28th Annual Jazz Fest - April 25 - May 4

Described by locals as "Mardi Gras without the costumes," the 28th annual New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, taking over the "city that care forgot" for a 10 day carnival of sights, sounds, tastes and culture from Friday, April 25 until sundown, Sunday, May 4, is simply too big to be adequately contained in this publication.

Below is only a partial listing of those acts which will perform at some point on the day listed in one of several venues contained in the Fair Grounds, which is what New Orleans calls its race track located on Gentilly Blvd.

For up-to-the-minute info concerning last minute cancellations or bookings, or for a sample of some of the sights and sounds of this most unique example of cultural celebration, check out the fest's own web page New Orleans Jazz Fest.

Fats Domino, performing for the first time in two years, will appear Saturday, May 3 at the Heritage Fair at the Fair Grounds Race Course.

James Brown will appear Friday, May 2 in an evening concert, along with Rita Marley and Taj Mahal, at Kiefer UNO Lakefront Arena at 9 p.m. As previously announced, Rita Marley will also perform on Saturday, May 3 at the Heritage Fair.

George Clinton & the P-Funk Allstars and Isaac Hayes make Jazz Fest debuts in a once-in-a-lifetime concert on Saturday, May 3 at Kiefer UNO Lakefront Arena at 9 p.m. Also performing will be New Orleans' own Batiste Brothers. George Clinton & the P-Funk Allstars will also perform at the Heritage Fair on Sunday, May 4.

Widespread Panic will appear Sunday, May 4 at the Heritage Fair.

Zap Mama will perform Saturday, April 26 at the Heritage Fair.

Latin music icon Milton Nascimento, originally scheduled to perform Saturday, April 26 at the Heritage Fair, will not appear.

FRIDAY, APRIL 25
Dr. John, James Taylor, Pharoah Sanders, Doc Cheatham, Habib Koite & Bamada of Mali, C.J. Chenier & the Red Hot LA Band, Nicholas Payton, Corey Harris, Zachary Richard, Deacon John, Henry Butler, Wayne Toups & Zydecajun, Rosie Ledet, National Dance Co. of Mali, Little Queenie & Friends, Slim & the Supreme Angels, Oliver Morgan, Bruce Daigrepont Cajun Band, Chubby Carrier & the Bayou Swamp Band, Tabby Thomas, St. Augustine Marching Band, Al Johnson, Woodenhead, Willie Lockett & the Blues Krewe, Golden Eagles Mardi Gras Indians, Bamboula 2000, Caliente, Tiny Town, Sunpie Barnes & the LA Sunspots, Fred Kemp, Al Belletto Big Band, Davell Crawford feat. Nu-Beginnings, Geno Delafose & French Rockin' Boogie, Doreen's Jazz New Orleans, Lady Charlotte, Larry Seiberth w/ Betty Shirley, Pigeon Town Steppers, Chosen Few Brass Band, Jr Westbank Steppers, New Zion Trio + One, Community Missionary Baptist Church Choir, Banks Family.

SATURDAY, APRIL 26
Ellis Marsalis, Santana, The Tony Rich Project, Kirk Franklin & the Family, Pete Fountain, Gato Barbieri, Allen Toussaint, Cubanismo, Cowboy Mouth, Zap Mama, Keb' Mo, Earl King, Terrance Simien, Nocentelli w/ Zigaboo Modeliste, Jean Knight, Young Tuxedo Brass Band, The Williams Sisters of New York City, Jimmy Johnson, New Orleans Ragtime Orchestra, Treme Brass Band, Wallace Davenport, Kidd Jordan/IAQ & Tribute to Julius Hemphill w/Oliver Lake & Hamiet Bluiett, Reggie Hall Band, Keith Frank, National Dance Co. of Mali, Habib Koite & Bamada, Shepherd Band, Percussion Inc., Michael White Quartet w/ Thais Clark, Sammy Berfect & Dimensions of Faith, Acoustic Swiftness, Irvin Mayfield Quintet, Little Freddie King, Jude Taylor & his Burning Flames, Larry Garner, Sadie Thompson, White Cloud Hunters Mardi Gras Indians, Tony Bazley Quintet, Pinettes Brass Band, Money Wasters, Jolly Bunch, Popular Ladies, Black Men of Labor, Nkrumah Better Boys SAPCS, St. John Divine Gospel Choir, St. Raymond Gospel Choir, The Crownseekers, St. Francis DeSales Choir, Invisible Cowboy, Jumpin' Johnny Sansone, Azikwa Children's Percussion Ensemble, Michael Ward, Coushatta Dancers, Clancy "Blues Boy" Lewis w/ Sheba Kimbrough, Eddie LeJeune & the Morse Playboys, SUBR Jazz Ensemble.

SUNDAY, APRIL 27
Irma Thomas, Earth, Wind & Fire, funky Meters, Frankie Ford, Rachelle Ferrell, Dorothy Norwood, Harlem Jazz & Blues, Olatunji & his Drums of Passion, Houston Person w/ Etta Jones, Beau Jocque & the Zydeco Hi-Rollers, Johnny Adams, Walter "Wolfman" Washington, Sonny Landreth & the Goners, Continental Drifters, Raymond Myles & the RAMS, Nathan & Zydeco Cha-Chas, Chris Smither, Alvin Batiste & the Jazztronauts, Treme Brass Band, Los Babies del Merengue, George French's New Orleans Storyville Band, Gregg Stafford's Jazz Hounds, Escola de Casa Samba, Six Nations Women Singers, Twangorama, Bobby Marchan & Higher Ground, Bryan Lee & the Jumpstreet Five, Basin Brothers, Balfa Toujours, Willie West, Keith Claiborne, Placide Adams, New Orleans Spiritualettes, Westbank Steppers, Scene Boosters, Valley of the Silent Mem SAPCs, Algiers Brass Band, Antioch Gospel Singers, Friendly Five, The Wild Magnolias, Astral Project, Patrice Fisher & Arpa, Creole Zydeco Farmers, Khadir, Gray Montgomery, David & Roselyn, Culu Dancers, Barbara Shorts, Tornado Brass Band, Alida & Moise Viator, Carrollton Hunters Mardi Gras Indians.

THURSDAY, MAY 1
BeauSoleil, Blues Traveler, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Boozoo Chavis & the Magic Sounds, Oumou Sangare of Mali, James Moody, Hiway QCs, Albita, Anders Osborne, Delfeayo Marsalis, Clarence "Frogman" Henry, Banu Gibson, Tab Benoit, Larry Johnson, Luther Kent & Trick Bag, Hazel & the Delta Ramblers, Dash Rip Rock, Jambalaya Cajun Band, Eddie Bo, Louisiana Repertory Jazz Ensemble, Andrew Hall's Society Jazz Band, Steve Masakowski, Ricardo Lewis Quintet w/ guest Sandra Booker, The Soul Rebels, The Heralds of Love, The Coolie Family, Galactic, Cool Riddums & Sista Teedy, Lionel Ferbos & the Palm Court Jazz Band, Hadley Castille & Sharecroppers Cajun Band, Ancestro, The First Revolution, Libby Rae Watson, Mamou, Julio & Caesar, Louis "Red" Morgan, Des-ty-ne', Storyville Stompers Brass Band.

FRIDAY, MAY 2
Al Hirt, Al Jarreau, Bruce Hornsby, Delbert McClinton, Marcia Ball, Cyril Neville &the Uptown Allstars, Ernie K-Doe, Rockin' Dopsie, Jr. & the Zydeco Twisters, Orlando Draper & the Associates, Tuba Showcase featuring Howard Johnson & Gravity, Iguanas, Art Farmer, Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys, Marlon Jordan Quintet, Coco Robicheaux & the Perspirators, D.L. Menard & the Louisiana Aces, Savoy-Doucet Cajun Band, Chris Ardoin & Double Clutchin', Robert Parker, Roland Stone, Doc Paulin Brass Band, Dogon Dancers & the Traditional Instrumental Ensemble of Mali, June Gardner & the Fellows, Michael Ray & the Cosmic Krewe, Andy J. Forest & the Blue Orleanians, Ben Hunter the Soul Avenger, File, Oumou Sangare of Mali, Al Carson, Last Straws, The Humble Travelers, One-a-Chord, Sherman Robertson, Milton Batiste's Magnificent 7ths, Bobby Cure & Summertime Blues, Thousand $ Car, Carlos Sanchez "Amenecer Flamenco," Neslort, Patrick Henry & the Liberation Band, Mas Mamones, Evening Star String Band, Ironin' Board Sam, Waso Belgian Gypsy Band, T-Roy & the Vibes, Jason Marsalis, Armando Rodriguez, Local International Allstars, John Rankin.

SATURDAY, MAY 3
Fats Domino, Herbie Hancock, Rita Marley, Better Than Ezra, Buckwheat Zydeco, Thompson Community Choir of Chicago, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, Marva Wright, The Dixie Cups, James Rivers Movement, King Floyd, George Porter, Jr. & Runnin' Pardners, Syl Johnson, Dirty Dozen, Tribute to Sidney Bechet feat. Claude Luter and Michael White, New Leviathan Oriental Foxtrot Orchestra, Alex Chilton, Allen Fontenot & the Country Cajuns, Cookie & the Cupcakes, Charles Neville, Germaine Bazzle, Bob French's Original Tuxedo Jazz Band, NewBirth Brass Band, Onward Brass Band, Wendell Brunious, Willie Metcalf & the Academy of Black Arts Youth Jazz Chorus w/ the N.O. Elder Statesmen of Modern Jazz, Paulin Brothers Brass Band, St. Luke AME Gospel Choir, Zulu Ensemble, Johnson Extension, Little Rascals Brass Band, Butch Mudbone, Secondline Jammers, Calliope High Steppers, Royal Fingerbowl, Walter Payton w/ Sharon Martin, John Boutte', Belton Richard, Kumbuka Drum & Dance Collective, NOCCA Jazz Ensemble, Luke Thompson & the Green Valley Cut Ups, Native Nations Inter Tribal, Peabody, Sheryl Cormier & Cajun Sounds, Phila Fila, Los Sagitarios, Raful Neal, Golden Star Hunters Mardi Gras Indians, Leroy Jones, Jacques Gauthe & his Creole Rice Jazz Band, Caledonian Society Scottish Dancers and Pipes.

SUNDAY, MAY 4
Preservation Hall Jazz Band, The Neville Brothers, George Clinton & the P-Funk Allstars, Widespread Panic, McCoy Tyner w/ Michael Brecker, Dorothy Love Coates, The Radiators, Jazz Jamaica, ReBirth Brass Band, Eric Gable, Charmaine Neville & Friends, Terence Blanchard, Dr. Arvol Looking Horse, Tribute to Sidney Bechet featuring Bob Wilber and Fabrice Zammarchi, Olympia Brass Band, Snooks Eaglin, Donald Harrison, Kermit Ruffins Big Band, Tommy Ridgley & the Untouchables, Wanda Rouzan, Irie Vibrations, Ritmo Caribeno, Kent Jordan, The Zion Harmonizers, The Hackberry Ramblers, Gospel Soul Children, Willis Prudhomme & Zydeco Express, Pin Stripe Brass Band, NewBirth Brass Band, Mem Shannon &the Membership, Horace Trahan, C.C. Adcock, White Eagles Mardi Gras Indians, E.L.S., New Orleans Klezmer Allstars, Jo "Cool" Davis, Alvin " Red" Tyler, The Rocks of Harmony, Furious Five, Untouchables, Olympia Aid, Lady Zulu SAPCs, Lillian Boutte', Kristi Guillory & Reveille, Sask Northern Drum, Cookie Gabriel, Tony Green & Gypsy Jazz, Po' Henry & Tookie, Los Caliente del Son, Y'Shua Manzy, Ernie Vincent, UNO Jazz Ensemble, Waylon Thibodeaux, Liz Barnez, Creole Wild West Mardi Gras Indians, Louis Cottrell & his Original Creole Jazz Band, Thomas "Big Hat" Fields, Dogon Dancers & the Traditional Instrumental Ensemble of Mali, Original Black Magic Lady Steppers, N'Kafu Traditional African Dance Co., SUNO Jazz Ensemble, Young Cheyenne Hunters Mardi Gras Indians.

Tickets to the Louisiana Heritage Fair are available at Ticketmaster centers throughout the Gulf South. To charge tickets by phone, call Ticketmaster at 504.522.5555, or outside Louisiana at 800.488.5252. Tickets can also be purchased online at http://www.ticketmaster.com. Ticket orders can be faxed to 504.766.0905.

The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival is presented by the non-profit New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation, Inc., which returns proceeds from the Festival to the local community through grants and special projects designed to preserve and perpetuate the area's rich music and cultural heritage.