Neil Young To Join Jazz & Heritage Festival

Banned · Post by **Banned** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 3:19 pm

NEW ORLEANS – Neil Young will join a slew of other first-time performers at the 2009 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, a bittersweet announcement given that the "Queen of Soul" canceled her coveted appearance.

Jazz Fest producer Quint Davis said Aretha Franklin's activities surrounding President Barack Obama's inauguration, scheduling and travel issues led to the cancellation.

"She decided not to do any more work for a while and we honor that," Davis said. "But, we definitely told her we want her next year. She's made it clear that New Orleans and the festival are important and that she would like to be a part of this and raising the spirit of New Orleans."

But landing Young was something organizers had been trying to do for years, Davis said after Wednesday's announcement. The rocker joins other first-timers Bon Jovi and Grammy winners Sugarland and Kings of Leon.

Davis said it's important for the festival, in its 40th year, to remain relevant and exciting.

"Particularly, because we are a heritage festival, we look at where we've been and where we're going. And that's reflected in our lineup," he said.

"The Dave Matthews Band, James Taylor, Earth, Wind and Fire, Etta James. These performers, over time, have become beloved by the festival. At the same time, the younger groups, Bon Jovi, Sugarland, Kings of Leon, they send a signal that our future is bright."

The Jazz Fest spans seven days over two weekends — April 24 to 26 and April 30 to May 3.

Others slated to perform are The O'Jays, Cowboy Mouth, Wynton Marsalis, Joe Cocker, Wilco, Henry Butler, Erykah Badu, Bonnie Raitt, Allen Toussaint, Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, Trombone Shorty and Imagination Movers.

Like last year, the Neville Brothers will be the festival's closing act on May 3.

Prices for daily general admission tickets are $40 in advance and $50 at the gate. The package of discounted tickets are $105 for the first weekend and $140 for the second, which includes an extra day. Those special rates are available until Wednesday.

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On the Net:

Jazz Fest, http://www.nojazzfest.com

lonewolf · Post by **lonewolf** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 3:24 pm

Neil Young at a Jazz Festival? I hope he gets good seats.

DirtySanchez · Post by **DirtySanchez** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 3:25 pm

lonewolf wrote:Neil Young at a Jazz Festival? I hope he gets good seats.

Seriously loled

witchhunt · Post by **witchhunt** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 6:55 pm

lonewolf wrote:Neil Young at a Jazz Festival? I hope he gets good seats.

Absolute Classic of the month.

songsmith · Post by **songsmith** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 9:25 pm

Holy shit, Jeff, you should play the lottery or something, because you're just OWNING the last few days.

--->JMS

whitedevilone · Post by **whitedevilone** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 11:43 pm

Really WTF is Neil Young gonna do other than take some set time from the real cats?

ZappasXWife · Post by **ZappasXWife** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 1:15 pm

I would not be so quick to judge. Neil Young has handled some crossovers into other genres quite well over the years...just like his fellow Canadian Joni Mitchell...I love her jazz stuff. Now if he comes out on stage at a jazz fest doing Southern Man, thats inappropriate. He may be workin up some jazz stuff, the guy can be very versatile.

riksylvania · Post by **riksylvania** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 1:22 pm

Jazz Fest has always had lots of different kinds of music.

DirtySanchez · Post by **DirtySanchez** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 1:58 pm

ZappasXWife wrote:I would not be so quick to judge. Neil Young has handled some crossovers into other genres quite well over the years...just like his fellow Canadian Joni Mitchell...I love her jazz stuff. Now if he comes out on stage at a jazz fest doing Southern Man, thats inappropriate. He may be workin up some jazz stuff, the guy can be very versatile.

He's not gonna do any jazz. The article says Bon Jovi and Sugarland will be there too.

It was a joke people. you know, haha?

ToonaRockGuy · Post by **ToonaRockGuy** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 2:06 pm

Neil Young: Awesome songwriter, but for the love of all that's holy, someone please take the mic from him. I'd rather watch 6 hours of "Yo Gabba Gabba Hey" than listen to his voice.

songsmith · Post by **songsmith** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 5:02 pm

I dunno, Kevin... he's like Dylan. Sometimes I'm like, "Good God, Bob, spit out the marbles or get a singer!"... BUT... it usually takes the first word of a song to figure out that it's Dylan. You know him right away, and that's very valuable in the music marketplace, it's branding. Likewise, you never heard a Neil Young song and thought, "I wonder who that is?" And lyrically, I hear "...Old man, take a look at my life, I'm a lot like you were..." and I get it. That's why Neil's been around so long.--->JMS

Post by **Ron** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 9:25 pm

whitedevilone wrote:Really WTF is Neil Young gonna do other than take some set time from the real cats?

Neil's guitar playing DOES sound like a cat.

whitedevilone · Post by **whitedevilone** » Sat Feb 14, 2009 11:17 pm

Ron wrote:
whitedevilone wrote:Really WTF is Neil Young gonna do other than take some set time from the real cats?
Neil's guitar playing DOES sound like a cat.

Gallowglass · Post by **Gallowglass** » Mon Feb 16, 2009 5:58 pm

songsmith wrote:... it usually takes the first word of a song to figure out that it's Dylan. You know him right away...

And thank god for that...that way I don't have to waste half the song before I know it's OK to turn the station.

songsmith wrote:Likewise, you never heard a Neil Young song and thought, "I wonder who that is?" ...

see Dylan reference above.

Seriously though, Neil Young, Bon Jovi & Sugarland at a jazz heritage festival? Like the devilone said, all those guys are gonna do is eat up time slot that some deserving cats should have. I don't mind those guys having slots in some other festival or whatever, but all this does is make a mockery of "jazz" and highlights the unfortunate state of the genre. I guess you couldn't actually expect people to come if you actually booked jazz acts at a "jazz heritage" festival now, could you?

CHICKSINGA · Post by **CHICKSINGA** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 6:20 pm

Woooo Hooooo! I will be there!!!

I have been to Jazz Fest 4 times, but not since 1995. I'm blessed to have a bunch of great friends there and haven't seen most of them in 12 years! If you ever want to go to New Orleans this is the time. Jazz Fest is at the race track out side of town. It's every kind of music, food and art imagineable! And the people are the best in the world! It's better than Mardi Gras - the French Quarter isn't nearly as crowded and a lot less skanky.

Gonna go to Tipatinas, Port O'Call and the Absinthe House! You can have Pat O'Brians - tourist trap, that!