Brett Milano and Michael Allen Zell reviews from Jazz Fest Day 2,  Friday, April 25, 2025.

Despite a five-album catalog, the Honey Island Swamp Band tends to play the same half-dozen songs at most of their Jazz Fest sets, but they always play them differently. This year’s set found them doubling their lineup with three added horns and two percussionists, and made the most of the jamming possibilities. “Head High Water Blues,” which has been played in the past as a barnburner, because an occasion for some spacey exploration, and they lived up to the “swamp” part of their name with the rocker “Ain’t No Fun.” The finale “Good to You” stretched to ten minutes and featured tasty interplay between the horns and Lee Yankee’s guitar. This was also the second rock set I’ve seen in two days that included a vibraphone solo (here from guest star Mike Dillon)— let us know when we can declare this a trend.

Carolyn Wonderland confessed during her Blues Tent set that she “must have applied 20 times” to play Jazz Fest during her formative years as a Texas blueswoman (she made it a few years back as John Mayall’s lead guitarist). But her set proved to be one of the first weekend’s highlights, with a set that covered a few bases— from more traditional to blazing blues-rock — with heart and style. It also included one of too few topical songs we’ve heard this year, “I Ain’t Going Back Again,” whose feminist Trump-era sentiment was hard to miss. She also played Mayall’s “The Laws Must Change” (written, she noted, just before she was born) with the winking intro “I think this is about weed.” She blazed on guitar without crossing over into pure shredding, with some thrilling lap-steel work on her own “Misunderstood” (a close cousin to Muddy Waters’ “I Ain’t Ever Satisfied”). She’s no slouch as a singer either, closing the set with a gorgeous version of the Garcia/Dead standard “Loser.”

Cheap Trick, Jazz Fest 2025. Photo: OffBeat / Cecil Ellsworth

Classic rock bands are a bit of a necessary evil at Jazz Fest, but we’ll spare the derision when it comes to Cheap Trick. Some of us have been fans since way back, and this quartet (still three-quarters original, with guitarist Rick Nielsen’s sox Daxx now on drums and the lead singer Robin Zander’s son Robin Jr. added on second guitar) never disappoints with its mix of power pop, big loud rock, heart and irreverence.  And if you don’t think that qualifies them for a JazzFest slot, remember that they single-handedly kept Fats Domino on the charts in the late ‘70s with a spirited cover of “Ain’t That a Shame” (which was of course played this weekend). They invariably throw a few deeper cuts into the first half of a show, and this one had some great choices in the glitter-rock sendup “Ello Kiddies,” the poppier “Look Out” from their Live at Budokan album, and a more recent goodie, “Radio Lover”.  Also as usual, the second half was greatest hits and while their crossover ballad “The Flame” has never been a personal fave (the band apparently doesn’t love it either), it did show how little Zander’s lost as a vocalist. Everything scored after that, with “Dream Police” hitting full arena grandeur and the classic opening lines of “Surrender” (no quoting necessary, you surely know them) ushering in one more celebration.
—Brett Milano

On a beautiful first Friday, it was necessary to keep to last year’s tradition of starting with a mocktail, specifically the Tangerine version, and a Walker’s BBQ Cochon de Lait Po Boy.

Once fortified, it was off to the Lagniappe Stage where Dusky Waters brought it to life with an enthusiastic crowd ready for the perfect blend of stellar songs, distinct vocals, and strong musicianship. Frontwoman Jenn Jeffers spoke of Americana music as “sad songs with a happy beat,” but it was all joy and miles of smiles throughout.

This year’s cultural exchange focus country is Mexico. The alfombras (Spanish for carpet) demo with colorful street decorations made of sawdust, beans, and more was well in keeping with the New Orleans spirit. Xochilt Silva said, “This is a Mexico and Latin-American tradition seen mainly on Semana Santa. Here we do it in the Bywater every Good Friday at the Blessed Frances Xavier Seelos Church. I’ve been doing it there for over 13 years.”

Rosie Ledet. Photo: OffBeat/Cecil Ellsworth

The Congo Square and Fais Do-Do Stages were simultaneously blessed respectively with first-timer Jaime Woods and veteran Rosie Ledet. Woods soothed and moved with a neo-soul vibe, while Ledet had her accordion pumping with a unique brand of up-tempo zydeco.

Another Jazz Fest inaugural performance came from the internationally-acclaimed Youssou N’dour who moved the Congo Square Stage sea of people as one. His vocals were as majestic and electrifying as promised, and the band was a massive creature come from Senegal to churn and burn. On top of that, I enjoyed it all with a Strawberry Lemonade and Bennachin’s Poulet Fricasse (Chicken on skewer) and Plantains.

The Fais Do-Do Stage typically feels like a Cajun/Zydeco juke joint, but Mexican singer/songwriter Lila Downs took it south of the border in an exceptional way, making sure to honor African and Mexican, as well as Native American, heritage. The appropriately scorching “Son del Chile Frito” started things off in style. Downs adeptly introduced each song, placing it in context by saying, “Conjunto is about conjuring a memory,” or, “Paloma, the fire that keeps going.”

This year’s cultural exchange signature drink is the Blood Orange Paloma, which is a frozen cup of bliss not to be missed.

Gladys Knight. Photo: OffBeat/ Cecil Ellsworth

The legendary Gladys Knight closed out the Congo Square Stage. A bright smile shone across her face well before she stepped on stage. It remained while she lovingly took the crowd through her catalog of hits including “Midnight Train To Georgia,” “Heard It Through The Grapevine,” and “That’s What Friends Are For.” “Never Too Much” by Luther Vandross was an extra wink to the joy of the day.
—Michael Allen Zell