Friday, April 24

Congo Square, 2:05PM
Sissy Nobby and Big Freedia

    Sissy bounce has been making booties go boom all over the place lately.  Sissy Nobby and Big Freedia have been fixtures of the musical ghetto that is New Orleans’ bounce scene for over a decade now, but the crossover is starting to show through in roiling seas of white twenty-something butts, like at their Valentine’s Day Sweethearts Ball at that bastion of legitimacy, One Eyed Jacks.
    Nobby and Freedia are on an island fortress within hip-hop.  They’re queer queens whose fabulousness is made all the more admirable by the way their hetero peers wave around their machismo like a bullfighter’s cape.  From the outside looking in, it’s hard not to wonder about their personal lives, but they rock the mic like shamans carried away by the frenzied snare/hi-hat of the Triggerman beat, channeling the spirits of motion and flesh, leading the frenzied crowd with chants like, “move ya body like a snake, POW”  “hustle, hustle, hustle/move ya muscle, muscle, muscle,” and, when all else fails,“bootybootybootybootybootybootybootybootyBOOM.”  They don’t rap so much as bombard you with onomatopoeia, and occasionally do their best raspy auction barker commanding your backside to bid faster, higher. It’ll be interesting to see how they translate at the Fairgrounds. –Nathan Tempey

Acura Stage, 2:05PM
Marc Broussard

Marc Broussard is coming home!  Broussard returns to Louisiana to inject some soul into Jazz Fest.  The Carencro, LA native will be returning from a European press junket (his latest album, Keep Coming Back, is being released there) to knock the socks off festival-goers with his soul-baring vocals.  Broussard has been touring the US and making stops along the way to play for the Today Show, Jimmy Kimmel, Jay Leno, and Conan O’Brian.  Keep Coming Back is Marc’s first release on Atlantic Records.  The move to Atlantic was a breath of fresh air and moved Broussard in a new musical direction in contrast to his debut album Carencro. Keep Coming Back is an honest, groove-driven collection of songs with collaborations with Sara Bareilles as well as the latest single, “When it’s Good” featuring LeAnn Rimes. 
    Broussard is certainly an established recording artist, but if you want to really appreciate this young man’s talents you simply MUST see his live show.  The energy at his live shows is explosive and captivating.  His voice is raw and beautiful and shakes you to the core.  Broussard’s band is chocked full of serious badasses, including Metairie’s own Chad Gilmore on drums.  On guitar is Court Clement, on keyboards Demarco Johnson, and on bass Matt Mangano—all residing in Nashville.  The band lays down the funk and Broussard interacts with refreshing appreciation.  He regularly gives shout outs to the band members.  Broussard and his band clearly have a blast on stage and the audience can’t help but be caught up in the fun.  Don’t miss Marc  Broussard April 24 at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage festival.  Welcome home, Marc Broussard; we hope you “keep coming back.” 
–Burke A. Beyer

Congo Square, 2:55PM
Henry Butler

    Blinded by glaucoma since birth, multi-instrumentalist Henry Butler has made a name for himself as one of New Orleans’ premier pianists. Butler’s style, which is rooted in blues and influenced by New Orleans’ Professor Longhair, has helped him to eight nominations for the Blues Foundation “Pinetop Perkins Piano Player of the Year” award.  With further influences from jazz, Caribbean, and classical, Butler crafts a unique sound. PiaNola Live, Butler’s latest album, finally captures the spirit and energy of his live performances. But still, there’s nothing like hearing him live: Butler, pounding away at the keys, rough on the piano with fingers so quick and precise.
–Ryan Hanley

Acura Stage, 3:35PM
Drive-By Truckers with Booker T.

    The Drive-By Truckers are quite familiar with New Orleans, having played Tipitina’s several times over the past years.  While on tour for their latest release, Righteous Path, Patterson Hood, Mike Cooley and company will unleash their guitars marking the Southern rock outfit’s first appearance at the Fairgrounds.  DBT will take the stage with special guest Booker T., whom the band recently collaborated with on his Potato Hole album.  By now, the band and Booker T. should be a well-oiled and comfortable machine, having played together at various dates throughout the month of April.  The show will feature the immense songwriting skills and gut-ripping performances of Cooley and Hood in addition to Booker T., while also including some great tracks from bassist Shonna Tucker.  In fact, DBT boasts enough talent that the band recently played two sold-out shows in D.C. without Hood, who was down with walking pneumonia.  With a healthy band, DBT should end up as one of the talked about sets at Jazz Fest 2009. –Rick Stedman

WWOZ Jazz Tent, 4PM
Donald Harrison

    A former band mate of fellow New Orleanian Terence Blanchard from their days together with Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers and the ensemble they fronted together, Donald Harrison is a jazz luminary in his own right. Doubling on alto and soprano saxes, he has enjoyed both local and international success and has helped redefine the current jazz medium in subtle but noticeable ways, infusing it with many styles, known collectively as “Nouveau Swing.” Like Blanchard, Harrison is also a NOCCA alumnus who played with some big names (Miles Davis, Roy Haynes, Lena Horne, and others) before blossoming on his own. But Harrison is more than just a musician; he is also a Mardi Gras Indian Big Chief of the Congo Nation, following in the footsteps of his father, the late Big Chief Donald Harrison Sr. “One of the most important musicians of the new millennium,” CBS Sunday Morning said, and few around these parts will dispute that. –Dean M. Shapiro

Gentilly Stage, 5:30PM
Spoon

    This year, if you’re looking for an alternative to Jazz Fest’s traditional musical fare, be sure to check out Austin, TX-based rockers Spoon. Over the past ten years, the band has climbed its way from underground anonymity to indie rock fame and landing on the cover of Spin magazine. The group, which is led by indie heartthrob Britt Daniel, will sure to have the crowd rocking with their hit “I Turn My Camera On” and fist pump-inducing material of their latest album Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga. –Dominique Minor

Acura Stage, 5:30PM
Joe Cocker

    From early days as a gas fitter/drummer to Le Petit Ray Charles to the long-haired, bearded Woodstock performance of “With A Little Help From My Friends” to the smash movie ballad “Up Where We Belong” to the 2007 release of his latest European album, Hymn for My Soul, Britain-born artist John Robert “Joe” Cocker has weathered 50 years of bands, soul, soft rock, ballads, booze, and drugs.  At 65, he will become our own Jazz Fest Joe, bringing that voice seasoned with his own rich patina of life experience.
    What girl hasn’t wanted to hear “You are So Beautiful” serenaded to her in that classic Cocker grit, or at least find her the spontaneous object of some radio lip-syncing admirer?  I’ve no doubt that more than a guy or two has envisioned the woman of his dreams acting out the lyrics of “You Can Leave Your Hat On.”  Joe Cocker has that rasp-meets-sex-appeal kind of voice that metamorphoses any given set of speakers into tandem vessels of seduction.
    Cocker has proven his staying power with classics like “Delta Lady” from his Grease Band days with writer Leon Russell.  The duo regrouped with a hoard of musicians to form Mad Dogs and Englishmen and hit the charts with “The Letter” and “Cry Me a River” in 1970.  The 90s, along with collaboration with Brian Adams, led to the success of “When the Night Comes.”  Joe Cocker opened Woodstock 1994 and was awarded an Order of the British Empire in 2007.
    He reveals his humanitarian side through the Cocker Kids Foundation, having raised $500,000 since 1998 for Denver youth activities.  Find today’s Joe at Cocker.com, seated in the comfort of him that transcends a white armchair on a backdrop of green, then same chair, different angle sans color on his official e-fan site.  –Dionne Charlet

Blues Tent, 5:45PM
Tab Benoit

    Tab Benoit has a variation of different genres, including blues and boogie.  Cajun influence is also evident in the style.   Brought up in Houma, his career took off after getting his start in Baton Rouge and Beniot’s eclectic style mirrors the mosaic of Louisiana culture—classic rock at times, with tunes like “Pack it Up” to the bluesy, yet country-esque “I Heard that Lonesome Whistle.”  He says, “I listen to different music in the same way.  I get the same feeling from George Jones as I do Otis Redding, and, even though they are miles apart in genre, they were singing the same thing.”  The artist has won awards such as Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year, and the B.B. King Entertainer of the Year.  His 2006 album, Brother to the Blues, was nominated for a Grammy.  The title track is surely true to the blues as Benoit’s vibrant guitar riffs and vocals couple with Waylon Thibodeaux’s magic fiddle.     
    Despite his success, Benoit remains an avid fighter for the coastal wetlands as the President of Voice of the Wetlands, a coastal wetland activist group. Artists like Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, Waylon Thibodeaux, George Porter, Johnny Vidacovich, Anders Osbourne, Dr. John, Cyril Neville, and Jumping Johnny Sansone have performed nationally with Beniot at both Democratic and Republican Conventions in order to open some eyes and hearts.  The second weekend in October, the Voice of the Wetlands festival is free and holds increasingly popular music lineups and exhibitions on the condition of wetlands. He also plays alongside names like the Louisiana Leroux this past Lundi Gras in Gretna.  Beniot has been cranking out the albums, with 2007’s Power of the Pontchartrain and 2008’s Night Train to Nashville.  Benoit opens Jazz and Heritage Festival on the first day of the festivities. –John Breerwood

Lagniappe Stage, 6PM
Gringo do Choro

    Steam erupts as the Brazilian sounds of Gringo do Choro are the subtle fingers of temptation, leading you audibly down a path to something beyond languid. The “Gringo,” Rick Trolsen, is a NOLA transplant who first came to the city with the US Navy Band. While on a South American tour with the New Orleans Nightcrawlers, Trolsen became enamored with the sounds of Brazil and the choro, a style of Brazilian music that evolved in the 1800s from a combination of African and Western influences. Trolsen’s trombone leads eclectic riffs of salsa and samba, with John Eubanks on mandolin, Marcio Pereira on guitar, Tommy Sciple on bass, and Julian Garcia on drums. Be sure to catch this Latin-infused contemporary jazz group this year at the Fest. –Dionne Charlet
 
Gospel at the Fest: First Weekend
    There is no music that can uplift mind, body, and soul quite like gospel. It has that “stick to your ribs” quality that both Christians and non-Christians can appreciate. This has to be the reason why the gospel tent is the liveliest performance area on the Fairgrounds during Jazz Fest. An added bonus is that individuals are able to become familiar with the many sub-categories of gospel. For instance, this year, Fest-goers can take in the youthful harmonies of the McDonogh #35 High School Gospel Choir (Friday, April 24), check out the veteran Voices of St. Peter Claver (Sunday, April 26), or choose from dozens of other performers. Although the first weekend of Jazz Fest may not have quite as many gospel acts as the second weekend, the lineup can still pack a punch.
    Chicago native Mavis Staples will perform on opening day of the Fest. The gospel/R&B singer found initial success as a part of her family’s band, The Staple Singers. “Respect Yourself” and “I’ll Take You There” are two of their biggest hits to date. The group was also the first African-American band to record a Bob Dylan song, which was “A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall.” Incidentally, the visceral-voiced singer recently admitted to having a youthful love affair with the folk artist. Since going solo in 1969, Staples has worked with heavyweights Curtis Mayfield, Ray Charles, Prince, and countless others. Clearly, her lyrical content was shaped by the Civil Rights Movement, but remains relevant today and extends beyond racial boundaries. Staples will be performing with Irma Thomas and Pamela Landrum in a tribute to gospel legend Mahalia Jackson. –Danyiell Oviedo


Saturday, April 25

Congo Square, 12:30PM
DJ Jubilee with 5th Ward Weebie and Ms. Tee

    It’s about time the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival is playing host for the king of bounce. Jerome Temple went from high school special education teacher to the creator of a new genre of hip-hop known as bounce. Bounce rap set the bar for crunk, buck, and screw music- a style I have a particular interest, in where the DJ manipulates the music by slowing it down and changing the pitch. The friendly and charismatic DJ will be assisted by 5th Ward Weebie and Ms. Tee. After checking out Weebie’s music, I would say it’s safe to say that he is a true fan of the female behind and any debauchery going down in the club. Ms. Tee has been in the game for ten years, getting her first chance with Cash Money Records at the age of fourteen. This also marked the label’s first signing of a female artist. Ms. Tee performs rap and R&B and has a cool style all her own. The three artists performing together will be an exciting show, where the audience will get a true feel for New Orleans rap and R&B music. Most fans of this genre are familiar with the music of Jubilee, since he gained national attention 20 years ago. His show will definitely make you dance, and with help from Weebie and Ms. Tee, you may find yourself backing that ass up. –Brian Serpas   

Gospel at the Fest: First Weekend

St. Joseph the Worker Music Ministry will be making its seventh appearance at the Fairgrounds. The Marrero-based choir is quickly becoming a prominent player on the New Orleans area music scene. They have been featured in the movies Déjà Vu with Denzel Washington and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button with Brad Pitt. However, according to choir member Angela St. Hill, one of the goals of the choir is to break the stereotypes of how people view Catholicism. –Danyiell Oviedo

Acura Stage, 12:50PM
The Dixie Cups

    Originally from the Calliope housing projects in New Orleans, The Dixie Cups (consisting of sisters Barbara Ann and Rosa Lee Hawkins and their cousin, Joan Marie Johnson) had their biggest hit with their first song, “Chapel of Love,” in 1964.  They also recorded one of the most famous versions of “Iko Iko” that reportedly came about when the girls were recorded (unbeknownst to them) by their producer as they were fooling with drumsticks on ashtrays.  The song has become a New Orleans R&B classic and helped The Dixie Cups stamp their place in Louisiana’s music history. Forty-five years later, the group is as full of vitality as ever and they are bringing their charm home to New Orleans for this year’s Jazz Fest.  –Jordan Shay

Lagniappe Stage, 1:50PM
Ingrid Lucia

    Ingrid Lucia was literally born into the music business. At a very young age, she was a dancer in her family band of street musicians, the Flying Neutrinos, and then started singing with them at the age of eight. The widely-traveled band frequently wintered in New Orleans where they were a familiar sight on Jackson Square in the 1980s. At 18 and already a veteran musician, Lucia was ready to move on. She and her cousin, trombonist Todd Londagin, brought the group from the streets of New Orleans to the clubs and concert halls of New York City where they played with celebrities that included Tony Bennett. They soon had their first CD, I’d Rather Be in New Orleans, featuring the late great trumpeter Doc Cheatham. Nearly half a dozen more highly acclaimed CDs have followed since Lucia fulfilled her “rather be” and returned to New Orleans for good. Her repertoire consists mostly of standards from the Great American Songbook and her vocal style invites comparisons to Billie Holiday. But despite her stylistic similarities to “Lady Day,” Lucia’s delivery is upbeat, fun, sultry and just a bit naughty, in the true New Orleans tradition. By the time her fourth CD, Fortune, was released in 2002, Lucia’s talents were in full flower, and she was writing most of her own original songs. She has become a local favorite in recent years and a frequent performer in the clubs on Frenchmen Street and elsewhere throughout the city ... when she’s not on tour, that is. After a childhood spent sojourning back and forth across the continent and living a nomadic existence, Lucia is content to be a homebody, happily settled down with her husband and their young daughter in the city she loves and the city that loves her.
–Dean M. Shapiro

Acura Stage, 2:15PM
Pete Seeger and Tao Rodriguez Seeker with Mike and Ruthy

    The folk music movement in the mid-20th century was as much a conduit for social change as it was a genre, and perhaps no musician harnessed that power as a catalyst to stomp out injustice than Pete Seeger. While some singers might choose to lighten up after a career that has garnered awards that include a lifetime achievement Grammy and Kennedy Center honors, Seeger still sees the need to enlighten the world through his music as he approaches his 90th birthday. Incredibly, his latest CD At 89 captured the 2008 Best Traditional Folk Album Grammy by revisiting many of the same issues he’s been addressing for years – the environment, endangered species, peace, and love. As long as there’s a breath in his body and unfairness in the world, Pete Seeger will tell the story through song. –Craig M. Cortello

Gentilly Stage, 3:35PM
Galactic

    The guys from Galactic are playing the first Saturday of Jazz Fest this year, after their late night show at Tipitina’s and drummer Stanton Moore’s Garage A Trois Riverboat Cruise on the Creole Queen the night before.  As always, the five-man outfit will throw a wide variety of their funknicity to all the happy gatherers there to soak up some sunshine and good music with the power of many mini naps along with lots of Red Bull and coffee.  Known for their wide range and command of many different genres of music, Galactic will give you a little bit of everything in their bag.  From their jazz/funk/hip-hop hybrid to a few slammin’ Zeppelin covers they always work into the set, this stage is the place to get your 2009 Jazz Fest headed in the right direction.
–A. Davidson Warner

People’s Health Economy Hall Tent, 4:25PM
Pete Fountain

    Beloved legend within his own 78 years, Pete Fountain is as iconic of New Orleans culture as Bourbon Street or even jazz itself. He’s been dubbed with titles including Ambassador to New Orleans Music and Mr. N’awlins, given awards and accolades such as his induction into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame. He also graced last year’s Where Y’at’s Jazz Fest cover. He enjoys his annual reign as the self-proclaimed Prince of New Orleans, leading his Half-Fast Marching Club through the Quarter from Commander’s Palace. 
    Mr. Fountain will be welcomed with open arms and ears as royalty among musicians at this year’s Jazz and Heritage Festival.  In recent years, we New Orleanians have come to know what it means to miss Pete Fountain. His popular club at the Hilton is a cherished memory to those of us moved by “A Closer Walk with Thee” stylized with Pete’s “Amazing Grace.” He’s overcome illness and hurricanes and continues to perform a couple nights weekly at the Hollywood Casino in Bay St. Louis.
    Pete Dewey Fountain, Jr. developed his own “FAT” sound growing up on Broad Street after a childhood physician prescribed the clarinet for lung strengthening. That physician is owed a wealth of thanks, as our city was gifted back with a signature sound like none other. The resurgence of New Orleans-style jazz appreciation in the United States is reputed to have occurred during Pete’s two years of gracing the Lawrence Welk Show. Forever the New Orleanian, Pete repeatedly brought his version of the Big Easy jazz phenomenon to the Tonight Show and right back home again.
    If you have not yet had the pleasure of feeling like extended family in the hushing crowd when this smiling bearded charmer takes the stage, it is time for you to enjoy your own little sound bite of Dixieland Heaven. –Dionne Charlet

Acura Stage, 5:25PM
James Taylor

    There are quite a few famous first-timers this year at Jazz Fest and James Taylor is one of them. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000, he can now add Jazz Fest to his list of accomplishments. The multi-platinum and Grammy-winning artist will play the first Saturday at the Fairgrounds on the second stop of his Down Home tour.
Taylor brings his vast and well known body of work, which includes hits like “Sweet Baby James,” Grammy Award winning album Hourglass, and his most recent album, Covers, that was itself nominated for two Grammy awards this past year. Covers is no misnomer as it includes songs from Buddy Holly, John Anderson, and George Jones reworked to fit Taylor’s relaxed style. The album’s popularity has led to a follow up, Other Covers, which includes Taylor’s interpretations of Tom Waits and Wilson Pickett.  Fest-goers can likely expect to hear a bit from both of these albums.
Still, many who catch Taylor’s set will be expecting Taylor’s own classics such as “Fire and Rain” and “Carolina In My Mind.”  Chances are likely that they won’t be disappointed. –Rick Stedman

Gentilly Stage, 5:30PM
Wilco

    In keeping with Jazz Fest’s recent tradition of embracing alternative and indie bands, Chicago, IL-based alt-country/rock super group Wilco will grace the stage at this year’s festival. Rising to fame after their highly-lauded 2002 album, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, the band has drawn a massive fan base amongst a generation of iPod-friendly listeners and critics alike. Fans can look forward to material from their tentatively-released 2009 album and an intense performance from lead singer/songwriter Jeff Tweedy and his immensely talented cohorts. –Dominique Minor


Sheraton Fais Do-Do Stage, 6PM
Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers

    Are you ready to raise some hell at the Jazz Fest this year?  Well, Dwayne Dopsie is!  Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers will grace the stage this year at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, so save some energy.  The exuberant Dwayne Dopsie attacks his accordion like a savage, leaving trails of exhausted dancers wherever he goes.  Dwayne is the son of the legendary “Rockin Dopsie” and the little brother of “Rockin Dopsie, Jr.”  With genetics like that, people expect a great show.  Dwayne Dopsie does not disappoint.  Dwayne has biceps roughly the size of Volkswagens, which he uses to squeeze out an ass-shaking array of zydeco pleasers.  Dwayne is a highly accomplished accordion player and the Zydeco Hellraisers are a tight and concise band (something of a rarity on the zydeco circuit).  While Dwayne is no doubt a “hellraiser,” he does so with a cherubic charm.  His smile lights up the stage and it is obvious that he is having a ball up there.  This excitement is contagious, I felt as though I was channeling Santa Claus while in the crowd at a Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers show.  I belly laughed, I had rosy cheeks, I was full of the “joyful spirit” and I was drinking milk (albeit with vodka and Kahlua in it.)  This Jazz Fest, join the celebration with Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers, it’s simply heavenly. –Burke A. Beyer
Sunday, April 26

Gentilly stage, 2:10PM
Sonny Landreth

    Although Sonny Landreth is not a household like Duane Allman or Derek Trucks, the Lafayette, LA resident is a guitar god in his own right. His music melds slide guitar pyrotechnics, zydeco, Southern rock, and Mississippi Delta blues. Landreth’s latest album, From the Reach, includes contributions from fellow axe-slinging veterans Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler, Vince Gill, Eric Johnson and Jimmy Buffett. Fans can be sure to expect to hear a wealth of material from this release and previous albums at this year’s Jazz Fest. From personal experience, if you haven’t seen him live, you are missing out. Sonny Landreth is the real deal. –Dominique Minor

WWOZ Jazz Tent, 3:50PM
Terence Blanchard

    What can be said about trumpeter extraordinaire Terence Blanchard that hasn’t already been said? Four-time Grammy Award-winner (including Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album for A Tale of God’s Will: A Requiem for Katrina, 2007), more than two dozen movie scores (including most of Spike Lee’s most recent films), plus on-screen credits for Lee’s When the Levees Broke (in which he and his mother toured their flood-ravaged home in Pontchartrain Park). Having performed with Lionel Hampton and Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, Blanchard launched into a stellar career in the 1980s, first with saxophonist and fellow New Orleanian Donald Harrison, then fronting his own band. A Jazz Fest regular, he now serves as Artistic Director for the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, which he helped bring to Loyola University from California after Katrina.  Hollywood couldn’t invent a more dazzling career than this. –Dean M. Shapiro

Blues Tent, 4PM
Dew Drop Inn Revisited-Hosted by Deacon John, featuring Wanda Rouzan, Eddie Bo, Allen Toussaint, Robert Parker, and Al “Carnival Time” Johnson

    A more stellar lineup of locally and nationally renowned music stars can scarcely be imagined, in this tribute to the legendary Central City watering hole where so many greats, including Ray Charles, lit up the stage in years past. And no more appropriate a host can be imagined than “Deacon John” Moore, who has literally played guitar for every local star imaginable. The man with the nickname that comes from an old Roy Brown song, has performed with legendary artists on legendary songs. To name a few: Ernie K-Doe’s “Mother in Law,” Lee Dorsey’s “Workin’ in a Coal Mine” and “Ride Your Pony,” Irma Thomas’ “Ruler of My Heart,” Chris Kenner’s “I Like it Like That” and “Land of 1,000 Dances,” and Robert Parker’s “Barefootin’.”
    Wanda Rouzan is known as “The Sweetheart of New Orleans” and is one of the Crescent City’s premier musical ambassadors. With her band, A Taste of New Orleans, she has taken New Orleans music all over the world, performing at nightclubs, festivals, conventions, casinos, river boats, cruise ships, and more. Piano wizard Eddie Bo  (Bocage) has been a New Orleans mainstay for five decades. He has produced records for Irma Thomas, Robert Parker, Art Neville, Chris Kenner, Al “Carnival Time” Johnson, and the late Johnny Adams, and penned such classics as “Check Mr. Popeye,” “It Must Be Love,” “I’m Wise” (made famous by Little Richard under the name “Slippin’ and Slidin’”), and he wrote Tommy Ridgley’s “In the Same Old Way.”
    Allen Toussaint rates a musical category all to himself. A Rock & Roll Hall of Fame pianist, lyricist, and music producer, he has been the genius behind enough great songs to fill an encyclopedia. They include Lee Dorsey’s “Working in a Coal Mine” and “Ride Your Pony,” Ernie K-Doe’s “Mother-in-Law,” Glen Campbell’s “Southern Nights,” Irma Thomas’ “Ruler of My Heart,” and too many others to name. He also produced the recording session for Patti LaBelle that yielded the monster hit “Lady Marmalade.” Robert Parker, doubling on saxophone and vocals, had a monster hit of his own in 1966 with “Barefootin’,” which reached #2 on the U.S. R&B chart and #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.  However, he had been around long before that, backing Professor Longhair on “Mardi Gras in New Orleans” in 1949, playing sax with Huey “Piano” Smith and the Clowns in the late ‘50s (including on Frankie Ford’s big hit, “Sea Cruise”), and accompanying Fats Domino on a number of his hits.
Al Johnson had only one big hit but what a big hit it was! “Carnival Time” has become a Mardi Gras anthem; one of the two or three most often played songs during the weeks leading up to and including Mardi Gras. Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, “Carnival Time” has been reaping rewards for Johnson lately, including a lucrative radio spot promoting the Louisiana Lottery, and he was recently inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame. –Dean M. Shapiro

Gospel Tent, 4:35PM
Mavis Staples

    Mavis Staples has been making beautiful music since the 1950s.  She began her career in church and on local radio stations with the family band, The Staple Singers.  Lead by her father, ‘Pop’ Staples, the group soon became an R&B powerhouse and a voice for the civil rights movement.  Her distinctively low voice and gospel roots led Staples to work with musicians such as Bob Dylan, Ray Charles, Dr. John, Prince, and George Jones.  Her recent albums have met with critical acclaim, including 2007’s We’ll Never Turn Back (produced by Ry Cooder) and 2008’s stripped-down Live: Hope at the Hideout.  Mavis Staples continues to make music that is political and serves an inspiration to contemporary soul musicians.
–Brent Badeaux

Congo Square, 5:30PM
Earth, Wind & Fire

    Following their requested 2009 Governor’s Ball engagement at the White House on February 22, Earth, Wind & Fire hits the Crescent City to blow away Jazz Fest.  Chicago-born Maurice White envisioned a sound that could convey “universal love and harmony” to the masses. Distinctly R&B with a whole lotta funk, jazz, and soul, the resultant fusion of kalimba, guitar, orchestra and keyboard is a melting pot of techno, rock, blues, disco, dance, and pop. The sensational ten-member band, named for the three elements linked to White’s Sagittarian birth sign, has superseded legendary status through musicianship renowned for desegregating a nationwide fan base in the 70s. EW&F has been honored with an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, six Grammys, Gold, Platinum, and Multi-Platinum albums. They’ve been featured on American Idol and have performed at the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize Concert. 
    On February 24, 2009, Kalimba Music re-released Earth, Wind & Fire’s 2003 album The Promise. The tracks were brand new in 2003 with collaborations by Maurice White and featured single          . 
    Jazz Fest EWF enthusiasts can anticipate the talents of classically-trained Verdine White on bass, Philip Bailey on vocals and percussion, and Ralph Johnson on drums and percussion. Musical director and keyboard guru Myron McKinley orchestrates most of the mixes in his attempts to compress 40 years of chart favorites into 90-minute show sets. Parkinson’s disease has kept Maurice White from touring, though he still avidly produces and composes for the group.
–Dionne Charlet

Gentilly Stage, 5:35PM
Etta James and the Roots Band

    At age 71, Etta James is as current on the music scene as she was when she rumbled stages with her signature platinum bouffant, cat eyes, and that voice. The Obamas twirled to her song “At Last” in front of billions at the inaugural ball as Beyonce put her spin on James’ hit.  Adele, this year’s Grammy winner for best new artist, worships James, hailing her as a huge influence. And she is hitting the live-music scene hard as she puts on shows with The Roots, a funky hip-hop group.
    That voice is why James won’t be left behind with some of her other contemporaries from the 50s and 60s, and why she remains relevant. Her talent glides on a rollercoaster down from her belly up to her throat and out her lips to deliver a voice that shifts seamlessly from throaty and rapturous to smooth and delicate.  Her ability to let her voice go in a thunderous wave and then gently grab on to those precise notes creates an emotional sound to be admired and imitated, but never duplicated, even by Beyonce.
    Music Journalist David Nathan described her style as, “rock-turned-blues-turned-soul-turned-jazz-turned-you-name-it,” which makes for an appropriate match with The Roots, another one of those genre-less gems. There is no doubt that her unpredictable, soulful voice paired with their innovative raw beats will play off each other perfectly.
    Unlike most rap groups, The Roots use live instruments to perform and have a heavy jazz twang in their style. They’ve released eight albums since 1993 and won several awards, including a Grammy. Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, the new NBC show in Conan’s old slot, is lucky enough to have scored The Roots as their house band, where the band has been playing since the show started in early March. –Emily Lane

Blues Tent, 5:45PM
Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings

    Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings are a dynamic funk and soul band, with a powerful and distinctly retro sound that’s entirely their own. Attempting to capture the sound and spirit of 60s and 70s R&B, the Brooklyn-based band absolutely succeeds. Jones’ powerful energy summons the spirit of old-school R&B and funk to a modern stage, while the Dap-Kings’ wailing horns and wah-guitar riffs masterfully seal the deal. With a gritty, powerful voice and an indomitable swagger, Sharon Jones has an unforgettable sound and an even more unforgettable stage show, qualities she and the band will be bringing to Jazz Fest audiences.
    The Dap-Kings, formed from Desco’s Soul Providers and The Mighty Imperials, joined Jones to produce their first album, 2001’s Dap Dippin’ with Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings. Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings saw their profile rise as they toured extensively over the next three years, switching out band-members and tweaking their sound and style. 2005’s Naturally set the Dap-Kings on a widely acclaimed tour across the USA and the world, finally giving the band the notice it deserved. 2007’s staunchly retro and blisteringly potent 100 Days, 100 Nights proved to a be a critical darling and sales success, cementing Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings’ reputation as the modern masters of old school funk and soul.
    The band’s current lineup includes Homer Steinweiss (drums), Binky Griptite (guitar), Bugaloo Velez (congas), Dave Guy (trumpet), Tommy ‘TNT’ Brenneck (guitar), Bosco Mann (bass), Neal Sugarman (tenor sax), Ian Hendrickson-Smith (baritone) and Sharon Jones herself providing vocals. Funk junkies, R&B addicts, and those who are simply a little homesick for the 60s simply can’t miss Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings at this year’s Jazz Fest. –Faine E. Greenwood

Lagniappe Stage, 6PM
Vivaz

    Viváz is a virtual United Nations of an ensemble, with musicians from five countries – including the U.S. and Puerto Rico – well represented. Bandleader Javier Gutierrez, a native of Bolivia, has been making significant waves on the local Latin scene with his virtuosity on Spanish flamenco and Cuban tres guitars, along with his powerfully resonating vocals. Combining Latin jazz, salsa and Caribbean sounds, the band was formed in 2001, adding yet another dimension to the multiplicity of musical styles now flourishing in the multinational Crescent City. Formerly the front man for his earlier band, Acoustic Swiftness, Gutierrez has also been seen and heard around town backing local troupes of flamenco dancers. The group’s lone CD from several years ago, Latin Caravan, received critical acclaim in the local media, and they were voted “Best World Band” in the 2007 “Best of the Beat” Awards. Viva Viváz! –Dean M. Shapiro