In a First Week Funk
This Week's Soundtrack focuses on Jazz Fest's first weekend and coinciding shows around town.
This Week's Soundtrack focuses on Jazz Fest's first weekend and coinciding shows around town.
This Week's Soundtrack on Spotify
1. "BJ's Bounce" - King James & The Special Men: The local R&B group kicks off a week of Jazz Fest and other performances, this one at d.b.a on Thursday.
2. "Holy Ghost Power!" - The Mercy Brothers: The Lafayette roots and folk rock act plays a Chickie Wah Wah show on Saturday.
3. "Maison Creole [Live at Merlotte's]" - CC Adcock & The Lafayette Marquis: Another Lafayette group, with Adcock and crew playing a late night d.b.a show on Friday and at One Eyed Jacks the next day with Dumpstaphunk.
4. "Nitrus" - Dick Dale: The once-dubbed King of Surf Rock brings his gnarly riffs to the Howlin' Wolf on Wednesday.
5. "Rebel Without a Pause" - Public Enemy: The legendary rap duo, probably better known to younger generations for Flava Flav's reality show run, takes on Jazz Fest Friday.
6. "Around the Block" (feat. Talib Kweli) - Pretty Lights: The diverse electronic producer mixes live performance in the studio and on stage, and a band will support him for a Saturday set at Bold Sphere Music in Champions Square.
7. "Vieux Carre" - Trombone Shorty: You can't expect a music festival to go down in New Orleans without Trombone Shorty showing up somewhere, this year on Friday at the House of Blues.
8. "Time Machine" - Chocolate Milk: The original lineup for the once split-up '70s funk act reunites for a Sunday show at Jazz Fest.
9. "Amidinine" - Bombino: The Tuareg guitarist supports Tinariwen for a Thursday set at House of Blues.
10. "Blues for Juarez" - The Iguanas: The local roots rockers play two shows this festival weekend, on Friday at Hi Ho Lounge and another Saturday at Rock 'n' Bowl.
11. "Stockholm" - Jason Isbell: The Alabama singer/songwriter and one time Drive-By Truckers members plays Jazz Fest on Saturday.
12. "Skin and Bones" - The Avett Brothers: One of the bigger names among the recent folk rock revitalization plays the Fest on Friday night.
13. "Crucify Your Mind" - Rodriguez: The legendary subject of the Oscar award winning documentary Searching for Sugarman has a Sunday slot at Jazz Fest.
14. "Ocean View 2.0" - Pell: The local hip hop group plays a Skype-sponsored set at the Parish Room in the House of Blues on Friday.
15. "West Coat" - Lana Del Rey: Once an indie buzz queen now a major mainstream player, the singer just released this single that sounds like a chilled out version of "Edge of Seventeen," and she plays Bold Sphere Music at Champions Square on Friday.
16. "Green Garden" - Laura Mvula: The eccentric British musician plays a Friday Jazz Fest show.
17. "Amerika Expressa" - BaianaSystem: The Bahia, Brazil, act has two shows at the Festival, Friday and Saturday.
18. "Chaghaybou" - Tinariwen: Probably the North African desert rock group to score biggest with critics in a long time, the diversely influenced group plays a Thursday House of Blues show.
19. "Psychic Trauma" - Cloud Nothings: The downtrodden post-punk Cleveland natives reminded everyone of why their so great with this year's Here and Nowhere Else, taking the Gasa Gasa stage on Thursday.
20. "Black Ops" - Rotary Downs: The long-time New Orleanians release a new album this week and celebrate with two shows Friday, one at Jazz Fest and one at Gasa Gasa.
21. "Cosmic Claps of Love" - Chrome Sparks: The Ann Arbor-bred producer has a Saturday Gasa Gasa show.
22. "Heard About You Last Night" - Mogwai: The moody post-rock vets play a show at the Civic Theatre on Sunday.
