat, Apr 14 | Chevron Cajun/Zydeco Showcase | 2p | A New Orleans-reared Cajun, this self-taught accordion player has hosted the Sunday Cajun session at Tipitina’s for decades and the Maple Leaf before that. His latest CD Jamais de la Vie was released to critical acclaim. |
| Bucktown All-Stars | Sun, Apr 15 | Abita Beer Stage | 12:35p | This nine-piece rhythm and blues band from Metairie covers the soul classics, adding their own funky grooves. They have won OffBeat’s Best of the Beat award for best cover band nine times. |
| Calvin Johnson and Native Son | Sun, Apr 15 | Omni Royal Orleans Stage | 4:15p | Saxophonist/composer Calvin Johnson, Jr.’s latest CD Native Son includes Bechet’s “Petite Fleur.” He blows from his heart with knowledge of the New Orleans tradition. |
| Carl LeBlanc | Sun, Apr 15 | Zapp’s Potato Chip Stage | 12:30p | This versatile and soulful banjo player and Preservation Hall regular LeBlanc has worked closely with the likes of Sun Ra, studied with Kidd Jordan and mentored local jazz guitarists like Jonathan Freilich. |
| The Catahoulas | Fri, Apr 13 | Jack Daniel’s Stage | 11a | The Catahoulas feature all-star New Orleanians performing the music of New Orleans rhythm and blues. Founded by bassist Joshua Gouzy, the Catahoulas aim to bring back the nearly forgotten music of R&B’s golden age. The band also features: Gerald French on drums and vocals; Steve DeTroy on piano; Kevin Louis on trumpet; Oliver Bonie on saxophone and Earl Bonie on saxophone. |
| Cha Wa | Fri, Apr 13 | Abita Beer Stage | 12:35p | Veteran Mardi Gras Indians (Irving “Honey” Bannister, J’Wan Boudreaux, Kerry “Boom Boom” Vessell) and local musicians (Joe Gelini, John Fohl, Wes Anderson) perform a mix of groove-soaked funk and soul. |
| Chance Bushman and the Ivervillianaires | Sun, Apr 15 | French Market Traditional Jazz Stage | 11a | Tap dancer and singer Bushman leads this small combo through a mix of classic New Orleans jazz tunes like “Bourbon Street Parade” and the occasional rocker. |
| Charlie Halloran and the Quality 6 | Fri, Apr 13 | French Market Traditional Jazz Stage | 2p | Halloran, a prolific trombonist who also plays with the Panorama Brass Band and Meschiya Lake and the Little Big Horns, among other bands, leads his own traditional jazz septet, which released their eponymous, debut album last fall. |
| Charmaine Neville | Sat, Apr 14 | Hilton Tricentennial Stage | 3:50p | This vocalist and bandleader, a part of the famed Neville family, dishes out spicy versions of New Orleans blues and R&B favorites. |
| Chocolate Milk | Fri, Apr 13 | Abita Beer Stage | 7:30p | Inspired by the music of Kool & the Gang, saxophonist Amadee Castenell formed this funk, soul and disco outfit in the late '70s in New Orleans. They went on to replace the Meters as Allen Toussaint’s house band before breaking up in 1983. Their occasional reunion shows are a treat for old school soul-loving Fest-goers. |
| Christian Serpas & Ghost Town | Sat, Apr 14 | Tropical Isle Hand Grenade Stage | 11a | This band plays “boot stompin’ American music,” with lots of revved-up, high-volume country twang. |
| Christien Bold & SoulSwing | Sun, Apr 15 | New Orleans Magazine Cabaret Stage at the Palm Court | 12p | Vocalist Christien Bold originally from New Orleans along with his band SoulSwing is influenced by the voices of Nat King Cole, Al Jarreau and Maurice White. |
| Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band | Thu, Apr 12 | Chevron Cajun/Zydeco Showcase | 5:30p | One of the most energetic zydeco groups around, Carrier and band won the 2010 Cajun/Zydeco Grammy for their album Zydeco Junkie. Their latest is Zydeco Stuff, released in 2015. |
| Chuck Credo IV | Sat, Apr 14 | House of Blues Voodoo Garden Stage | 12p | Songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist Chuck Credo IV is a fourth generation New Orleans musician. His grandfather played clarinet with the Basin Street Six. At age 16 Credo formed his first band The Mixed Nuts. He has performed with Cyndi Lauper, Allen Toussaint and the Drifters and many others. |
| Clive Wilson’s New Orleans Serenaders | Sun, Apr 15 | Zapp’s Potato Chip Stage | 2p | Known for their lively interpretations of old New Orleans classics by Armstrong, Kid Ory, and others, the members of the Serenaders have played together in various musical contexts since the ’60s. |
| Cole Williams Band | Sat, Apr 14 | GE Digital Big River Stage | 2p | This soul and rock-loving Pimps of Joytime alum sings, writes, plays piano and percussion, teaches music and—since relocating from Brooklyn to New Orleans in 2015—volunteers as a DJ on WWOZ. |
| Corey Henry's Treme Funktet | Sun, Apr 15 | Tropical Isle Hand Grenade Stage | 5:25p | Since founding the influential Lil’ Rascals Brass Band back in the ‘80s, this dexterous trombonist has collaborated regularly with Galactic and Rebirth, but he’s come into his own with the Funktet, which now holds down the Thursday night slot at Vaughan’s. |
| Creole String Beans | Sun, Apr 15 | WWL-TV Stage: Esplanade in the Shade Stage | 3:45p | Fronted by photographer Rick Olivier alongside former Iguanas and Cowboy Mouth members, the Creole String Beans began as a “Yat cover band” doing vintage local gems, and moved on to write similarly-styled originals. |
| The Crooked Vines | Fri, Apr 13 | Jack Daniel’s Stage | 3:45p | From New Orleans this funk-pop band brings funk-fueled jams to the stage. The band features Mikayla Braun on vocals; Rex Marshall on bass and Woody Hill on drums; Steven Schwartz on keyboards; Phil Arpa on saxophone and James Keene on trombone. |
| Cullen Landry and the Midnight Streetcar Band featuring Al “Carnival Time” Johnson | Sun, Apr 15 | Abita Beer Stage | 11a | Louisiana Music Hall of Fame inductee Cullen Landry (original bassist for the Jokers) and his band team up with Louisiana Music Hall of Fame inductee Al “Carnival Time” Johnson for set of old-fashioned R&B and rock ’n’ roll. |
| Cupid and the Dance Party Express Band | Thu, Apr 12 | GE Digital Big River Stage | 5:20p | Born and raised in Lafayette, this R&B singer—whose given name is Bryson Bernard is best known for spawning a dance craze with the 2007 hit “Cupid Shuffle.” |
| Curley Taylor and Zydeco Trouble | Fri, Apr 13 | Chevron Cajun/Zydeco Showcase | 2p | Born into a musical family, drums were Curley's first instrument. Curley began his professional career at age 16 by playing drums in his father's band, Jude Taylor and the Burning Flames. His bluesy, soulful vocals and the band's hard driving Zydeco beat blend to create high-energy dance music for all audiences. |
| Cyril Neville & Swamp Funk | Sun, Apr 15 | Abita Beer Stage | 5:20p | In addition to stints playing with the Meters and the Neville Brothers, reggae-loving percussionist and singer Cyril has helmed funk outfit the Uptown Allstars and conducted a successful solo career. |
| Dancing at Dusk with Tom Saunders and the Tomcats | Sun, Apr 15 | MorrisBart.com Stage | 6p | Led by Tom Saunders, this classic-model big band does hot jazz and swing from the 1920’s and ‘30s. |
| Darcy Malone & the Tangle | Sun, Apr 15 | Jack Daniel’s Stage | 2p | Led by the daughter of the Radiators' Dave Malone, husband-and-wife team Darcy Malone and Christopher Boye blend their tastes for soul and indie rock. OffBeat writer, Rory Callais, has recently joined the band. |
| Dash Rip Rock | Sat, Apr 14 | Jack Daniel’s Stage | 3:45p | Known for their high-octane roots rock and founded by frontman and songwriter Bill Davis, Dash Rip Rock brings on a party every time. |
| Davis Rogan | Sat, Apr 14 | Pan-American Life Insurance Group Songwriter Stage | 11a | Rogan (who inspired Steve Zahn’s character in HBO’s Treme), plays New Orleans rhythm and blues mixed with topical and political lyrics and witty comments. |
| The DayWalkers | Sat, Apr 14 | Chevron Cajun/Zydeco Showcase | 12:30p | Featuring Janson Lohmeyer on keyboards, Alex MacDonald on washboard; Brandon Miller on accordion and Steve Randall on drums. Their three part harmony can be heard playing Bourbon Street. |
| Debbie Davis and Josh Paxton | Sat, Apr 14 | New Orleans Magazine Cabaret Stage at the Palm Court | 1p | Davis sings blues, jazz, and show tunes with brassy candor and a twinkle in her eye. Her collaboration with pianist Josh Paxton produced a well-received CD Vices and Virtues. |
| DeJan’s Olympia Brass Band | Thu, Apr 12 | Parade | 9:30a | One of the most prominent brass bands in New Orleans was originally led by saxophonist Harold “Duke” Dejan who passed away in 2002. |
| Deltaphonic featuring Khris Royal | Thu, Apr 12 | Jack Daniel’s Stage | 2p | Saxophonist Royal was one of George Porter, Jr.’s Runnin’ Pardners, and his own band has established itself as an adventurous jazz-funk outfit. |
| Dick Deluxe | Sat, Apr 14 | House of Blues Voodoo Garden Stage | 3:30p | Guitarist, singer and songwriter Dick Deluxe is a troubadour worthy of the title. He’s played everything from blues and punk rock to modern jazz and Grateful Dead covers over the years, but these days he’s focused on his own new material. His last CD Turning 61 on Highway 61 was nominated for a Best of the Beat Award in 2016. |
| Dirty Dozen Brass Band | Thu, Apr 12 | Abita Beer Stage | 5:20p | This band was formed in 1977 by Benny Jones and introduced bebop and funk into the brass band sound they’ve continued to evolve by adding drum kit and electric guitar they are celebrating their 40th anniversary. See feature in this issue. |
| The Dixie Cups | Sun, Apr 15 | Abita Beer Stage | 2:10p | New Orleans’ contribution to the ’60s girl-group sound, the Dixie Cups scored nationally with “Chapel of Love,” the follow-up, “People Say” and the Mardi Gras Indian-derived “Iko Iko.” |
| Dixie on My Mind | Sat, Apr 14 | French Market International Stage | 2:15p | Traditional jazz band from Japan. |
| Don Jamison Heritage School of Music | Sun, Apr 15 | Ernie’s Schoolhouse Stage | 11a | These student players aged 11 to 17 hail from the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation's principal education program and study under the artistic direction of Kidd Jordan. |
| Don Vappie & the Creole Jazz Serenaders | Sat, Apr 14 | Jack Daniel’s Stage | 11a | This eclectic banjo player and singer has made a career of exploring his Creole heritage through music, whether it’s traditional jazz, island music, or joining bluesmen in the Black Banjo Project. |
| Dr. Jee Yeoun Ko and Friends | Sun, Apr 15 | St. Mary’s at the Old Ursuline Convent Classical Music Stage | 3:30p | Dr. Jee Yeoun Ko, is an award-winning Korean cellist who now makes New Orleans her home and has held an assistant chair position at NOCCA for nearly a decade. |
| The Dukes of Dixieland | Sun, Apr 15 | Hilton Tricentennial Stage | 3:50p | The Dukes are one of the most storied names in traditional jazz. This incarnation of the venerable jazz band was formed in 1974. For a few years afterward they ran their own club atop the Hotel Monteleone, taking the space over from Louis Prima. |
| Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers | Fri, Apr 13 | Chevron Cajun/Zydeco Showcase | 3:45p | This second-generation accordion slinger carries on the blues-infused style of his dad Dopsie Sr., often with a whole lot of added speed and volume. His latest CD Top of the Mountain was nominated for a Grammy and won for Best Zydeco CD at the Best of the Beat Awards. |
| Ecirb Muller’s Twisted Dixie | Sun, Apr 15 | MorrisBart.com Stage | 4:30p | Trumpeter Dr. Brice Miller pays homage to fictional jazz pioneer Ecrib Muller as he leads this band through updated renditions of New Orleans’ trad jazz repertoire. |
| Edna Karr High School Marching Band | Sat, Apr 14 | Ernie’s Schoolhouse Stage | 3p | Edna Karr's marching band is known as the "Marching Cougars" which includes instrumentalists, dancers (Cougar Dolls), a flag corp, and twirlers. The band was featured in Beyoncé's Lemonade visual album and in the upcoming film by Lily Keber Buckjumping. |
| Egg Yolk Jubilee | Sat, Apr 14 | WWL-TV Stage: Esplanade in the Shade Stage | 3:45p | Egg Yolk’s brass-driven sound is a wild, anarchic mix of brass band, garage rock, vintage New Orleans R&B, Sun Ra-like jazz, and whatever else moves them at the moment. |
| Ellis Marsalis Quintet | Fri, Apr 13 | Hilton Tricentennial Stage | 12:45p | The premier pianist, educator and patriarch of one of the city’s top musical families is an active performer who you can hear every Friday at Snug Harbor and at other venues around the city. |
| Erica Falls | Sat, Apr 14 | Jack Daniel’s Stage | 7:15p | This soulful R&B vocalist has sung with Allen Toussaint and Irma Thomas but her chops and songwriting skills demand attention on their own merit. |
| Evan Christopher’s Clarinet Road | Sun, Apr 15 | Jack Daniel’s Stage | 11a | As the name suggests, Big Easy-by-way-of-California clarinetist Evan Christopher is at the center of this project. With a versatile style that takes its cues from early greats like Sidney Bechet and Barney Bigard, Christopher offers a fresh take on traditional New Orleans jazz. |
| The Fortifiers | Sat, Apr 14 | House of Blues Voodoo Garden Stage | 14:5p | New Orleans blues band with Sonny Schneidau (former House of Blues talent buyer) on guitar and vocals, Jeb Baldwin on harmonica and vocals, Gerald McCollum on guitar, Rudebelly on bass and vocals, and Rodger Martin on drums. |
| Fredy Omar con su Banda | Thu, Apr 12 | Hilton Tricentennial Stage | 2:20p | Once proclaimed the “Latin King of Frenchmen Street” by OffBeat, Omar is a Honduras-born singer with a sizzling band. |
| Funk Monkey | Sat, Apr 14 | Jack Daniel’s Stage | 5:30p | This hard-grooving crew of local funk experts was conceived of by Bonerama’s Greg Hicks and Bert Cotton and features Jason Mingledorff (Papa Grows Funk), Rik Fletcher (Smilin’ Myron), David Pomerleau (Johnny Sketch), and Eddie Christmas (John Cleary). |
| G and the Swingin’ Gypsies | Sat, Apr 14 | French Market Traditional Jazz Stage | 2:30p | This swing quartet is fronted by vocalist Giselle Anguizola, who incorporates tap dancing and other forms of dance from the first half of the 20th century into their show. |
| Gal Holiday & the Honky Tonk Revue | Thu, Apr 12 | GE Digital Big River Stage | 12:30p | Big-voiced Maryland native Vanessa Niemann fronts one of the city’s leading Western swing bands, which plays originals, honky-tonk favorites, and less obvious choices like Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright.” |
| Garden District Band | Sun, Apr 15 | Gateway to Bourbon Street Stag | 11:15a | Drummer David Hansen’s trio plays traditional and Latin jazz along with standards from the Great American Songbook. |
| George & Gerald French | Sat, Apr 14 | Jazz Playhouse at the Royal Sonesta Hotel | 2p | As a bassist, French played on some landmark ’60s sessions with Earl King, Red Tyler and Robert Parker. As a vocalist, he brings a silky touch to jazz and blues standards. He is joined by nephew drummer Gerald French. See FQFIQ feature in this issue. |
| Germaine Bazzle | Sun, Apr 15 | Jazz Playhouse at the Royal Sonesta Hotel | 8p | This locally prized jazz singer can caress a ballad or scat-sing an up-tempo number with the best. Her history includes a stint playing bass on Bourbon Street with Alvin “Red” Tyler; both OffBeat and the Jazz Journalism Association recently honored her 50-plus-years of work in music education with awards. |
| Gina Brown & Anutha Level | Sun, Apr 15 | Jack Daniel’s Stage | 3:30p | Gina Brown bills herself as “New Orleans’ own soul diva,” and sings a mix of blues, jazz, oldies, hip-hop and funk. |
| Grayson Brockamp and New Orleans Wildlife Band | Sat, Apr 14 | MorrisBart.com Stage | 2p | Bassist Grayson Brockamp leads the New Orleans Wildlife Band. Covering Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock and Elvin Jones the band also includes drummer Simon Lott and saxophonist Ashlin Parker. |
| Greater New Orleans Youth Orchestras | Sun, Apr 15 | St. Mary’s at the Old Ursuline Convent Classical Music Stage | 12:30p | Directed by Dr. Jean Montes, the goal at GNOYO is to provide every willing young person in the area access to a quality and comprehensive orchestral program. |
| Gregory Agid Quartet | Sun, Apr 15 | Omni Royal Orleans Stage | 12p | Arguably the most impressive young clarinetist in New Orleans today, Gregory Agid elevates his instrument every time he surrounds himself with this top-notch group of New Orleans players. OffBeat named the band’s latest album, Words Are Not Enough, one of the 50 best albums of 2016. |
| Gypsy Elise | Fri, Apr 13 | House of Blues Voodoo Garden Stage | 2:30p | Gypsy Elise’s rich contralto voice fronts this funk-informed, ballad-friendly blues act. |
| Harmonouche | Sun, Apr 15 | Heart of Bourbon Street Stage | 12p | This gypsy jazz band was formed by Raphaël Bas, a French guitarist who moved to New Orleans just before Katrina. They approach the music with energy, romance and humor. |
| Harpist Rachel Van Voorhees | Sat, Apr 14 | St. Mary’s at the Old Ursuline Convent Classical Music Stage | 12:30p | Van Voorhees is the principal harpist for the Louisiana Philharmonic. Her repertoire spans classical, jazz and Celtic music. |
| Helen Gillet's Wazozo Zorchestra | Sat, Apr 14 | Heart of Bourbon Street Stage | 4:30p | The Belgian-born singer/cellist music falls somewhere between French chansons, ethereal pop, free jazz and the Velvet Underground, though she leans more toward quirk with the Wazozo Zorchestra big band, which released its latest CD Dusk in Wallonia last year. |
| Higher Heights Reggae Band | Sat, Apr 14 | Tropical Isle Hand Grenade Stage | 3:45p | Higher Heights combines reggae, dancehall and rocksteady into a heady mix of Jamaican sounds. |
| Homer A. Plessy Community School | Sat, Apr 14 | Ernie’s Schoolhouse Stage | 11a | Located in the French Quarter the school boasts Richard Simmons who graduated from the school and the movie “King Creole” featuring Elvis Presley was filmed at the school. Rebecca Crenshaw teaches strings, guitar, and bucket drumming classes while encouraging students to express themselves through music. |
| Honey Island Swamp Band | Sun, Apr 15 | GE Digital Big River Stage | 5:20p | Formed in San Francisco by Katrina exiles who’ve since returned to town, the HISB is a hard-driving rock band with roots in R&B, country and funk. |
| Hot Club of New Orleans | Sun, Apr 15 | Heart of Bourbon Street Stage | 3p | Fronted by skilled and versatile clarinetist Chris Kohl, the Hot Club performs classics of the gypsy jazz songbook. |
| Hot Rod Lincoln | Sat, Apr 14 | Tropical Isle Hand Grenade Stage | 2p | Oldies cover band whose members include some prominent figures from the worlds of business and politics. |
| Hot Stuff featuring Becky Allen | Sun, Apr 15 | New Orleans Magazine Cabaret Stage at the Palm Court | 3p | Allen, the “local treasure” actress and singer, brings hot stuff in the form of show tunes and standards with a great sense of humor and an over-the-top attitude. |
| The Iguanas | Sat, Apr 14 | Abita Beer Stage | 12:35p | With Tex-Mex rock as their base, the Iguanas can swing freely into jazz, country, garage and Caribbean music. |
| The Irene Sage Band | Thu, Apr 12 | Abita Beer Stage | 11a | Guitarist and vocalist Irene Sage has been going strong for nearly fifteen years. Sage was the front person for the band Irene and the Mikes. Sage sang and toured for many years with Allen Toussaint. In 2001 Sage was featured on the cover of OffBeat Magazine. |
| Irma Thomas, Soul Queen of New Orleans | Thu, Apr 12 | Abita Beer Stage | 3:45p | With a career that spans more than 50 years, Thomas earned her royal nickname through innumerable contributions to the development of soul and R&B. While she still plays early hits like “It’s Raining” and “Time is on My Side,” she continues to introduce new material. |
| Jack McLaughlin’s Oz Band | Sat, Apr 14 | French Market International Stage | 12p | From Australian, clarinetist Jack McLaughlin main influence is New Orleans clarinetist George Lewis. He performs a collection of traditional New Orleans fare including spirituals, marches, pop songs and novelty pieces. |
| Jake Landry & Right Lane Bandits | Sat, Apr 14 | House of Blues Voodoo Garden Stage | 6p | This singer-songwriter hails from South Louisiana and is also a member of the Right Lane Bandits. |
| Jamal Batiste Band | Fri, Apr 13 | Jack Daniel’s Stage | 12:30p | New Orleans' Jamal Batiste Band play charged rock, funk, soul, gospel, hip hop and R&B. Jamal Batiste has performed in the movie Get On Up, The James Brown Story. Batiste also is a guest artist on Kermit Ruffins and Irvin Mayfield’s recent CD release A Beautiful World. See FQFIQ feature in this issue. |
| James Andrews | Fri, Apr 13 | Hilton Tricentennial Stage | 5:20p | Grandson of Jessie Hill and brother of Trombone Shorty, Andrews has gone in a funky, expansive direction. A neighborhood’s worth of players have joined the core band onstage. |
| James Martin Band | Sun, Apr 15 | Heart of Bourbon Street Stage | 4:30p | Saxophonist James Martin is a NOCCA graduate who began his professional music career performing with his school buddy Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews. After seven years of playing with Trombone Shorty, James decided to pursue a solo career. He has released several albums and gained a nomination for Best Saxophonist at the Best of the Beat Awards. |
| James Williams | Sun, Apr 15 | French Market Traditional Jazz Stage | 4:15p | Vocalist, trumpeter and tuba player co-founded the New Orleans Swamp Donkeys Traditional Jazz Band. He also plays with the Treme Brass Band and is inspired by Louis Armstrong. |
| Jamey St. Pierre & the Honeycreepers | Fri, Apr 13 | House of Blues Voodoo Garden Stage | 4:30p | Frenchmen Street’s singer-songwriter and guitarist Jamey St. Pierre is joined by the Honeycreepers’ Kyle Cripps on saxophone and Dave Freeson on guitar. Jamey’s interpretations of Bill Withers, Nina Simone and Ray Charles, along with his original compositions, are soulful and exciting. |
| Jamil Sharif | Sat, Apr 14 | Omni Royal Orleans Stage | 2:45p | This local trumpeter studied with Ellis Marsalis at NOCCA and went on to do a number of soundtracks, including the Ray Charles biopic Ray, for which he was music coordinator. |
| Jeremy Davenport | Sun, Apr 15 | Hilton Tricentennial Stage | 12:45p | Schooled as the featured trumpeter in Harry Connick, Jr.’s band, the St. Louis native has carved out a solo career with a tender tone to both his playing and singing on romantic standards and originals. |
| The Joe Cabral Thrio | Sun, Apr 15 | Omni Royal Orleans Stage | 1:15p | Iguana’s saxophonist Joe Cabral fronts this trio which includes Doug Garrison on drums and James Singleton on bass. They play a vast repertoire including original material and recast pop tunes. It’s New Orleans R&B with Latin influences. |
| Joe Krown | Fri, Apr 13 | Tropical Isle Hand Grenade Stage | 4p | The hardest working keyboard and organ player in New Orleans. He frequently performs with drummer Russell Batiste and guitarist Walter “Wolfman” Washington. |
| Joe Lastie’s New Orleans Sound featuring Kid Merv | Fri, Apr 13 | Tropical Isle Hand Grenade Stage | 12:30p | Preservation Hall Jazz Band drummer Joe Lastie is joined by trumpeter Kid Merv. Merv is a protégé of the late “Uncle” Lionel Batiste. |
| John “Papa” Gros | Sat, Apr 14 | GE Digital Big River Stage | 7:15p | New Orleans funk scene stalwart “Papa Gros” took his music in a new direction after disbanding Papa Grows Funk in 2013; the powerhouse keyboardist, singer and French horn player recently headed back to the studio to record a new solo album, due out this year. |
| John Boutte | Fri, Apr 13 | Hilton Tricentennial Stage | 2:20p | A local favorite with a high and haunting voice, Boutte is an inspired, passionate interpreter of songs; his acclaim spread widely after his tune “Treme Song” became the theme of the hit HBO series, “Treme.” |
| John Rankin | Sat, Apr 14 | St. Mary’s at the Old Ursuline Convent Classical Music Stage | 3:30p | Acoustic fingerstyle guitarist in the mold of Leo Kottke or Chet Atkins. When not performing solo, he’s part of the all-star Guitar Masters and collaborates in diverse duos and trios with Alex McMurray, Norbert Slama, Phil DeGruy, Todd Duke, and others. |
| John Royen’s New Orleans Rhythm Band | Sun, Apr 15 | Gateway to Bourbon Street Stag | 12:45p | Royen is credited with bringing East-Coast style stride piano to Preservation Hall in the early ’80's, adding a syncopated ragtime beat to the traditional New Orleans sound. |
| Johnette Downing | Sat, Apr 14 | Chevron Children’s HQ (National Park Service Kids Stage) | 12p | Children's author and guitarist Downing, who often performs a medley of Louisiana roots music dubbed “Swamp Romp” with Grammy-winning producer Scott Billington, presents a solo kids program. |
| Johnny Sansone | Sun, Apr 15 | Tropical Isle Hand Grenade Stage | 12:45p | A multi-instrumentalist who draws from swamp-rock, blues and zydeco, Sansone has two aces in the hole: his songwriting and his gut-shaking harmonica solos. Guests on his latest CD Hopeland are Anders Osborne and the North Mississippi Allstars. |
| Johnny Sketch and the Dirty Notes | Sun, Apr 15 | Jack Daniel’s Stage | 5:15p | Fronted by a cellist turned guitarist, they’re a funky rock band with a few gonzoid touches. The band’s philosophy can best be summed up by the sentiments of the single and video, “Dance Dance Dance Dance Dance.” |
| Jon Cleary | Fri, Apr 13 | GE Digital Big River Stage | 7:15p | Since moving over from the UK in the ’80s, Cleary’s earned a place in the frontline of New Orleans blues singers and keyboardists. He won a Grammy Award for his CD GoGo Juice. |
| Jonathon Boogie Long | Sun, Apr 15 | House of Blues Voodoo Garden Stage | 4p | This soulful Baton Rouge-based blues guitar slinger has opened for B.B. King and performed with Dr. John, Kenny Neal and many others. |
| The Jones Sisters | Sun, Apr 15 | Tropical Isle Hand Grenade Stage | 11a | From Marrero on the West Bank of New Orleans, Kayla, Kiera, Dalia, and Dejon have been singing since before they could say their alphabets. In addition to their vocals, Kiera plays piano. |
| Juju Child | Thu, Apr 12 | Tropical Isle Hand Grenade Stage | 11a | A bluesman that combines traditional African music with boogie from New Orleans creating a unique blend of blues and soul afro music. |
| The Jumbo Shrimp Jazz Band | Sat, Apr 14 | Jazz Playhouse at the Royal Sonesta Hotel | 5p | Frenchmen Street’s trad jazz all stars are more like one big, incestuous family than a collection of separate bands, and the particular combination known as Jumbo Shrimp Jazz Band fronted by trombonist/vocalist Colin Myers is one of the best. |
| Kelcy Mae | Sun, Apr 15 | Pan-American Life Insurance Group Songwriter Stage | 11a | Mae’s alt-country folk rock is shot through with bluegrass influences and propelled by creative lyrics that would stand on their own in print and an evocative voice. She’s been nominated multiple times in recent years for OffBeat Best of the Beat Awards. |
| Kettle Black | Sat, Apr 14 | Pan-American Life Insurance Group Songwriter Stage | 1:30p | The brainchild of Mumbles alum, Keith Burnstein, along with members of Toubab Krewe and Antibalas, the band fans out the African and Cuban influences found in New Orleans music to create a new American songbook. |
| Kid Simmons Jazz Band | Sat, Apr 14 | Gateway to Bourbon Street Stag | 12:45p | Trumpeter Simmons has been active in traditional jazz since he first came to came to New Orleans in 1966. He’s also a musicologist and WWOZ DJ who’s unearthed some overlooked classics of the ragtime era. |
| Kinfolk Brass Band | Sun, Apr 15 | The Helis Foundation Preservation Hall Stage | 2p | Formed in 2006, the Kinfolk are true to the traditional brass-band sound and perform “Bourbon Street Parade,” “I’ll Fly Away” and other standards along with their originals. |
| King James & the Special Men | Sun, Apr 15 | GE Digital Big River Stage | 12:30p | King James and the Special Men play New Orleans R&B and rock 'n' roll with horns and a loose, ramshackle attitude that captures beautifully the spirit with which the New Orleans classics were made. |
| KIPP Believe College Prep Jazz Ensemble | Sun, Apr 15 | Ernie’s Schoolhouse Stage | 1:45p | Directed by Keith Hart this jazz ensemble has been featured in the HBO series Treme. |
| Kumasi | Fri, Apr 13 | House of Blues Voodoo Garden Stage | 7:30p | New Orleans’ Afrobeat orchestra brings high-energy dance music in the form of West African-inspired originals and Afro-funk, along with some Fela covers. |
| Landry Walker H.S. Brass Band | Sun, Apr 15 | Ernie’s Schoolhouse Stage | 4:30p | From Algiers, the Landry Walker High School Brass Band won the seventh annual Class Got Brass competition for the second year in a row at the Congo Square Rhythms Festival. |
| Lars Edegran’s New Orleans Jazz Band | Sun, Apr 15 | New Orleans Magazine Cabaret Stage at the Palm Court | 1p | This Swedish jazz pianist migrated to New Orleans in the 1960s to learn the traditional music of New Orleans. Now he is an elder statesman and a staple performer at the Palm Court. |
| The Last Straws | Sat, Apr 14 | Gateway to Bourbon Street Stag | 11:15a | A New Orleans jazz band featuring Robert Ice on bass; Mo Canert on cornet; Rory Dufour on clarinet; Darryl Barnes on trombone; Bill Lee on saxophone; Bob Wahers on drums and Bruce O'Neil on banjo. This band will be celebrating 54 years of making music in New Orleans. |
| Lawrence Cotton and the Legendary Experience | Sun, Apr 15 | MorrisBart.com Stage | 3p | Guitar Slim’s longtime piano player and an alum of Dave Bartholomew’s band, among many others. At 89, Cotton remains devoted to his art and full of great stories. |
| Lena Prima | Sun, Apr 15 | Hilton Tricentennial Stage | 11:15a | The youngest daughter of Louis Prima performs her dad’s classics along with her own jazz-pop material, which she performs regularly at the Hotel Monteleone. |
| Leroy Jones & New Orleans' Finest | Fri, Apr 13 | Hilton Tricentennial Stage | 3:50p | Trumpeter Jones is a protégé of the legendary Danny Barker and at 13 was leading the Fairview Baptist Church Marching Band. In 1991 Jones joined Harry Connick, Jr.’s band; he’s also appeared with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band and Dr. John. |
| Leroy Jones' Original Hurricane Brass Band | Sat, Apr 14 | Popeyes/OffBeat Magazine Stage: Brass Band Jam Stage | 4p | Jones draws on his experience with the Fairview Baptist Church Brass Band to play traditional New Orleans brass band music in this historic group. |
| Linnzi Zaorski | Sat, Apr 14 | French Market Traditional Jazz Stage | 11a | Dubbed “the Ninth Ward’s torchiest torch singer” by OffBeat, the charismatic Zaorski mixes Betty Boop phrasing with a solid sense of ‘30s-style swing. |
| Lisa Amos | Thu, Apr 12 | Tropical Isle Hand Grenade Stage | 3:50p | Vocalist Lisa Amos was born and raised in New Orleans. She has appeared with hip hop artist Choppa but her vocal style is more R&B. |
| Little Freddie King | Sat, Apr 14 | Abita Beer Stage | 3:45p | The Mississippi Delta-born King plays raw juke-joint blues with style, and he’s one of the best dressers you’ll see on any stage. His latest album, Messin’ Around Tha Livin’ Room, came out last spring. |
| Lost Bayou Ramblers | Thu, Apr 12 | Chevron Cajun/Zydeco Showcase | 3:45p | As their acclaimed Mammoth Waltz demonstrates, this young Cajun band celebrates its genre’s tradition while staying open to new technology and rock influences—including a recent collaboration with the Pogues’ Spider Stacy. |
| Louis Ford and his New Orleans Flairs | Sat, Apr 14 | French Market Traditional Jazz Stage | 4:15p | Clarinetist and saxophonist Ford is a second generation New Orleans jazz man dedicated to the preservation of the genre. |
| Louisiana’s LeRoux | Fri, Apr 13 | Abita Beer Stage | 2:10p | Founded in 1978, these Baton Rouge natives released minor hits like “Take a Ride On a Riverboat,” “New Orleans Ladies” and “Nobody Said It Was Easy (Lookin’ For the Lights)” in the late ’70 and early ’80s. They continue to tour with original members Tony Haselden and Rod Roddy. |
| Love Evolution | Fri, Apr 13 | Tropical Isle Hand Grenade Stage | 2p | Comprised of singer Semaj and and guitarist Mr. Lorrius, this duo delivers the message that peace will triumph over destruction. The pair blends a variety of styles into a sound they call “urban-folk.” |
| Luke Spurr Allen | Sat, Apr 14 | Pan-American Life Insurance Group Songwriter Stage | 2:45p | Luke Spur Allen’s raw and literary approach to songwriting, along with his perfectly rasp-tinged voice, front this New Orleans-style alt-country pack of Bywater rock all-stars |
| Lulu and the Broadsides (feat. Dayna Kurtz) | Sat, Apr 14 | WWL-TV Stage: Esplanade in the Shade Stage | 12:30p | New Jersey born vocalist and songwriter Dayna Kurtz is joined by drummer Carlo Nuccio (Royal Fingerbowl); pianist Casey McAllister (Hurray for the Riff Raff / King James & the Special Men) and guitarist Robert Mache. |
| Luna Mora | Sat, Apr 14 | Heart of Bourbon Street Stage | 1:30p | Latin band from New Orleans. |
| Luther Kent Quartet | Fri, Apr 13 | Jazz Playhouse at the Royal Sonesta Hotel | 7:30p | This Southern-fried soul man, who fronted Blood, Sweat & Tears for a short stint in the ’70s, is best known for leading the funky Trickbag. |
| Lynn Drury Band | Fri, Apr 13 | GE Digital Big River Stage | 2p | A singer/songwriter steeped in both her Mississippi heritage and her adopted home of New Orleans, this frequent Best of the Beat Awards nominee teamed up with veteran British producer John Porter for her latest CD Come to My House. |
| Magnetic Ear | Fri, Apr 13 | Popeyes/OffBeat Magazine Stage: Brass Band Jam Stage | 2:15p | A progressive brass band inspired by avant-garde jazz, second line funk and European brass music. |
| Mahogany Brass Band | Sun, Apr 15 | Popeyes/OffBeat Magazine Stage: Brass Band Jam Stage | 2:15p | Led by trumpeter, scholar and DJ Brice Miller, this young brass band stays true the old-time, swinging sound of traditional New Orleans brass bands |
| MainLine | Fri, Apr 13 | GE Digital Big River Stage | 3:45p | Having dropped the “brass band” moniker in recent years, this eight-piece credits Soul Rebels sousaphonist Edward Lee with inspiring the funk, rock and jam band-style approach they layer onto their brass band horns instrumentation. |
| Marc Stone | Fri, Apr 13 | Tropical Isle Hand Grenade Stage | 11a | Blues rock singer, songwriter and slide guitarist Stone tktk … His latest release, Poison & Medicine features the Bonerama Horns, Mike Dillon, and members of the Dirty Dozen, Galactic and the Honey Island Swamp Band. |
| Mari Watanabe’s Chosen Few Jazz Band | Sat, Apr 14 | The Helis Foundation Preservation Hall Stage | 12p | Pianist, composer, and arranger, Mari Watanabe began piano lessons at age five in Tokyo, where she was born. Mari has performed with local jazz legends such as Danny Barker, Dr. Michael White, Gregg Stafford, Ernie K-Doe, Tuba Fats, and Kermit Ruffins, as well as with Harold Dejan’s Olympia Brass Band, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, and the Chosen Few Jazz Band, which she now leads. |
| Mario Abney | Fri, Apr 13 | Jazz Playhouse at the Royal Sonesta Hotel | 2p | Born and raised in Chicago, trumpeter Mario Abney’s contemporary jazz sound and penchant for extended solos have made him a fixture of the New Orleans scene. |
| Mark Brooks | Sat, Apr 14 | MorrisBart.com Stage | 5:30p | An acoustic bassist specializing in the classic New Orleans jazz repertoire as well as blues, gospel and modern jazz, Brooks has worked with Dr. John, the Neville Brothers and Fats Domino. |
| Marshland | Fri, Apr 13 | GE Digital Big River Stage | 12:30p | Formerly Nola County, a country band Marshland now describes their music as Louisiana Americana. The ensemble consists of Blake Mogabgab singer songwriter and guitarist; Mike Harvey, fiddle; John DePriest, banjo; James Clark, percussion; Greg Speck accordion; Kevin Lurkins, trumpet and John Paul Carmody, guitar. |
| Martin Luther King High School Marching Band (Lower 9th Ward) | Sun, Apr 15 | Ernie’s Schoolhouse Stage | 3:15p | A marching band from the Dr. King Charter School for Science and Technology in the Lower 9th Ward. |
| Mason Ruffner | Sat, Apr 14 | Tropical Isle Hand Grenade Stage | 5:45p | When he first came to New Orleans in the late ‘70s, this Texas-born, blues-obsessed guitarist backed the likes of John Lee Hooker and Memphis Slim. He went on to work with Jimmy Page, Bon Dylan, Daniel Lanois and U2 while maintaining an acclaimed solo career. |
| Mayumi Shara & New Orleans Jazz Letters | Sun, Apr 15 | Gateway to Bourbon Street Stag | 3:45p | This master of Japanese taiko drumming has become equally adept at historically New Orleanian music styles ranging from traditional jazz to blues to R&B. |
| Meschiya Lake & the Little Big Horns | Fri, Apr 13 | Hilton Tricentennial Stage | 11:15a | Once a Royal Street performer, now a marquee name in the local traditional jazz scene, Lake and friends are getting more attention worldwide thanks to her vintage sass, great storytelling and gorgeously raw New Orleans feel; their latest, Bad Kids Club, came out last year. |
| Mia Borders | Fri, Apr 13 | Abita Beer Stage | 11a | A singer, songwriter, and guitarist from New Orleans, her newest release, Quarter-Life Crisis was produced by Anders Osborne and described by OffBeat Magazine as “a record of great music and great intensity.” |
| Michael Watson | Sun, Apr 15 | Jazz Playhouse at the Royal Sonesta Hotel | 5p | From Canton, Ohio Michael Watson started playing trombone at an early age. He has Jazz Studies degrees from both Cuyahoga Community College and the University of New Orleans. He is currently a member of Magnetic Ear and the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra. |
| The Mid-City Aces | Sun, Apr 15 | Chevron Cajun/Zydeco Showcase | 12:30p | 18-year-old accordion prodigy Cameron Dupuy and his father, guitarist Michael Dupuy, teamed up with fiddler Gina Forsyth to form this traditional Cajun music trio. |
| Mike Harvey’s Hot Club | Sat, Apr 14 | Heart of Bourbon Street Stage | 12p | Violinist Mike Harvey formerly of the Courtyard Kings fronts this band. Inspired by Quintette de Hot Club du France Mike Harvey’s Hot Club’s repertoire includes classic gypsy jazz. |
| Mikhala “Jazz Muffin” Iverson | Sun, Apr 15 | New Orleans Magazine Cabaret Stage at the Palm Court | 2p | Vocalist Iverson is a Danish-American whose life-long dream was to sing jazz in the Crescent City. Her sultry style is makes her right at home in New Orleans. |
| Miss Sophie Lee | Sat, Apr 14 | Omni Royal Orleans Stage | 12p | One of the proprietors of the restaurant Three Muses and the newly relocated Seoul Shack, Lee applies a sultry vocal style to her chosen mixture of swing and traditional jazz. Her CD Love Street Lullaby shows off her songwriting as well as interpretive skills. |
| Monk Boudreaux and the Golden Eagles | Sat, Apr 14 | GE Digital Big River Stage | 5:30p | Local legend and reggae aficionado Big Chief Monk Boudreaux plays some of the city’s most esteemed Mardi Gras Indian music with his tribe, the Golden Eagles |
| Nathan Williams & the Zydeco Cha Chas | Thu, Apr 12 | Chevron Cajun/Zydeco Showcase | 2p | Nathan Williams sprung from his brother’s club, El Sid O’s in Lafayette, to become one of zydeco’s biggest names—and to write its two greatest hog songs, “Zydeco Hog” and “Everything on the Hog is Good.” |
| Naughty Professor | Fri, Apr 13 | Jack Daniel’s Stage | 5:30p | This New Orleans-based six-piece plays a blend of funk, soul and rock that’s earned them a solid following on Frenchmen Street’s jamband scene. |
| Naydja CoJoe | Sat, Apr 14 | WWL-TV Stage: Esplanade in the Shade Stage | 11a | Singer and New Orleans native Naydja CoJoe’s sound dabbles in the vintage and the more recent mainstream, while her lovely voice is bolstered by her confident stage presence. |
| The Nayo Jones Experience | Sat, Apr 14 | Omni Royal Orleans Stage | 4:15p | Kermit Ruffins' go-to guest vocalist hails from Chicago, attended Spelman and brings plenty of fire to her mix of jazz standards and R&B hits. |
| New Birth Brass Band | Sat, Apr 14 | Popeyes/OffBeat Magazine Stage: Brass Band Jam Stage | 11:15a | Featuring trumpeter Will Smith and other former students of the famed Olympia Brass Band, this long-running ensemble boasts Glen David Andrews and Trombone Shorty among its alumni. |
| New Breed Brass Band | Thu, Apr 12 | Abita Beer Stage | 12:35p | These high school marching band alums fold hip-hop, funk, and soul into the brass tradition in clubs and second lines around the city. |
| New Bumpers Jazz Band | Fri, Apr 13 | French Market International Stage | 4:15p | From France tuba player and trumpeter Fred Dupin leads this traditional jazz band. |
| New Bumpers Jazz Band | Sun, Apr 15 | French Market International Stage | 12p | From France tuba player and trumpeter Fred Dupin leads this traditional jazz band. |
| New Orleans 4’Ts | Fri, Apr 13 | French Market International Stage | 2:15p | Traditional jazz band from Japan. |
| New Orleans Classic Jazz Orchestra | Sat, Apr 14 | Zapp’s Potato Chip Stage | 11a | Led by Eddie Baynard, this septet performs the music of influential ‘20s-era New Orleans bands like the New Orleans Rhythm Kings and the Original Dixieland Jazz Band. |
| New Orleans Cottonmouth Kings | Fri, Apr 13 | French Market Traditional Jazz Stage | 12p | Rulers of the lower French Quarter and the Faubourg Marigny, the Cottonmouth Kings play a loose and fun style of traditional jazz. |
| The New Orleans Jazz Vipers | Sat, Apr 14 | Gateway to Bourbon Street Stag | 3:45p | This swinging drum-less quintet brings a mix of still-timely standards like “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?” and lesser known swing tunes to their long-running weekly gigs at the Spotted Cat. |
| New Orleans Nightcrawlers | Fri, Apr 13 | Popeyes/OffBeat Magazine Stage: Brass Band Jam Stage | 12:45p | This funky brass-meets-rock outfit represents the genre’s adventurous edge and includes familiar faces from Bonerama and Galactic. Their last album, Slither Slice, combined funk, hip-hop, Indian chants and a general spirit of rejuvenation. |
| New Orleans Suspects | Thu, Apr 12 | GE Digital Big River Stage | 2p | The New Orleans Suspects were formed in 2009 for a jam session at the Maple Leaf. At the time the band consisted of Radiators bassist Reggie Scanlan, Neville Brothers drummer “Mean” Willie Green, Dirty Dozen guitarist Jake Eckert, James Brown’s bandleader saxophonist Jeff Watkins and keyboardist CR Gruver. |
| New Orleans Swamp Donkeys | Sat, Apr 14 | MorrisBart.com Stage | 5:30p | The Swamp Donkeys’ creative mix of traditional jazz, blues, vaudeville and modern jazz styles gained a worldwide legion of fans when a video of their rendition of the Game of Thrones theme went viral online. |
| NOCCA Jazz Ensemble | Sun, Apr 15 | Ernie’s Schoolhouse Stage | 12:30p | Student group from the secondary school whose graduates include Harry Connick, Jr., Nicholas Payton, Trombone Shorty and the Marsalis brothers. |
| On the Levee Band | Sat, Apr 14 | Omni Royal Orleans Stage | 1:15p | On the Levee Jazz Band plays many of the songs associated with New Orleans' own Kid Ory and his Creole Jazz Band with an intimate knowledge of Ory's attention to dynamics, danceable tempos and swinging rhythm. Hal Smith's On the Levee Jazz Band features trombonist Clint Baker. |
| Opera on Tap | Sat, Apr 14 | St. Mary’s at the Old Ursuline Convent Classical Music Stage | 2p | Presented by the New Orleans Opera, “On Tap” features young local and regional singers in casual concerts of opera arias, show tunes, and more. |
| Orange Kellin’s New Orleans Deluxe Orchestra | Sat, Apr 14 | Zapp’s Potato Chip Stage | 3:30p | Clarinetist Kellin has been helping to keep the traditional New Orleans jazz scene alive in the Crescent City since he moved here from Sweden in 1966. A longtime associate of pianist Lars Edegran, Kellin’s also known for his central involvement in the musical One Mo’ Time. |
| Original Dixeland Jazz Band | Sat, Apr 14 | Zapp’s Potato Chip Stage | 12:30p | Bandleader and trumpeter Nick LaRocca leads this traditional New Orleans jazz band, founded nearly a century ago by his father. |
| The Original Pinettes Brass Band | Sun, Apr 15 | Popeyes/OffBeat Magazine Stage: Brass Band Jam Stage | 5:45p | Billed as “The World’s Only All Female Brass Band,” the Pinettes were formed by a group of students at St. Mary’s Academy in 1991. They won the Red Bull Street Kings brass competition in 2013. |
| Otra | Sat, Apr 14 | Tropical Isle Hand Grenade Stage | 7:20p | Led by bassist Sam Price, this local Afro-Cuban band stands out from the crowd with its strong, original compositions; they also do a heavily rearranged “Nature Boy.” |
| Ovi-G and the Froggies | Sun, Apr 15 | Tropical Isle Hand Grenade Stage | 3:50p | Ovidio Giron leads this third generation riff on the Guatemalan marimba band Los Ranas. Along with his three children, Giron performs a mix of soca, marimba and tropical styles of Central American music. |
| Palmetto Bug Stompers | Sun, Apr 15 | French Market Traditional Jazz Stage | 2:30p | Traditional jazz sextet with some familiar players, including the ubiquitous Washboard Chaz. They are a dance band staple on Frenchmen Street. |
| Panorama Jazz Band | Thu, Apr 12 | GE Digital Big River Stage | 11a | Influenced by styles from around the globe, this hip band comprised of top local instrumentalists blends New Orleans jazz traditions with klezmer, Latin and Balkan sounds. |
| Papa Mali | Sat, Apr 14 | WWL-TV Stage: Esplanade in the Shade Stage | 5:30p | Best known as frontman for 7 Walkers (a band that includes Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann and the Meters' founding bassist, George Porter Jr.), Papa Mali is an accomplished singer-songwriter and guitarist who picked up two Best of the Beat Awards in 2015: Best Roots Rock Performer and Best Roots Rock Record for Music Is Love. |
| Papo y Son Mandao | Sun, Apr 15 | GE Digital Big River Stage | 11a | Cuban guitarist Alexis "Papo" Guevara and his band perform repertoire that includes Latin jazz, salsa, cha-cha-cha, and son Cubano. |
| Partners N Crime & The Big Easy Bounce Band featuring DJ Jubilee | Thu, Apr 12 | GE Digital Big River Stage | 3:30p | Legendary local rap “partners” since their days growing up in the 17th Ward, Kango Slimm and Mr. Meana appear with an all-star bounce group featuring the self-professed “King of Bounce” DJ Jubilee. See feature in this issue. |
| Party Gators | Fri, Apr 13 | French Market International Stage | 12p | This German group is led by drummer Bernie Hasel, who also tours in an oompah band but claims New Orleans music as his true love. |
| Patrice Fisher and Arpa | Sat, Apr 14 | MorrisBart.com Stage | 11a | This Latin jazz ensemble is led by versatile professional harpist Fisher, who has been performing and recording her original compositions since the early ’80s. |
| Paul Sanchez and the Rolling Road Show | Sat, Apr 14 | GE Digital Big River Stage | 12:30p | Cowboy Mouth alum Sanchez has since been a friendly godfather to the local songwriter scene, and the co-writer of the post-Katrina musical Nine Lives. Paul Sanchez transforms audiences with a unique blend of music and storytelling. |
| Paulin Brothers Jazz Band | Sat, Apr 14 | Gateway to Bourbon Street Stag | 2:15p | Ernest “Doc” Paulin founded this band in the 1920s; his sons now perform strictly traditional brass-band music, complete with the longstanding black-and-white uniforms and spiffy white caps. |
| The Pentones | Thu, Apr 12 | Tropical Isle Hand Grenade Stage | 2p | This trio led by guitarist and vocalist Mark Pentone plays original blues and funk and is frequently performing at the Funky Pirate on Bourbon Street. The other members are bassist Thomas C. McDonald and drummer Eddie Christmas. Dan Willging said of Penton “it would not be an exaggeration to rate him among the top 10 lead guitarists in a city that has no shortage of them.” |
| The Pfister Sisters | Sun, Apr 15 | MorrisBart.com Stage | 12:15p | Inspired by the close harmonies and lively personalities of New Orleans’ Boswell Sisters, these Spotted Cat regulars are all about the ‘30s in both sound and look. |
| Ponchartrain Owls | Sun, Apr 15 | French Market International Stage | 2:15p | This multinational traditional jazz group has made regular appearances at French Quarter Fest. |
| Preservation All-Stars | Thu, Apr 12 | Hilton Tricentennial Stage | 11:15a | From Preservation Hall, the Preservation All-Stars are directed by Ben Jaffe of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. |
| Professor Craig Adams Band | Sat, Apr 14 | Jazz Playhouse at the Royal Sonesta Hotel | 8p | Hammond player and Houston/New Orleans native Adams leads this dynamic group. |
| The Quickening | Thu, Apr 12 | Jack Daniel’s Stage | 12:30p | After parting ways with the Flow Tribe in 2012, guitarist and songwriter Blake Quick has assembled a group of musicians including vocalist Rachel “Mama Ray” Murray. The rhythm section boasts bassist Al Small and drummer Scott Sibley. Other band members (which is always changing) includes horns, pedal steel guitar, and various other woodwind and string instruments. See My Music with Blake Quick in this issue. |
| Raw Oyster Cult | Sun, Apr 15 | Abita Beer Stage | 3:45p | The closest thing at FQF to a Radiators reunion, featuring 3/5 of the Rads (Dave Malone, Camile Baudoin, and Frank Bua) plus Papa Grows Funk’s John Gros and Johnny Sketch & the Dirty Notes’ bassist Dave Pomerlau. |
| Rebirth Brass Band | Sat, Apr 14 | Abita Beer Stage | 7:15p | Now entering its fourth decade, Rebirth was one of the first bands to modernize and funkify the New Orleans brass band sound. They won their first Grammy in 2012 for the CD Rebirth of New Orleans and took home three awards at OffBeat’s Best of the Beat 2014 for Best Brass Band, Best Brass Band Album and Album of the Year for Move Your Body. |
| Rechell Cook and the Regeneration Band | Thu, Apr 12 | Jack Daniel’s Stage | 5:15p | Vocalist Rechell Cook was born and raised in New Orleans. Cook formed the Regeneration Band in 1991. Her powerhouse vocals include old school R&B, jazz and blues. |
| Red Hot Brass Band | Fri, Apr 13 | Popeyes/OffBeat Magazine Stage: Brass Band Jam Stage | 4p | Student musicians from the prestigious New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts, the Red Hots play standards from the traditional New Orleans jazz repertoire. |
| Red Wolf Brass Band | Sun, Apr 15 | Popeyes/OffBeat Magazine Stage: Brass Band Jam Stage | 4p | Music teacher and band director Desmond Venable leads this energetic young band of music students who recently released their first album, 7th Period. |
| The Revealers | Fri, Apr 13 | WWL-TV Stage: Esplanade in the Shade Stage | 3:45p | Long-running reggae band with a funkified New Orleans feel, the Revealers are known for the local hit, “I Like the Sound of That.” |
| Rhodes Spedale & Live Jazz Group | Sun, Apr 15 | Gateway to Bourbon Street Stag | 2:15p | In addition to performing as a jazz pianist in and around New Orleans since the mid-‘60s, Spedale has worked as a jazz journalist, authoring a guide to New Orleansm jazz in the ‘80s and hosting numerous radio programs over the years. |
| Ricardo Pascal Orchestra | Sun, Apr 15 | Jazz Playhouse at the Royal Sonesta Hotel | 2p | Marcus Roberts “The Modern Jazz Generation” incorporates a core group of very talented younger musicians at the beginning of their careers. In that number was tenor and soprano saxophonist Ricardo Pascal now leading his own orchestra. |
| Richard “Piano” Scott and Friends | Sat, Apr 14 | MorrisBart.com Stage | 5:30p | Born Scott Obenshain, pianist Richard Scott began playing the piano at four years old. He loved listening to early New Orleans jazz band and his latest CD Jambalaya Town contains original music written in that syle. |
| Robin Barnes & The Fiyabirds | Thu, Apr 12 | Hilton Tricentennial Stage | 3:50p | Steeped in R&B, this self-professed “soul pop” vocalist first sang in the choirs at St. Phillip and St. David Catholic Churches, and later with her family’s jazz band the Soul Heirs. |
| Rockin' Dopsie and the Zydeco Twisters | Sun, Apr 15 | Chevron Cajun/Zydeco Showcase | 5:30p | One of the few rubboard players to lead a zydeco band, Dopsie Jr. plays it wilder than his accordionist dad, and his sets are guaranteed party-starters. |
| The Ronnie Kole Show featuring John Perkins | Sat, Apr 14 | Hilton Tricentennial Stage | 2:20p | This award-winning jazz pianist, old-school Bourbon Street staple and protégé of Al Hirt has been performing Great American Songbook classics and Big Band tunes in New Orleans for decades. |
| Rory Danger & the Danger Dangers | Fri, Apr 13 | WWL-TV Stage: Esplanade in the Shade Stage | 5:30p | Danger is saxophonist and clarinetist Aurora Nealand’s alter ego. The rockabilly ensemble includes Spencer Bohren, his son, Andre Bohren, Marc Paradis, Casey Coleman, Bill Malchow and Scott Potts. Their relentless enthusiasm and dedication to their bizarre characters make their performances some of the most fun in town. |
| Rosie Ledet & The Zydeco Playboys | Sun, Apr 15 | Chevron Cajun/Zydeco Showcase | 3:30p | Born in Church Point, Louisiana, Rosie Ledet is a singer and accordion player. Her songs are known for their sultry and suggestive lyrics. |
| Russell Batiste and Friends | Sun, Apr 15 | GE Digital Big River Stage | 3:30p | The funky Meters drummer does his own brand of funk with jazz and hip-hop elements. Brought up in a musical family, Batiste started playing drums at the age of four. |
| Sam Price & the True Believers | Sun, Apr 15 | Jack Daniel’s Stage | 12:30p | Bassist Sam Price of Otra and Honey Island Swamp Band leads the True Believers in original soulful and funky music. The band also features Ethan Shorter on drums, Conga Mike on percussion, Phil Breen on keys and either Matt Galloway or John Fohl on guitar. |
| Sarah Quintana and the Miss River Band | Sun, Apr 15 | WWL-TV Stage: Esplanade in the Shade Stage | 11a | Water and the Louisiana region’s natural world fueled the inspiration for this ambitious, dreamy and innovative project from one of the city’s top vocalists |
| Sean Ardoin | Fri, Apr 13 | Chevron Cajun/Zydeco Showcase | 5:30p | Sean Ardoin's family connections in zydeco go back to one of the originators, Amede Ardoin. After leading the zydeco band Double Clutchin, he also rocks the house with Christian-oriented zydeco. |
| Sexy Dex | Sat, Apr 14 | House of Blues Voodoo Garden Stage | 7:45p | New Orleans band that plays early ‘80s funk. |
| Shake Em’ Up Jazz Band | Sun, Apr 15 | The Helis Foundation Preservation Hall Stage | 1p | All-female traditional jazz band. The members are Chloe Feoranzo on clarinet, Marla Dixon on trumpet, Haruka Kikuchi on trombone, Molly Reeves on guitar and Julie Schexnayder on string bass. |
| Shamarr Allen & the Underdawgs | Fri, Apr 13 | Jack Daniel’s Stage | 7:15p | Jazz-funk-hip-hop trumpeter Allen resists categorization, having performed with Willie Nelson and written the local anthem “Meet Me on Frenchmen Street.” |
| Shannon Powell’s Traditional All Star Band | Sat, Apr 14 | Hilton Tricentennial Stage | 5:20p | Billed as the “King of Treme,” Shannon Powell is a master drummer and Preservation Hall staple who began his career with Danny Barker and has since played with Wynton Marsalis, Dr. John and Harry Connick Jr. |
| Shotgun Jazz Band | Sun, Apr 15 | Zapp’s Potato Chip Stage | 11a | Trumpeter Marla Dixon and six-string banjoist John Dixon began as a busking duo before expanding to their current seven-piece, traditional New Orleans jazz incarnation. |
| Sierra Green & The Soul Machine | Sun, Apr 15 | WWL-TV Stage: Esplanade in the Shade Stage | 2p | Sierra Green & The Soul Machine is comprised with some of the best musicians from all over the country that now reside in New Orleans. The band plays many genres rock, jazz, blues, funk, soul, reggae, country and Latin. Band members include vocalist, Sierra Green; bassists Mike Perez; drummer Ezell Smith; guitarist, Seizo and saxophonist Tajh Derosier. |
| Smitty Dees Brass Band | Sat, Apr 14 | The Helis Foundation Preservation Hall Stage | 2p | New Orleans brass band was founded in October 1991 by tuba player Dimitri K. Smith. Smith played with Dejan Olympia Brass Band for 10 years. |
| Smoke N Bones | Fri, Apr 13 | GE Digital Big River Stage | 11a | This five piece band has a classic soul sound rooted in jazz, Afro beat and Reggae. The band includes Mykia Jovan on vocals featured in My Music this month. |
| The Smoking Time Jazz Club | Sun, Apr 15 | French Market Traditional Jazz Stage | 12:45p | Classic New Orleans traditional jazz fronted by vocalist Sarah Peterson. Although the Smoking Time Jazz Club have released nine albums they are still often regarded as up-and-comers. |
| Some Like it Hot Traditional Jazz Band | Sat, Apr 14 | Zapp’s Potato Chip Stage | 2p | Trumpeter Kaye Caldwell leads this traditional jazz group, which unlike most ensembles of its type features several female musicians. |
| Soul Brass Band | Sat, Apr 14 | Popeyes/OffBeat Magazine Stage: Brass Band Jam Stage | 2:15p | Drummer Derrick Freeman leads the Soul Brass Band, which was formed in 2015. The band was the winner of Best Emerging Artist this year at the Best of the Beat Awards. |
| Soul Project | Sat, Apr 14 | Tropical Isle Hand Grenade Stage | 4p | Young devotees of old-school funk, and inspired by vintage Nevilles and Meters. Guitarist/singer Jon Cristian Duque played for a time with Walter “Wolfman” Washington. |
| St. Peter Street Jazz Band | Sat, Apr 14 | The Helis Foundation Preservation Hall Stage | 1p | Traditional jazz band named for the street Preservation Hall is located at in New Orleans. |
| Stephanie Jordan | Sun, Apr 15 | Hilton Tricentennial Stage | 5:30p | This popular New Orleans jazz singer hails from the esteemed Jordan family (her father is the award-winning saxophonist Kidd Jordan). In 2012, her big band performed a critically acclaimed tribute to Lena Horne at the Fair Grounds. |
| Steve Pistorius & the Southern Syncopators | Sat, Apr 14 | French Market Traditional Jazz Stage | 12:45p | Pianist Steve Pistorius, who plays with a dexterous, ragtime piano style, is complemented by a crew of seasoned traditional jazz musicians in a band named after a song by Henry “Red” Allen. Their repertoire includes tunes by Sidney Bechet, Natty Dominique, Bill Whitmore, Tony Jackson and others. |
| Stone Rabbits | Sun, Apr 15 | House of Blues Voodoo Garden Stage | 12p | A psychedelic blues and rock jam band from Baton Rouge. The Stone Rabbits formed in 2007 and were the winners of the LSU Battle of the Bands. |
| Stooges Brass Band | Fri, Apr 13 | Popeyes/OffBeat Magazine Stage: Brass Band Jam Stage | 5:45p | Formed in 1996, the Stooges are one of the busiest brass bands on the circuit. They frequently add unexpected elements like reggae to their tight sound, drawing high-profile devotees like Trombone Shorty to their fanbase. |
| Storyville Stompers Brass Band | Sat, Apr 14 | Popeyes/OffBeat Magazine Stage: Brass Band Jam Stage | 12:45a | This long-running and prolific traditional New Orleans brass band has a knack for reinvigorating rare, vintage jazz songs. |
| Storyville String Band featuring Seva Venet | Sun, Apr 15 | The Helis Foundation Preservation Hall Stage | 12p | Guitarist and banjo player Seva Venet moved to New Orleans from Los Angeles and performs with bands including Lionel Ferbos and the Palm Court Jazz Band. The Storyville Stringband has recorded with guitarists Lars Edegran, Kerry Lewis, and Matt Rhodie. |
| Sullivan Dabney’s Muzik Jazz Band | Sat, Apr 14 | MorrisBart.com Stage | 12:30p | Jazz musician Sullivan Dabney has performed with The Muzik Jazz Band all over the world. Dabney has played with Irma Thomas, Jean Knight and many others. His band performs at Harrah’s Casino every weekend. |
| Sunpie & the Louisiana Sunspots | Sat, Apr 14 | Chevron Cajun/Zydeco Showcase | 5:30p | Accordionist and harmonica player Bruce "Sunpie" Barnes, who grew up surrounded by blues masters like Sonny Boy Williamson in Arkansas, infuses plenty of R&B into his brand of contemporary Zydeco. |
| Sweet Crude | Thu, Apr 12 | Abita Beer Stage | 2:10p | New Orleans indie pop septet Sweet Crude plays an energetic brand of percussion-driven, sparkly rock, often sung in French. |
| Sweet Olive String Band | Sat, Apr 14 | New Orleans Magazine Cabaret Stage at the Palm Court | 12p | : This self-described "old tyme" string trio performs country, blues and bluegrass from eras past. |
| Symphony Chorus of New Orleans | Sun, Apr 15 | St. Mary’s at the Old Ursuline Convent Classical Music Stage | 11a | The 85-member chorus under the direction of Steven Edwards started in 1981. |
| T’Monde | Thu, Apr 12 | Chevron Cajun/Zydeco Showcase | 12:30p | A trio of rising star Cajun music players—Kelli Jones-Savoy on fiddle, Drew Simon on accordion and Megan Brown on guitar—founded this South Louisiana-based band, which mines regional traditions and each member's' own creativity for its sound. |
| TBC Brass Band | Sat, Apr 14 | Popeyes/OffBeat Magazine Stage: Brass Band Jam Stage | 5:45p | If a brass band on Bourbon Street ever stopped you in your tracks, it was probably TBC Brass Band. |
| Ted Hefko and the Thousandaires | Sun, Apr 15 | Pan-American Life Insurance Group Songwriter Stage | 1:30p | Wisconsin native Ted Hefko took a bus down to New Orleans at the age of 18 and never looked back. The saxophonist/clarinetist/guitarist and his band deliver some good old American roots music, with more than a little bit of New Orleans flavor thrown into the mix. |
| Terrance “Hollywood” Taplin leads the Uptown Jazz Orchestra | Thu, Apr 12 | Hilton Tricentennial Stage | 5:30p | Trombonist Terrance Taplin leads the Uptown Jazz Orchestra founded by trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis. They frequently perform at Snug Harbor. The Uptown Jazz Orchestra’s latest CD Make America Great Again! with Delfeayo Marsalis was the best contemporary jazz album at the 2016 Best of the Beat Awards. |
| Thais Clark and her JAZZsters | Fri, Apr 13 | French Market Traditional Jazz Stage | 4p | Hailing from New Orleans’ Seventh Ward, Clark often hews to the ribald, fun, old-school blues of Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith and has worked with Wynton Marsalis, Dr. Michael White and the New Orleans Symphony Orchestra. |
| Them Ol’ Ghosts | Sun, Apr 15 | House of Blues Voodoo Garden Stage | 4p | Them Ol’ Ghosts are a Southern soul alternative rock band from New Orleans. Their sound is an eclectic mix that’s raw and sincere. The band are Theophile Bourgeois on guitar, Blair Champagne on drums, Justin Johnson on guitar and Aaron Younce on bass and keyboard. |
| Tim Laughlin | Sat, Apr 14 | Hilton Tricentennial Stage | 11:15a | Clarinetist Laughlin's compositions fit within the classic traditional jazz idiom, but his skill in bringing traditional New Orleans jazz into the 21st Century gives them a more modern feel. He was the first and only New Orleans clarinetist to write and record an entire album of originals. |
| The Tin Men | Sun, Apr 15 | WWL-TV Stage: Esplanade in the Shade Stage | 12:30p | This rocking and swinging trio doesn’t appear together much these days, but with Alex McMurray, Matt Perrine and Washboard Chaz all playing separate sets this year the time is right. |
| Tom McDermott and His Jazz Hellions | Sat, Apr 14 | New Orleans Magazine Cabaret Stage at the Palm Court | 3p | McDermott is a virtuoso pianist whose skill and deep knowledge of music history allow him to play everything from New Orleans jazz and blues to Caribbean and classical music. |
| Tommy Sancton’s New Orleans Legacy Band | Sun, Apr 15 | Zapp’s Potato Chip Stage | 3:30p | This clarinetist served as Time Magazine’s Paris bureau chief for 22 years. As a child, he took music lessons from Preservation Hall Jazz Band’s George Lewis, an experience he documents in the book Song for My Fathers. |
| Topsy Chapman and Solid Harmony | Sun, Apr 15 | Hilton Tricentennial Stage | 2:20p | Topsy Chapman leads the all-female group with a gospel-inspired vocal blend called Solid Harmony |
| Treme Brass Band | Sun, Apr 15 | Popeyes/OffBeat Magazine Stage: Brass Band Jam Stage | 12:45p | Led by Benny Jones, the Treme Brass Band is one of the longest-running traditional brass bands in town. The Treme Brass Band contributed to the Carnival repertoire with “Gimme My Money Back.” |
| Tricentennial High School Band | Sat, Apr 14 | Ernie’s Schoolhouse Stage | 4:15p | To celebrate New Orleans 300 years this band consists of high school students from across New Orleans. |
| Tuba Skinny | Thu, Apr 12 | Jack Daniel’s Stage | 11a | This band of New Orleans street musicians specialize in traditional jazz, Depression-era blues and spirituals. Read our cover story in this issue. |
| Turnaround Arts Program/ReNew: Delores T. Aaron Middle School Brass Band | Sat, Apr 14 | Ernie’s Schoolhouse Stage | 1:45p | This brass band took part in the Turnaround Arts Talent Show at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. this last March. |
| Tuxedo Jazz Band | Sat, Apr 14 | French Market International Stage | 4:15p | This New Orleans traditional jazz band from Sweden also broadens their repertoire with some modern material. The band is Rolf Carvenius on clarinet, Per Dywling on trumpet, Lasse Hobinger on trombone, Staffan Algell on banjo, Stefan Ramnell on string bass and Peter Stenson on drums. |
| Valerie Sassyfras | Sat, Apr 14 | Pan-American Life Insurance Group Songwriter Stage | 4p | Valerie Sassyfras’ eclectic one-woman show transcends any easy classifications. Suffice to say, her off-kilter performances are as sassy as her name suggests, blending disparate styles like zydeco and electro-pop with a heavy dose of showmanship. |
| The Vettes | Sun, Apr 15 | GE Digital Big River Stage | 2p | This band takes its name from the surname shared by all of its members, who happen to be siblings (well, one of them was “adopted” when the group formed). Fronted by singer/guitarist Rachel Vette, the band is known for its energetic blend of new-wave and alternative rock. See FQFIQ feature in this issue. |
| Vivaz! | Sun, Apr 15 | MorrisBart.com Stage | 1:30p | This energetic and dance inspiring Caribbean/Latin jazz fusion band led by the Bolivian-born guitarist Javier Gutierrez highlights the Cuban tres (a double three-stringed Cuban guitar). |
| Walter “Wolfman” Washington & the Roadmasters | Fri, Apr 13 | Abita Beer Stage | 5:30p | A local institution, the Wolfman puts plenty of hot guitar and soulful horns into his funky brand of blues. See backtalk feature in this issue. |
| Wanda Rouzan & A Taste of New Orleans | Sun, Apr 15 | Tropical Isle Hand Grenade Stage | 2:20p | A lifetime New Orleanian, Wanda cut her first single as part of the Rouzan Sisters and has since distinguished herself as a stage actress, educator and champion of the city’s R&B tradition. |
| Warren Easton Marching Band | Sat, Apr 14 | Ernie’s Schoolhouse Stage | 12:15p | The 105-piece band has performed at the Superdome during New Orleans Saints halftime shows. They are also a regular at Mardi Gras parades including Endymion, Bacchus, Rex and Hermes. |
| Washboard Chaz Blues Trio | Sat, Apr 14 | Heart of Bourbon Street Stage | 3p | When not tackling Western swing with Washboard Rodeo, rocking acoustically with the Tin Men or presiding over Chazfest, Washboard Chaz airs his blues roots with this group. |
| Water Seed | Fri, Apr 13 | Tropical Isle Hand Grenade Stage | 5:45p | Keen to steer clear of the genre label, “neo-soul,” the band’s five to eight pieces create the thick, rich sonic fabric only true soul groups possess. Perhaps R&B is a more appropriate label for their sound—original R&B, that is. |
| Waylon Thibodeaux Band | Fri, Apr 13 | Chevron Cajun/Zydeco Showcase | 12:30p | A Bourbon Street fixture for years, Waylon is an energetic fiddler who specializes in zydeco and Cajun music. He’s also a member of the Voice of the Wetlands All-Stars. |
| Wendell Brunious | Sat, Apr 14 | Hilton Tricentennial Stage | 12:45p | Trumpeter Brunious took over as the leader of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band in 1987 and remained a Hall regular for many years (his nephew Mark Braud is the current leader). Brunious has played regularly with Lionel Hampton, Linda Hopkins and Sammy Rimington. |
| Yung Vul | Fri, Apr 13 | WWL-TV Stage: Esplanade in the Shade Stage | 2p | From New Orleans the band integrates jazz, hip-hop, punk rock, folk and R&B to create a unique blend of creative improvisation. |
| Zachary Richard | Fri, Apr 13 | Chevron Cajun/Zydeco Showcase | 7:30p | Singer songwriter Zachary Richard has recorded over 20 albums. He is a poet and cultural activist. His latest CD Gombo features slide guitar paired with a driving accordion. He can defy categorization “I always thought I belonged in the rock bins… but I always wound up in the Cajun bin instead.” |
| Zena Moses & Rye Fiya | Fri, Apr 13 | Jack Daniel’s Stage | 2p | Formed in 2011 this band is like a musical gumbo, soul, funk, jazz, reggae and blues. The band features Kashonda Bailey on piano; Seizo Shibayama on guitar; Jerry Henderson on bass; Terry Scott Jr. on drums; Jeremy Phipps on trombone; Natasha Harris on saxophone and Zena Moses vocalist. |
| The Zion Harmonizers | Sat, Apr 14 | GE Digital Big River Stage | 11a | This venerable group has been a Jazz Fest favorite since the beginning. The group’s history goes back to 1939, when the first lineup was formed in the Zion City neighborhood. |
| Zohar Israel & the Free Sprit Afro Caribbean Showcase | Sat, Apr 14 | Chevron Children’s HQ (National Park Service Kids Stage) | 2p | Director Zohar Israel is a specialist in the African drum culture. |
| Zydefunk | Sat, Apr 14 | Jack Daniel’s Stage | 2p | Bassist Charlie Wooton leads this bass-driven funk band that includues hints of Latin, reggae, jazz and blues. |
Full line-up and schedule
Thursday, April 12
Friday, April 13
Saturday, April 14
Abita Beer Stage
11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. — Big Chief Bo Dollis, Jr. & the Wild Magnolias
12:35 p.m. to 1:50 p.m. — The Iguanas
2:10 p.m. to 3:25 p.m. — Brass-A-Holics
3:45 p.m. to 5:05 p.m. — Little Freddie King
5:25 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. — Big Sam’s Funky Nation
7:15 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. — Rebirth Brass Band
GE Digital Big River Stage
11 a.m. to 12:10 p.m. — The Zion Harmonizers
12:30 p.m to 1:40 p.m. — Paul Sanchez and the Rolling Road Show
2 p.m. to 3:25 p.m. — Cole Williams Band
3:45 p.m. to 5:10 p.m. — Higher Heights Reggae Band
5:30 p.m. to 6:55 p.m. — Monk Boudreaux and the Golden Eagles
7:15 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. — John “Papa” Gros
Tropical Isle Hand Grenade Stage
11 a.m. to 12:10 p.m. — Christian Serpas & Ghost Town
12:30 p.m. to 1:40 p.m. — Al “Lil Fats” Jackson
2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. — Hot Rod Lincoln
4 p.m. to 5:25 p.m. — Soul Project
5:45 p.m. to 7 p.m. — Mason Ruffner
7:20 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. — Otra
Chevron Cajun/Zydeco Showcase
12:30 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. — The DayWalkers
1:45 p.m. to 2 p.m. — Cajun dance lesson with Darrell Drucker
2 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. – The Bruce Daigrepont Cajun Band
3:15 p.m.- to 3:45 p.m. — Zydeco dance lesson with Darrell Drucker
3:45 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. – The Babineaux Sisters Band
5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. — Sunpie and the Louisiana Sunspots
7:30 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. — Amanda Shaw
Hilton Tricentennial Stage
11:15 a.m. to 12:25 p.m. — Tim Laughlin
12:45 p.m. to 2 p.m. — Wendell Brunious
2:20 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. — The Ronnie Kole Show featuring John Perkins
3:50 p.m. to 5 p.m. — Charmaine Neville
5:20 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. — Shannon Powell Traditional All-Star Band
Jack Daniel’s Stage
11 a.m. to 12:10 p.m. — Don Vappie & the Creole Jazz Serenaders
12:30 p.m. to 1:40 p.m. — Amanda Ducorbier
2 p.m. to 3:25 p.m. — Zydefunk
3:45 p.m. to 5:10 p.m. — Dash Rip Rock
5:30 p.m. to 6:55 p.m. — Funk Monkey
7:15 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. — Erica Falls
WWL-TV Esplanade in the Shade Stage
11 a.m. to 12:10 p.m. — Naydja CoJoe
12:30 p.m. to 1:40 p.m. — Lulu and the Broadsides (feat. Dayna Kurtz)
2 p.m. to 3:25 p.m. — Alfred Banks w/Cool Nasty
3:45 p.m. to 5:10 p.m. — Egg Yolk Jubilee
5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. — Papa Mali
Popeyes Brass Band Jam with OffBeat
11:15 a.m. to 12:25 p.m. — New Birth Brass Band
12:45 p.m. to 1:55 p.m. — Storyville Stompers Brass Band
2:15 p.m. to 3:40 p.m. — Backroom at Buffa’s presents Soul Brass Band
4:00 p.m. to 5:25 p.m. — Leroy Jones’ Original Hurricane Brass Band
5:45 p.m. to 7 p.m. — TBC Brass Band
Sunday, April 15
Abita Beer Stage
11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. — Cullen Landry and the Midnight Streetcar Band featuring Al “Carnival Time” Johnson
12:35 p.m. to 1:50 p.m. — Bucktown All-Stars
2:10 p.m. to 3:25 p.m. — The Dixie Cups
3:45 p.m. to 5 pm — Raw Oyster Cult
5:20 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. — Cyril Neville’s Swamp Funk
GE Digital Big River Stage
11 a.m. to 12:10 p.m. — Papo y Son Mandao
12:30 p.m. to 1:40 p.m. — King James & The Special Men
2 p.m. to 3:10 p.m. — The Vettes
3:30 p.m. to 4:55 p.m. — Russell Batiste and Friends
5:20 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. — Honey Island Swamp Band
Tropical Isle Hand Grenade Stage
11 a.m. to 12:20p.m. — The Jones Sisters
12:40 p.m. to 2 p.m. — Johnny Sansone
2:20 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. — Wanda Rouzan and A Taste of New Orleans
3:50 p.m. to 5:05 p.m. — Ovi-G Froggies
5:25 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. — Corey Henry & the Treme Funktet
Chevron Cajun/Zydeco Showcase
12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. — The Mid-City Aces
1:30 p.m. to -2 p.m. — Cajun dance lesson with Darrell Drucker
2 p.m. to 3 pm — Bonsoir, Catin
3 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. — Zydeco dance lesson with Darrell Drucker
3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. — Rosie Ledet & the Zydeco Playboys
5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. — Rockin’ Dopsie Jr. and the Zydeco Twisters
Hilton Tricentennial Stage
11:15 a.m. to 12:25 p.m. — Lena Prima
12:45 p.m. to 2 p.m. — Jeremy Davenport
2:20 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. — Topsy Chapman and Solid Harmony
3:50 p.m. to 5:10 p.m. — The Dukes Of Dixieland
5:30 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. — Stephanie Jordan
Jack Daniel’s Stage
11 to 12:10 p.m. — Evan Christopher’s Clarinet Road
12:30 p.m. to 1:40 p.m. — Sam Price & the True Believers
2 p.m. to 3:10 p.m. — Darcy Malone and The Tangle
3:30 p.m. to 4:55 p.m. — Gina Brown & Anutha Level
5:15 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. — Johnny Sketch and the Dirty Notes
WWL-TV Esplanade in the Shade Stage
11 a.m. to 12:10 p.m. — Sarah Quintana & The Miss River Band
12:30 p.m. to 1:40 p.m. — The Tin Men
2 p.m. to 3:25 p.m. — Sierra Green & The Soul Machine
3:45 p.m. to 5:10 p.m. — Creole String Beans
5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. — Astral Project
Popeyes Brass Band Jam with OffBeat
11:15 a.m. to 12:25 p.m. — Andrew Hall’s Society Brass Band
12:45 p.m. to 1:55 p.m. — Treme Brass Band
2:15 p.m. to 3:40 p.m. — Mahogany Brass Band
4 p.m. to 5:25 p.m. — Red Wolf Brass Band
5:45 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. — The Original Pinettes Brass Band
