This year’s Jazz Fest lineup is in and the Foo Fighters, Lizzo, Wu-Tang Clan, The Who, Stevie Nicks, Lionel Richie, and others will headline a stacked festival bill.
Festival producer Quint Davis says this year is a perfect combination of some of the biggest touring acts on earth coming to New Orleans to mingle with local stars like Tank and the Bangas and Irma Thomas…
“We have 20 or 30 Cajun zydeco bands, some of everything. It’s still a heritage festival even though we have some of the biggest acts there are, it’s all mixed up with our people,” says Davis.
A few of the other headliners include Elvis Costello, The Lumineers, Black Crowes, Lenny Kravitz, and the Dead and Company.
Festival legends Art Neville and Dr. John passed away last year, so along with two star-studded tribute acts, visitors can join a jazz funeral procession in honor of the artists.
“We will have a big jazz funeral with brass bands, we will have these big poles with ribbons on them with big pictures of them, the idea being that they are going to be here with us at Jazz Fest forever,” says Davis.
Neville and Dr. John will each have their own processions.
Jazz Fest always sparks interesting locally flavored collaborations, and this year that honor goes to the Wu-Tang Clan who’ll take the stage live with New Orleans’ own Soul Rebels Brass Band.
“One of the first things they said was that we need to have the Soul Rebels on our show because we recorded with them and that is what we want to do at Jazz Fest, so we said, hey, bring it on!” says Davis.
The Festival runs April 23rd through May 3rd.
