Text and photos by Joseph A. Rosen.
The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival is special. That’s what I found out when I went to my first one in 1985. So special to me that I’ve been back every year since (okay, I missed one). It’s an immersion, an immersion in all things New Orleans and Louisiana; music, food, culture and fun. Since its very local inception in 1970, which featured Duke Ellington, Mahalia Jackson and the Eureka Brass Band, it has grown and evolved into a huge event that in addition to all the above, now features major mainstream artists from rock, hip-hop, country, R&B and pop, as well as artists from all over the world.
The beauty of JazzFest is that there is so much to do and see that it is a different festival for each attendee. This year one could choose to see big name acts on big stages, such as Sheryl Crow, Billy Joel, Tim McGraw, Santana and Stevie Wonder, or see New Orleans’ own heroes Dr. John and the Neville Brothers. Likewise, you could choose smaller venues and see superb blues and roots artists like Buckwheat Zydeco, Snooks Eaglin, James Cotton or Sonny Landreth. You could camp out in the Jazz Tent and see Cassandra Wilson, the Count Basie Orchestra or Bobby McFerrin.
You could have your spirits raised in the Gospel Tent or you could dance to cajun, zydeco and bluegrass at the intimate Fais-Do-Do Stage. You could march in Second Line Parades with Brass Bands or groove to the wild and funky beats of the Mardis Gras Indian Tribes, reggae stars and world music’s best. You could also shop or eat yourself silly – you get the idea. It is a combination of all of these, and many more possibilities, mixed together and tailored to one’s individual taste that makes JazzFest special. My motto is “It’s all good and you can’t do it all” (or the other way around).
That brings me to the images that follow. I have photographed the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, both casually and on assignment, for over 20 years and it’s always a joy. These photos reflect my tastes (and this year, some weather conditions), which always run to the blues, jazz and roots end of the spectrum.
I encourage everyone to go to New Orleans, support the Festival, support the city, and discover his or her own personal JazzFest experience. You won’t regret it. My only regret is that I was only able to attend the first weekend, But hey, it’s all good and you can’t do it all.
Photo Gallery
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Ray Neal, Jr. son of Rayful, brother of Kenny, carries on the long time blues tradition of this multi-talented Louisiana family at the 2008 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Image © Joseph A. Rosen. |
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The Gulf Coast’s own Barbara Lynn wows the crowd singing her hits and playing a mean left-handed Stratocaster. Lee Allen Zeno, bass, is seen in the background at the 2008 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Image © Joseph A. Rosen. |
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Roots rocker, CC Adcock fronts his all-star band, the Lafayette Marquis, at the 2008 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Image © Joseph A. Rosen. |
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Doyle Bramhall and his stepson Chris Hunter joined the Lafayette Marquis band to provide the beat and also perform songs from his Grammy Nominated CD, Is It News at the 2008 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Image © Joseph A. Rosen. |
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Leo Nocentelli, formerly of the Meters, funked things up with an all star ensemble at the 2008 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Image © Joseph A. Rosen. |
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Ellis Marsalis, patriarch of the Marsalis clan, played a warmly received set in the Jazz Tent at the 2008 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Image © Joseph A. Rosen. |
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Houma, Louisiana, native Tab Benoit is joined on stage by his mom on tambourine during a rocking set in the Blues Tent at the 2008 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Image © Joseph A. Rosen. |
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Jazz chanteuse Liz Wright enthralled the crowd both vocally and visually at the 2008 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Image © Joseph A. Rosen. |
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Roots reggae star Burning Spear brought a piece of Jamaica to the Congo Square Stage at the 2008 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Image © Joseph A. Rosen. |
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Perennial JazzFest favorite and Grammy Award winner Terrence Simeon brought his high energy zydeco to the Fais Do-Do Stage at the 2008 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Image © Joseph A. Rosen. |
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King of the honking saxophone, Big Jay McNeely, just days short of his 81st birthday, walks the crowd during his high energy set at the 2008 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Image © Joseph A. Rosen. |
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Harmonica star and former member of the classic Muddy Waters band, James Cotton enjoys the moment at the 2008 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Image © Joseph A. Rosen. |
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Stanley Dural, Jr., AKA Buckwheat Zydeco, takes to his original instrument the Hammond B3 to close his rocking set at the 2008 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Image © Joseph A. Rosen. |
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Archie Bell, once of the Drells, served up some Texas soul, including his big dance craze hit, “Tighten Up,” at the 2008 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Image © Joseph A. Rosen. |
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Lead singer of Shades Of Praise, the New Orleans Interracial Gospel Choir, roused the crowd in the Gospel Tent at the 2008 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Image © Joseph A. Rosen. |
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Two generations of Baton Rouge blues men, Henry Gray and Larry Garner, joined forces in the Blues Tent at the 2008 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Image © Joseph A. Rosen. |
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Cyril Neville, here with the Wetlands All Stars, later closed the festival performing with The Neville Brothers in their JazzFest homecoming performance at the 2008 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Image © Joseph A. Rosen. |
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George Porter and Dr. John share a moment in the sun at the 2008 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Image © Joseph A. Rosen. |
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Roots rocker Anders Osborne during the Wetlands All Stars show at the 2008 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Image © Joseph A. Rosen. |
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New Orleans’ own Johnny Sansone sings a heartfelt rendition of his song of the year nominee, “Poor Man’s Paradise,” at the 2008 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Image © Joseph A. Rosen. |
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Jamaican born and Memphis based soul man Roy Young at the 2008 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Image © Joseph A. Rosen. |
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A young member of the Golden Eagles Mardis Gras Indian tribe at the 2008 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Image © Joseph A. Rosen. |
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Big Chief Monk Boudreuax the venerable leader of the Golden Eagles Mardis Gras Indians at the 2008 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Image © Joseph A. Rosen. |
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Elvis Costello (and friend) shared the stage with Allan Toussaint and a powerhouse band at the 2008 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Image © Joseph A. Rosen. |
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New Orleans legend Allan Toussaint at the 2008 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. He and Elvis Costello have performed and toured together frequently since Hurricane Katrina. Image © Joseph A. Rosen. |
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The Del McCoury band added country and bluegrass to the eclectic mix of JazzFest sounds at the 2008 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Image © Joseph A. Rosen. |
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Soul legend the Reverend Al Green played a rousing, warmly received set to wrap up the first weekend of the 2008 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Image © Joseph A. Rosen. |
About Joseph A. Rosen
Joseph A. Rosen is a New York City based professional photographer whose work has appeared in Time, Newsweek, The New York Times, Sports Illustrated and more. Corporate clients include JP Morgan/Chase Bank, American Express, Nordstrom, PepsiCo and IBM. He has been a working and exhibiting professional since prior to his graduation from Carnegie-Mellon University with a degree in Photography and Related Studies in 1973. His music clients are some of the greatest names in the industry from blues, R&B, soul, rock, Cajun/Zydeco, and jazz, the record companies for whom they record and their management groups. Joe has received the prestigious Keeping the Blues Alive in Photography and Art Award for 2002. The award is presented by the Blues Foundation of Memphis to an artist who has created a body of work which has brought the Blues to the public though photography and “made a significant contribution to the blues world.” For more information about Joseph A. Rosen, please visit www.josepharosen.com.
