May 5: Cinco de Mayo and the Last Day of 2024 JazzFest
Basically, there are (2) ways to approach JazzFest: bring chairs and plant yourself at a particular stage/tent or graze through the Fest. There are definitely performances that we enjoy start to finish, but mainly we are grazers. Some JazzFest years are inclined one way or the other, and although Stones Thursday was the exception, the 2024 Fest has been a grazing year.
JazzFest is a heritage festival. Every day, there are parades celebrating the New Orleans tradition of second lines, Mardi Gras Indians and Social Aid & Pleasure Clubs. If a notable New Orleans music personality has recently passed on, a jazz funeral happens. This year, jazz funerals were held for Russell Batiste and Jimmy Buffett.
Russell was a renowned funk and R&B drummer, and part of the large Batiste music family.
Jimmy Buffet spent time in New Orleans as a young musician, was a regular JazzFest performer, and, at one time, had a Margaritaville in the French Quarter.
Dumpstaphunk
Rolling Stones
Zachery Richard
Lulu and the Broadsides
Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
Hozier
Matachinde
Creole Group
Watson Mass Choir
Rhiannon Giddens (+ interview)
Sonny Landreth
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