The Congo Square New World Rhythms Festival showed its full potential to be one of New Orleans’ best small festivals in its fifth year this past weekend. The festival showed a range of music from the African diaspora, with highlights that included Congolese soukous guitarist Diblo Dibala and Cuban band Interactivo—making their first United States appearance—on Saturday March 24, and an excellent local hip-hop lineup on Sunday, March 25 that included Dee-1, Truth Universal, Nesby Phips, and Partners-N-Crime with guests DJ Jubilee, Ricky B and the 8-9 Boyz.

The festival, produced by the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation, also hosted the finals of the Class Got Brass competition, in which many high school brass bands played on Rampart Street for ten all-star judges: Ben Jaffe, Brice Miller, Derrick Tabb, Greg Stafford, Gregory Davis, Michael White, Sammie Williams, Shamarr Allen, Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews and Virgil Tiller. KIPP McDonogh 15, O. Perry Walker, and McDonogh 35 were chosen as the top three bands, respectively.

All photos were taken by Kim Welsh.

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