- Title: USA: NEW ORLEANS JAZZ AND HERITAGE FESTIVAL
- Date: 27th April 2001
- Summary: (REUTERS - PERFORMANCE CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR RESALE) SLV ANDREW HALL SOCIETY BRASS BAND PERFORMING
- Embargoed: 12th May 2001 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: NEW ORLEANS JAZZ FESTIVAL
- Country: USA
- Reuters ID: LVAFIJGA9QP7HYGJL4WN6FZ9JX4
- Story Text: The city of New Orleans is in full jazz fest mode.
The Big Easy kicked off the annual New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival over the weekend with legendary blues artist B.B. King, jazzman Terrence Blanchard and Nigerian pop star Femi Kuti.
New Orleans, Louisiana - the city known for jazz, Bourbon Street and the mighty Mississippi River - has opened its doors to the world again for its annual New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.
B.B. King got the crowds on the festival fair grounds off to a roaring start Friday afternoon- announcing his own arrival and belting out one of his classics, "Let the Good Times Roll." King told Reuters that the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival is different from other festivals he plays.
"New Orleans don't discriminate when it comes to music.
Whatever kind of music you play, you're welcome and they showcase it. That makes a great big difference. It makes all musicians feel like they - well not necessarily important- but they make us feel wanted. New Orleans is good for that. It makes your feel welcome," said the 75-year-old blues legend.
By the end of the festival on May 6th, 500 acts will have played on 12 stages around the Fair Grounds Race Track.
The festival features many of Louisiana's homegrown acts, like Cajun band Beausoleil and Rocking Dopsie, JR. and his Zydeco Twisters.
Michael Doucet of Beausoleil says playing the festival is is "like being in heaven, basically."
The year's festival has attracted big name pop artists like King, Van Morrison, Al Green and Dave Matthews. The event also boasts a substantial number of rising international stars like Femi Kuti of Nigeria.
And then, of course, there is Jazz. Hometowner and trumpeter Terrence Blanchard wowed crowds in that department Sunday afternoon with a soulful version of "Amazing Grace".
Blanchard told Reuters that his home town and its favourite son, Louis Armstrong, have forever changed music around the world.
"New Orleans is very significant in the music community by the contributions it has made throughout the years. You look at the history of jazz, alone, I mean- Louis Armstrong is the father of the whole thing basically. He's the first real star in the music. He had a real influence, not only in Jazz, but in world music. That tradition has continued."
This year's festival is dedicated to the famous trumpeter. An exhibit featuring photos of Armstrong is running on the festival's grounds.
Armstrong's spirit and jazz are seemingly alive and well in the Big Easy. It's hard to walk down any street in the city without hearing a musician playing. For many, the spirit is infectious.
Andrew Hall, an Englishman, decided to leave his native land more than 30 years ago. He told Reuters it was for the music. "It kind of got to me."
Hall now has his own traditional brass band. They are regulars at the festival.
But, there are some, like the Rebirth Brass Band, who like to take traditional instruments to a new level. The group is a festival favourite with its interpretations of Rhythm and Blues classics... keeping the crowd swinging and jumping is another Big Easy tradition that lives on.
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