In celebration of the unique cultural and musical phenomenon that is the Mardi Gras Indians, this year the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation’s Congo Square New World Rhythms Festival hums this weekend by highlighting the Indians at this weekend’s festival in Armstrong Park.
The event honors the recent passing of the inimitable Emile “Bo” Dollis of the Wild Magnolias with a performance of the Wild Magnolias featuring Dollis’ long-time collaborator, Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, as well as Bo’s son, Bo Dollis, Jr.
Other Indian performers include Cha Wa, and Chief Smiley Ricks. Rebirth and the Hot 8 Brass Band also perform, with Caribbean flavor being added by young Cuban drummer and bandleader Yissy Garcia, percussionists Alexey Marti and Michael Skinkus.
The festival will also feature a plethora of traditional and modern African dance groups and its annual “battle” of the Mardi Gras Indian tribes, with a special appearance by hip-hop artist Truth Universal who will collaborate with the Guardians of the Flame and Fi Yi Yi. There’s also a nod to contemporary soul music with Best of The Beat winning band Tank and & the Bangas, and Bamboula 2000.
The two-day festival (Saturday and Sunday) always features a large arts market that showcases locally-produced hand-made crafts and food from local vendors that showcases the food of Afruica, the Caribbean and New Orleans.
The festival will also host the fourth annual Class Got Brass competition for Louisiana middle and high school brass bands on Sunday afternoon in a second line parade that’s also a contest. The winners will receive more than $20,000 worth of instruments for their schools’ band programs.
This is a festival that’s one of the OffBeat staff’s favorite events: Armstrong Park is the coolest place ever for a festival like this; the weather is usually great, and you can only hear music like this in New Orleans. The festival is free and open to the public. Music starts at 1:00 a.m. on both March 21 and March 22.
Here’s the music schedule. For more information, go to http://www.jazzandheritage.org/congo-square.
Saturday, March 21
11:00a.m. to 12:00p.m. Latin Drum Circle
12:00 to 12:45p.m. Moyuba featuring Michael Skinkus
12:45p.m. to 1:00p.m. Culu & N’Kafu African Dance
1:00p.m. to 1:40p.m. Alexey Marti
1:45p.m. to 2:15p.m. Yissy Garcia from Cuba
2:15p.m. to 2:30p.m. Tekrema Dance Theater
2:30p.m. to 3:15p.m. Big Chief Smiley Ricks
3:15p.m. to 4:15p.m. Battle of the Mardi Gras Indian featuring
Fi Yi Yi and the Guardians of the Flame plus DJ Truth Universal
4:15p.m. to 5:30p.m. Cha Wa
5:30p.m. to 6:00p.m. N’Fungola Sibo Dance Theater
6:00p.m. to 7:30p.m. The Wild Magnolias featuring Monk Boudreaux and Bo Dollis Jr.
Sunday, March 22
11:00a.m. to 12:00p.m. African Drumming & Dance Circle
12:00p.m. to 12:45p.m. Bamboula 2000
12:45p.m. to 1:00p.m. Nkiruka Drum and Dance Ensemble
1:00p.m. to 1:45p.m. Africa Brass
1:45 p.m. to 2:15p.m. Kumbuka African Dance Ensemble
2:15p.m. to 3:00p.m. Tank & da Bangas
3:00p.m. to 4:45p.m. Class Got Brass Competition
4:45p.m. to 5:45p.m. Hot 8 Brass Band
5:45p.m. to 6:00p.m. Class Got Brass winners announcement
6:00p.m. to 7:30p.m. Rebirth Brass Band
