The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival with performing artists Javier Gutierrez & Vivaz, Dragon Smoke, The Neyo Jones Experience, Chubby Carrier & The Bayou Swamp Band, La Santa Cecilia, Better Than Ezra, Loose Cattle, Lost Bayou Ramblers, Cedric Burnside, Santana, Morris Day and The Time, and Yellowjackets performing at the New Orleans Fair Ground and Slots on Thursday, May 1, 2025. #jazzfest2025 #jazzfest #music #jazz #whereyatnola2025
A Glorious Thursday at Jazz Fest 2025
By Burke Bischoff
The start of the second weekend of Jazz Fest 2025 brought with it plenty of sunshine, even more music, and a reflection of heritage.
Before heading off to the 2025 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival on May 1, I had planned on two specific things:
1)
I was going to bring a bamboo parasol that I had
bought during a previous day at the fest so that I could be sheltered from
either the sun or the rain, depending on how the forecast would shift.
2) I knew exactly what musical performances I was going to see throughout the entire day, basing my selection on what I felt were strong representations of "heritage"—mainly the heritage of the city and state that I call home.
Jazz Fest: May 1, 2025
Entering through the main Gentilly entrance right when Jazz Fest opened up, I beelined straight to the Fais Do-Do Stage to catch Jesse Lége beginning his set. Performing with the Bayou Aces, Lége masterfully played on his accordion while singing Cajun songs in a manner that evoked what could be heard in traditional dance halls. As his set went on, more and more people gathered to hear the Cajun Music Hall of Famer belt out catchy songs in Cajun French (which, despite being part Cajun myself, I regrettably am unable to understand, but I am actively working to remedy this). Lége serves as a great introduction to the world of Cajun music, and the size of the crowd who listened to him proved that this genre continues to have a loyal following.
When the performance finished, I walked to the shopping area near the Congo Square Stage to peruse the many different vendors selling clothing, arts, and crafts. As I explored, I found myself continually returning to one vendor, Valris Haitian Vodou Flags, to admire the artistry that artist Georges Valris put into each of his flags, which all had beautiful sequined designs sewn into them (my personal favorite was one that had the coat of arms from the flag of Haiti on it). Some of the flags blended together elements of Catholicism and Haitian Vodou and honestly looked like they would work perfectly on Mardi Gras Indian suits. Given the deep historical and cultural connections that New Orleans and Haiti share with each other, those flags seemed like they would fit perfectly in any local New Orleanian's home.
Before the next performance I wanted to see started, I went to the food vendors near the Congo Square Stage to get some lunch, and I decided on dibbi from Gambian Foods. The dish was minced grilled steak that's been mixed with onions and peppers, stuffed into a pita bread, and dressed with a pink sauce. Traditional African cuisine is very under appreciated, so I'm glad I stuck to my gut and ordered it because it was absolutely delicious.
I hung around close by the Congo Square Stage because the second performance I wanted to see—Big Chief Brian & The Nouveau Bounce—was set to come on at 12:50 p.m. The group is unique in that it mixed together sounds from many different African American genres, mainly Mardi Gras Indian, bounce, hip hop, funk, and jazz. The show was very energetic, and it really felt like a celebration of Afro music in general and its impact on American culture. A major highlight of the performance was when the group brought out Cyril Neville to help them perform a rendition of "Hey Pocky A-Way" by The Meters (the influential funk band that Neville was once a member of).
After that, I spent time walking around the festival grounds before my next desired performance, including running into a Mardi Gras Indian procession and going through the Cultural Exchange Pavilion to see the different exhibits celebrating Mexico (La Insístencía Norteña was performing as I was walking through and had an accordion heavy sound that was very reminiscent of Cajun/zydeco music).
When it got close to 2:35 p.m., I headed straight to the main Festival Stage to see the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. The Grammy Award-winning band has been delivering their unique blend of New Orleans brass band and jazz music with funk and bebop elements for 48 years now, and they are showed no signs of stopping anytime soon during their Jazz Fest performance. Not only did they pay tribute to The Meter with a rendition of "Cissy Strut," the band also honored the late James Brown with a cover of one of his hits. The Dirty Dozen Brass Band showcased music that can only truly be found in New Orleans, and the crowd was enthusiastic to hear those sounds up until the very end when they ended their set with their song "My Feet Can't Fail Me Now."
Feeling hungry after that stellar performance, I headed to nearby Food Area 2 and ordered Fritai's grilled shrimp pikliz (which is almost like spicy Haitian coleslaw) with plantain chips. The pikliz had a refreshing taste to it and the spiciness of it pepped me up enough to head straight to the Louisiana Folklife Village to explore the different tents that showcased different aspects of life in Louisiana—from Mexican traditions in the state and native Louisiana tribes to the livelihoods of local Cajuns, Creoles, and Vietnamese (the 50th anniversary of the Fall of Saigon was just the day before on April 30).
When it got close to 4:05 p.m., I made my way to the Shell Gentilly Stage to catch local rock greats Better Than Ezra perform. However, they were running a little bit late, so I went to the nearest water refill station to replenish the 1-liter water bottle I had been carrying all day. As I was about to head back to the Shell Gentilly Stage, I heard rhythmic drumming coming from the Folklife Village and decided to check it out. When I arrived, the Calpulli Tonalehqueh Aztec Dancers were in the middle of putting on a dance in the Village's Native American Circle. I was so captivated by their outfits, dancing, and drumming that I ended up missing the beginnings of Better Than Ezra's set because I wanted to see them do their entire performance.
When I did get back to Shell Gentilly Stage, I had to make do with whatever space was left near the side of the stage just so that I could hear Better Than Ezra. Luckily, I didn't need to see them in order to have a good time with their alternative rock sounds. One of their newer songs that they played was "Live a Little," and it instantly became my favorite song of their repertoire. I ended up not staying for their entire set because it was getting close to 5 p.m. and I wanted to try and get a good spot for my final desired performance of the day: Santana.
Carlos Santana is one of my father's all-time favorite musicians and he and I would (and still do) constantly listen to his music together, so this was a show that I couldn't miss. I got a good enough spot in front of one of the screens at the Festival Stage and watched as the legendary Santana appeared with his band before a massive, ecstatic crowd. The essential hit songs that one would associate with Santana were all played: "Jingo," "Evil Ways," "Black Magic Woman," "Oye Como Va," "Maria, Maria," "The Game of Love," "Corazon Espinado" (which had a keyboard intro that sampled Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth's "See You Again," of all songs), and more. There were even killer bass guitar and drum solos during the show that the crowd just ate up. The band ended their legendary Jazz Fest performance with "Smooth," and I walked away after it was all done with the feeling that I would remember that performance for a long, long time.
A Festival of Culture and Heritage
When I experienced Jazz Fest for the very first time in 2014 while I was still in college, I didn't get it. I thought that it was too hot, too crowded, and too expensive. Now that I'm older and I've been able to experience Jazz Fest on more occasions, I finally understand that this festival is truly preserving the heritage of New Orleans and Louisiana. Yes, the world-renowned acts will draw a majority of the crowds, but those crowds will also be experiencing the music, food, and art that the city and state are known best for. The culture and heritage of both New Orleans and Louisiana are truly one-of-a-kind, and Jazz Fest is helping to preserve those unique aspects of our home by both spotlighting and celebrating them.
Till next time, Jazz Fest. I can't wait to see what's in store for 2026.
