2011 New Orleans Jazzfest

[Squidgy]

Coming up, 2 weekends beginning April 29. The lineup this year is fantastic, too many excellent names--- mainstream and not-at-all-mainstream---to mention. My picks for the Don't Miss award are Ingrid Lucia. She's a bluesy jazzy torchy girl in the vein of the 1930s Billie Holliday style, and she's developed a following around New Orleans in the post-Katrina era. I am absolutely insane for this woman. Also my man Irvin Mayfield, who's performing twice, with different backups; cajun fiddler genius prodigy Amanda Shaw (and if you're lucky, she'll have her sidekick playing washboard and spoons); also the churchy-chanty harmonizers the Poor Clares; and folky Amos Lee. Lotta rockers, too, including Robert Plant and Jeff Beck. The outdoor fest is on 2 weekends, but all week long, many of the acts are performing in various club venues. Personally, I prefer the intimacy of the clubs for my faves. Outdoors is best for the mainstream rockers. Go to www.jazzfest.com

[Kush]

very nice, will check out some of your picks. Giving it a miss this year - we're heading to Europe later in the summer for a roadtrip and plan to catch one of the summer jazz fests there.