New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and Foundation, Inc. has announced the programming for the 2018-2019 Jazz & Heritage Concert Series season.
Kicking off September 15, the season and all of its offerings are free and open to the public and take place at the George and Joyce Wein Jazz & Heritage Center in the Tremé. On offer this season are tango, a salute to drummers, poetry slams, West African music, Brazilian bands and more. The kick-off concert will celebrate Herlin Riley and Johnny Vidacovich in a world-exclusive double bill. According to organizers, “both drummers will face off for two sets of free-floating, exploratory jazz backed by a stellar band that includes guitarist Steve Masakowski, saxophonist Derek Douget and bassist James Singleton.”
Also on deck this season are appearances from blues/folk guitarist, singer and storyteller Spencer Bohren. The rare local performance will feature his band the Whippersnappers on March 9. Tonya Boyd-Cannon will lend her stellar voice to a soul tribute on June 15, sure to incorporate an homage to the late Aretha Franklin.
Global music will also be celebrated, with Cuban-born percussionist Alexey Marti; tequila-fueled tango with cellist Dr. Jee Yeoun Ko; West African Afropop bands, Kumasi Afrobeat Orchestra and the Fufu Allstars; and a trifecta of Brazilian bands, Chegadão, Amigos do Samba and Sapatos Novos.
In January, the National Day of Racial Healing will feature a partnership between the Foundation for Louisiana and the Ashé Cultural Arts Center, starring performers Sunni Patterson, Donney Rose, William Vivanco, Sol Galeano, Antonio Garca and Ceasar Baracco.
“When we announced our inaugural concert series last year, we were thrilled to give a world-class showcase to our very deserving local artists,” said Don Marshall, executive director of the Jazz & Heritage Foundation. “This year, we’re expanding into new directions and increasing the number of events we’re presenting, from 13 shows last year to 18 this season.”
Check out the full performance schedule below:
2018-2019 JAZZ & HERITAGE CONCERT SERIES
All events at the George and Joyce Wein Jazz & Heritage Center
1225 N. Rampart Street
Free Admission
Saturday, Sept. 15:
HERLIN RILEY and JOHNNY VIDACOVICH
Monday, Sept. 17:
STEFON HARRIS
Saturday, Sept. 22:
ALEXEY MARTI SEXTET
Saturday, Oct. 27:
GEORGE FRENCH BAND
Saturday, Nov. 24:
Heritage School of Music Alumni in Concert
JEFFERY MILLER and JOHN MICHAEL BRADFORD
Saturday, Dec. 1:
COURTNEY BRYAN
Presented by Improvisation: New Orleans’s Gift to the Modern World, A Tricentennial Conference and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation.
Saturday, Dec. 8:
DAVELL CRAWFORD
Saturday, Dec. 15:
ELLIS MARSALIS QUINTET
Saturday, Jan. 5:
DON VAPPIE & THE CREOLE JAZZ SERENADERS
Wednesday, Jan. 16:
SUNNI PATTERSON, DONNEY ROSE, WILLIAM VIVANCO, SOL GALEANO, ANTONIO GARCA and CEASAR BARACCO
A Celebration Concert for the National Day of Racial Healing, presented by the Foundation for Louisiana, the Ashé Cultural Arts Center and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation.
Saturday, Jan. 19:
Tango & Tequila
DR. JEE YEOUN KO
Saturday, Feb. 16:
Living the Highlife – A Night of Afropop
KUMASI AFROBEAT ORCHESTRA and the FUFU ALLSTARS
Saturday, March 9:
SPENCER BOHREN & THE WHIPPERSNAPPERS
Saturday, Apr. 13:
SPOKEN WORD NIGHT
Saturday, Apr. 27:
Cabaret Tremé
An evening with LEAH CHASE
Saturday, May 4:
Bechet to Batiste
EVAN CHRISTOPHER and GREGORY AGID
Saturday, June 15:
A Song For You: A Tribute to Soul Music
TONYA BOYD-CANNON
Saturday, July 13:
Noite do Brasil – Brazilian Night
CHEGADÃO, AMIGOS do SAMBA and SAPATOS NOVOS
For more information, click here.
