Nicole Toms practically gushed as she emerged into the sunlightfrom a massive tent where a gospel choir had brought the crowd toits feet. "Oh my God, I love everything about this," she said. "Theincredible variety of music, the layout of the stages and the food- it's the best." Toms, of Mountain View, California, was describing her fifth visitto the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, a blockbuster eventthat draws hundreds of thousands of people during two weekends eachspring and will continue through May 6. Festival co-founder Quint Davis would say Toms wasn't merelydescribing an event, but homing in on New Orleans' heritage. "Thisfestival is a an indigenous part of our culture," he told Reuters.
Now in its 43rd year, the quintessential New Orleans event betterknown as Jazz Fest broke new ground when it was launched in 1970 byDavis, an ethnomusicologist then just finishing college, and jazzimpresario and Newport Jazz Festival founder George Wein. At the time, events that presented a variety of music groups onmultiple stages at an outdoor location were rare. Their goal was tocreate such an event that reflected New Orleans, whose music, foodand laid-back lifestyle were distinct because they derived from anunusual mix of French, Spanish, African, Native American and otherinfluences. Wein, the founder of Festival Productions Inc, and Davis, now chiefexecutive of the company, concocted a festival that showcased localjazz, blues, R&B, African, Cajun and zydeco bands.
And theysurrounded the music with food booths that served up shrimp touff e, boiled crawfish, oyster po-boys and Creole gumbo. "Initially, it was like the world's largest indigenous back-yardbarbecue," Davis said. "Over time, the festival has become an authentic home to some veryrare and deep traditions that only exist in south Louisiana," hesaid. "It's now like Mardi Gras - it's part of the cultural fabricof New Orleans." While the festival presented almost exclusively local talent in theearly years, Davis eventually began sprinkling in big-name nationalacts, this year ranging from Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, theEagles, Cee Lo Green and the Foo Fighters to Feist, Janelle Mon eand Yolanda Adams. But the more than 500 acts that rotate across 12 stages arepredominantly from Louisiana, Davis said.
The seven-day event draws some 400,000 to the festival site at theFair Grounds horse-racing track, which turns into a sea of colorfulHawaiian shirts and straw hats as fest-goers amble from stage tostage. Among them, some of the most enthusiastic visitors are themusicians. "Everybody wants to play this festival," San Francisco bookingagent Mike Kappus said. The owner of The Rosebud Agency, whose talent portfolio includessuch New Orleans artists and Jazz Fest regulars as Dr.
John,Trombone Shorty, Allen Toussaint, Jon Cleary and Dirty Dozen BrassBand, Kappus also frequently books non-Louisiana clients into thefestival. He said musicians see it as a prestigious event that offers a bigaudience, but they also just like the festival's New Orleans vibe. "It has the feel of New Orleans and its food and culture," he said."It's just unlike anything else, and for a lot of people, it'stheir favorite festival in the world." Jazz Fest has helped carry the New Orleans brand far and wide,Kappus said. Major music events around the world routinely includeLouisiana bands in their lineups, and younger musicians are findingthe kind of fame that once accrued only to long-established groupssuch as the Neville Brothers.
"Five years ago, Trombone Shorty had barely played outside of NewOrleans, and recently, he's played on five continents in twomonths," Kappus said. Along with showcasing the city's musical and culinary assets, JazzFest also shines a light on its visual artists and artisans, manyof whom reflect New Orleans' diverse cultural roots. In a large heritage exhibit area, mixed-media artist and NewOrleans native Epaul Julien on Friday showed off elegant, framedmontages of his photographs and drawings. He said his work "is allabout New Orleans," but it also flows from his Haitian andSenegalese heritage. "My great-great grandfather came here after fleeing the HaitianRevolution in 1802," he said.
Like local musicians and food vendors, Julien's art also is findinga wider audience. Next month he will show his work at an exhibit inMilan, Italy. Displays by such local artists deepen the cultural experience of avisit to Jazz Fest, but many would probably still say the biggestdraw is fun. "I have a friend who's been coming to this festival for 20 years,and he used to tell me I was an idiot for not coming," New YorkerSteven Rolnik said Friday as he finished off a plate of Cajunboudin. "Well, this is my second time at the festival, and you knowwhat? My friend was right.". I am an expert from Security & Protection, usually analyzes all kind of industries situation, such as wireless intruder alarm , wireless ptz camera.
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