Patrons fill grounds to kick off Jazz Fest

• By JOHN WIRT
• Advocate music critic
• Published: Apr 26, 2008 - Page: 1A - UPDATED: 12:30 a.m.

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NEW ORLEANS — Opening day for the third post-Hurricane New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival was music, food and fun as usual.

A flood of festival patrons filled the grassy spaces in front of the festival’s largest stages to see the likes of pop star Sheryl Crow and the duo of Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant and bluegrass chanteuse Alison Krauss.

Midday performances drew large audiences, too.

Barbara Lynn’s early afternoon slot at the Southern Comfort Blues Tent, for instance, was essentially standing-room only.

Once again held at the Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans’ Gentilly neighborhood, the festival unfolded under cloudy skies and, for a spring day in south Louisiana, relatively cool temperatures.

The festival’s famous diversity again was on colorful display. Fabulously costumed Mardi Gras Indians chanted and danced on stage and through the racetrack grounds.

Ten costumed members of the Creole Wild West tribe, including adults and children, performed during the mid-afternoon at one of the event’s smaller venues, the Jazz and Heritage Stage.

Noncostumed performers joined them, singing and banging that traditional Indians instrument, the tambourine.

“Let’s go get ’em, let’s go get ’em,” the group’s singer exclaimed. “You can’t put it out, till you make ’em shout!”

Big Sam Williams and his band, Big Sam’s Funky Nation echoed the Mardi Gras Indians’ call-and-response at the Congo Square “My Louisiana” stage.

Mixing funk, rock and traditional New Orleans brass band jazz, Williams and his crew staged a high-octane show with many opportunities for call-and-response between the high-spirited musicians and enthusiastic audience.

Williams proved a true showman. Still holding his trombone, he danced, bounced and played air guitar while band members’ soloed. He also blew exuberant solos of his own.

Barbara Lynn, a singer and left-handed guitarist from Beaumont, Texas, qualifies as one of the festival’s heritage artists. Her soulful, early ’60s rhythm-and-blues classic, “You’ll Lose A Good Thing,” got a great response from the big blues tent crowd.