The 2022 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival took place in Louisiana By Andy J. Gordon
The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival finally took place in 2022 after multiple cancellations that caused major fan disappointment. The Big Easy is known for hard partying, but the dreaded pandemic put a kibosh on all of them. After several delays, the city held their largest bash in three years from April 29 to May 8. We were there to soak up all of the music, food, parades and wild times that make this event unlike any other.
Nearly half a million people from around the world converged on New Orleans to see famous headliners, amazing local performers and indulge in the unique Jazz Fest experience. The festival is held on the grounds of a horse racetrack where thirteen stages are set up for music that includes rock, soul, R&B, blues, jazz, funk, gospel, zydeco, and much more.
It took place over two extended weekends, each with different, world class performers. While the music is the focus, there are incredible food selections procured by area restaurants and food vendors. Attendees chose from delicacies like alligator sausage, gumbo, jambalaya, crawfish etouffee, cochon de lait and a selection of other local specialties.
All of the spicy, creamy, crunchy delicacies we had been missing since 2019 were there and they still hit the spot. Choosing from so many amazing options is not an easy task, but there are no bad decisions at Jazz Fest. The music, food and sights are all fantastic!
Highlights from the first weekend:
- Big Sam Williams led his Funky Nation through high energy soul, funk, brass band and hip hop tunes. Williams is a virtuoso trombonist and highly entertaining performer. It was impossible to stand still when the Funky Nation played their fun, up tempo songs.
- CeeLo Green delivered a masterful tribute show to one of his inspirations – James Brown. Green led a thirteen piece band that included multiple horns and two gyrating backup singers. Their versions of “Pass The Peas,” and “Get Up Offa That Thing” in addition to Green’s own “Forget You” had the audience boogying enthusiastically.
- Bonerama is a uniquely New Orleans phenomenon. Led by three trombone players, the band played modern and traditional jazz inflected soul and funk music. They became something outrageous when their horns replaced the traditional guitars on Led Zeppelin’s rock classic “Bring It On Home.”
- Galactic are the modern standard for New Orleans funk rock. They played tight instrumentals, but when vocalist Anjelika “Jelly” Joseph came on stage with the band to belt out songs like “Dolla Diva,” “Get Ya Some” and Led Zeppelin’s “Nobody’s Fault But Mine,” the band really sizzled.
- The Who have been around so long there are no surprises. Roger Daltrey screamed and swung his microphone. Pete Townshend did windmill arm rolls as he pummeled his guitar strings. For the fest, they rearranged their songs so that the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra could enhance their big sound. It worked and the crowd sang along to all the hits.
- Anders Osborne has been writing beautiful songs for years. His ballads were heartwarming and his rockers were reminiscent of electric Neil Young. The performance swung between sweet, slow songs and riotous, distorted guitar romps.
- The other torchbearers of modern funk rock in New Orleans are Dumpstaphunk, led by Ivan Neville. The soulful vocalist and keyboard wizard was all over Jazz Fest, sitting in with The Black Crowes and leading tribute shows. The Dumpstaphunk set included their powerful songs “United Nations Stomp,” “Dancin to the Truth,” “Justice” and a super funky cover of Sly and The Family Stone’s “Stand.” Near the end of the set Neville said, “this one is for our man Taylor Hawkins” as the band launched into a passionate version of the Foo Fighters’ “Best Of You.”
- The Red Hot Chili Peppers replaced the Foo Fighters at Jazz Fest just two weeks before their scheduled headlining date. The tragic death of Taylor Hawkins was on everyone’s mind as Anthony Kiedis and company rolled through their catalog of frenzied, rocking songs. Flea was like a kangaroo as he bounced around the stage while Kiedis yelped out rapid fire lyrics. Drummer Chad Smith came out from behind his kit at the end of the show and said, “we love the Foo Fighters and we love our brother Taylor Hawkins. This means a lot to us to be able to play for them.”
Highlights from the second weekend:
- Elvis Costello joined the Dirty Dozen Brass Band for a tribute show to David Bartholomew. The local bandleader, composer and record producer died in 2019 at 100. Bartholomew songs were recorded by many musicians but his work with Fats Domino was the most successful. Costello could not wipe the grin off of his face as he fronted the big brass band while singing “Walking to New Orleans” and other Bartholomew standards. The faces in the crowd were smiling as much as Costello.
- Ziggy Marley and his band are doing a celebration tour of his father’s music. Their Jazz Fest performance featured Bob Marley and Wailers classics like “I Shot the Sheriff,” “Is This Love” and “Stir It Up.” The crowd was “Jamming” all set long.
- The Black Crowes are helping keep Rock & Roll alive. Their Jazz Fest set showed what a guitar driven, blues based, rock band should sound like. Chris Robinson’s road warrior, bluesy vocals and youthful energy complemented his brother Rich’s iconic rock guitar riffs. Guest lead guitarist, Blackberry Smoke’s Charlie Starr, took turns delivering slide and finger picking solos with Rich on classics like “Twice As Hard,” “Soul Singing” and “Remedy.” The hardest working man at Jazz Fest, Ivan Neville, sat in for a rousing version of “Jealous Again.”
- On a day when iconic female vocalists filled the Jazz Fest stages, rocker Samantha Fish shined bright. The blues based, guitar wielding songstress opened with her scorching “Bulletproof” and proceeded to blow away the early afternoon crowd that was gathering for Stevie Nicks.
- Nicks has had a rough few years lately. Fleetwood Mac was supposed to headline the festival in 2019, but they cancelled due to a flu bug that knocked out Nicks. She had solo gigs booked at the fest in 2020 and 2021, but the pandemic wiped those out as well as her entire tour schedule. Both she and her fans were thrilled about her festival performance. Her set featured fan favorites that thousands sang, almost drowning out Nicks. There were teary moments when she dedicated “Landslide” to “my friend Taylor Hawkins; I know you’re up there and this song is for you.”
- Buddy Guy is one of the last living, first generation blues legends. That he still plays scorching guitar solos, sings like a young man and frolics through the crowd of fans, while at the ripe old age of 85 is a miracle. Seeing him at this year’s Jazz Fest was extremely special and hopefully not the last time.
- Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real are legitimately talented, but it is impossible to ignore the vocal similarities to Lukas’ dad, Willie. Lukas’ style is harder edged, more rock than country and his band kicks butt. Their Jazz Fest show was particularly emotional because Willie had to cancel his fest performance due to a positive Covid-19 test among his team.
- Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews has been the king of Jazz Fest since The Neville Brothers stepped away from the stage about ten years ago. His main stage closing set with his band Orleans Avenue drew from rock, jazz, soul, funk, hip hop and traditional New Orleans music. That gumbo epitomized the festival vibe and was a fantastic way to end the two weekend marathon of music. With Mardi Gras Indians and New Breed Brass Band members filling the stage along with Shorty and his band, the finale that included “When The Saints Go Marching In” struck a chord for everyone in the audience.
- Buddy Guy is one of the last living, first generation blues legends. That he still plays scorching guitar solos, sings like a young man and frolics through the crowd of fans, while at the ripe old age of 85 is a miracle. Seeing him at this year’s Jazz Fest was extremely special and hopefully not the last time.
- Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real are legitimately talented, but it is impossible to ignore the vocal similarities to Lukas’ dad, Willie. Lukas’ style is harder edged, more rock than country and his band kicks butt. Their Jazz Fest show was particularly emotional because Willie had to cancel his fest performance due to a positive Covid-19 test among his team.
- Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews has been the king of Jazz Fest since The Neville Brothers stepped away from the stage about ten years ago. His main stage closing set with his band Orleans Avenue drew from rock, jazz, soul, funk, hip hop and traditional New Orleans music. That gumbo epitomized the festival vibe and was a fantastic way to end the two weekend marathon of music. With Mardi Gras Indians and New Breed Brass Band members filling the stage along with Shorty and his band, the finale that included “When The Saints Go Marching In” struck a chord for everyone in the audience.
Jazz Fest 2022 ended and it seemed like springtime in New Orleans was back to normal. The sun blazed down on festers from around the globe while the hundreds of local and international musicians that had been out of work during the pandemic got to play for enormous crowds. Food, art and craft vendors sold their goods while throngs of fans that were missing live music and the unique party experience that only happens in The Big Easy got the fix they desperately needed. The 2023 festival cannot come soon enough. Start booking hotel rooms for April 28 through May 7, 2023. You will not regret it.
Photos courtesy of Andy J. Gordon ©2022 FB: andy.j.gordon1 IG: andyjgordon1
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