{"id":2390409,"date":"2026-04-26T21:25:03","date_gmt":"2026-04-26T21:25:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2390409"},"modified":"2026-04-26T21:25:03","modified_gmt":"2026-04-26T21:25:03","slug":"nola-jazz-fest-gambits-picks-for-music-to-see-may-1-jazz-fest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/nola-jazz-fest-gambits-picks-for-music-to-see-may-1-jazz-fest\/","title":{"rendered":"NOLA Jazz Fest: Gambit’s picks for music to see May 1 | Jazz Fest"},"content":{"rendered":"

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With hundreds of performances out at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival<\/a>, it’s hard to know where to start. So Gambit has some suggestion for bands and musicians to see on the festival’s second Friday.<\/p>\n

Rickie Lee Jones<\/strong><\/p>\n

12:45-1:40 p.m., Festival Stage<\/em><\/p>\n

Rickie Lee Jones<\/a> first popped off in 1979 with the single \u201cChuck E.\u2019s in Love,\u201d a jazzy bit of folk-pop that eschewed the breezy sounds of Laurel Canyon in favor of the more eclectic downtown L.A. scene. Following her own muse, she gained a fair share of success and recognition along the way, including a 1990 Grammy for her duet with Dr. John, \u201cMakin\u2019 Whoopee.\u201d At 71, Jones, ever the troubadour, is still delighting audiences with unmistakable originals and reinterpreted songbook standards. \u2014 BRAD RHINES<\/p>\n

Meschiya Lake and the Little Big Horns<\/strong><\/p>\n

12:45-1:50 p.m., Blues Tent<\/em><\/p>\n

Meschiya Lake\u2019s<\/a> toe-tapping take on vintage jazz, blues and swing music has made her an in-demand performer, from busking on Royal Street to appearances across the international jazz festival circuit. The throwback crooner can cover a range of styles, but she\u2019s probably best known for her work with trad jazz ensemble the Little Big Horns. Together they\u2019ve recorded three full-length albums of originals and classics that bridge the gap from the roaring \u201920s to the 2020s. \u2014 BRAD RHINES<\/p>\n

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Meschiya Lake and the Little Big Horns<\/p>\n

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\n Photo by Sophia Germer \/ The Times-Picayune<\/span>
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The Skatalites<\/strong><\/p>\n

2-3:10 p.m., Gentilly Stage<\/em><\/p>\n

5-6 p.m., Cultural Exchange Pavilion<\/em><\/p>\n

This legendary ensemble<\/a> initially began in 1964 when a group of Kingston, Jamaica, studio musicians \u2014 many of them pioneers of what would become known as ska \u2014 came together to form their own band and had a brief but highly influential year-long run before disbanding. A couple of reunions occurred in the \u201970s, and The Skatalites reformed in 1983 to reintroduce the ska pioneers into the cresting 2Tone wave. Most of the original lineup has since passed, but The Skatalites is still led by vocalist and founding member Doreen Shaffer, and the band carries on its originators\u2019 legacy. The Skatalites also perform Saturday at 2:05 p.m. in the Cultural Exchange Pavilion, and members will be interviewed by music journalist Alex Rawls at 4:30 p.m. on the Allison Miner Music Heritage Stage. \u2014 LIAM PIERCE<\/p>\n

Runkus & Royal Blu with Dub Squad<\/strong><\/p>\n

2:10-3:10 p.m., Cultural Exchange Pavilion<\/em><\/p>\n

4:25-5:25 p.m., Jazz & Heritage Stage<\/em><\/p>\n

Kingston rapper Runkus<\/a> and singer-songwriter Royal Blu<\/a> bring a sharp, lyrical edge to Jazz Fest \u2014 backed by the heavyweight riddims of the Dub Squad. Runkus, the son of reggae veteran Determine, is known for a high-speed, technical flow. Add in Royal Blu\u2019s melodic precision, and the set promises a raw, bass-heavy modern Jamaican sound that brings live instrumentation and rapid-fire wordplay to the fore. The group also performs Saturday at 12:50 p.m. on the Congo Square Stage and at 3:35 p.m. in the Cultural Exchange Pavilion. \u2014 LIAM PIERCE<\/p>\n

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The Black Keys close the Gentilly Stage on Friday, May 1<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n

Lawrence Sieberth presents Da Groove<\/strong><\/p>\n

3:40-4:55 p.m., WWOZ Jazz Tent<\/em><\/p>\n

New Orleans-based pianist and composer Lawrence Sieberth<\/a> plays jazz the way it\u2019s meant to be played: improvisationally and experimentally. His projects over the years have dabbled in a range of styles. He\u2019s experimented with electronics and written pieces for orchestra. Now, Sieberth collaborates with fretless guitar trailblazer David Fiuczynski and master percussionist Danny Sadownick for a project called Da Groove. \u2014 LIAM PIERCE<\/p>\n

Sue Foley<\/strong><\/p>\n

3:50-5:05 p.m., Blues Tent<\/em><\/p>\n

Sue Foley<\/a> may hail from Canada, but she can swing in Texas style, moan the Delta blues and pick flamenco with equal swagger. The veteran guitarist, who has appeared with B.B. King and Buddy Guy, typically favors either her pink Fender or a handmade Mexican Salvador Castillo. Foley also has a Ph.D. in musicology and has an upcoming book, \u201cGuitar Women: Conversations with the Heroines of Guitar,\u201d set to release in June. \u2014 LIAM PIERCE<\/p>\n

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Lainey Wilson<\/p>\n

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\n Photo by Sophia Germer \/ The Times-Picayune<\/span>
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Lainey Wilson<\/strong><\/p>\n

5:20-7 p.m., Festival Stage<\/em><\/p>\n

Now a Grammy-winning country star and “Yellowstone” actress, Louisiana-born Lainey Wilson<\/a> got her start impersonating Hannah Montana as a teen. In April, the Nashville-based singer-songwriter announced a \u201cfull-circle moment\u201d on Instagram: She\u2019d recently recorded \u201cYounger You,\u201d a duet with \u201cHannah Montana\u201d star Miley Cyrus. Wilson also has a string of hits under her belt, including \u201cSomewhere Over Laredo,\u201d \u201cHeart Like a Truck\u201d and \u201cThings a Man Oughtta Know.\u201d A new documentary about her life, \u201cKeepin\u2019 Country Cool,\u201d debuted at SXSW in March. \u2014 JENNIFER ODELL<\/p>\n

Ziggy Marley<\/strong><\/p>\n

5:30-7 p.m., Congo Square Stage<\/em><\/p>\n

The eldest son of Bob Marley<\/a> already has nine Grammy Awards under his belt and has been a busy activist for decades. Ziggy Marley is now fresh off the April 18 vinyl record release of \u201cBrightside,\u201d his first new studio album in eight years. For the introspective album, Marley recorded at a meditative 432 hertz, a frequency shift that only deepens the reggae groove. Expect a set that balances these new textures with his bigger songs and his father\u2019s timeless classics. Marley also will sit for an interview with Jonathan McHugh at 2:15 p.m. Friday on the Allison Miner Music Heritage Stage. \u2014 LIAM PIERCE<\/p>\n

Terence Blanchard & Ravi Coltrane<\/strong><\/p>\n

5:30-7 p.m., WWOZ Jazz Tent<\/em><\/p>\n

Trumpeter and composer Terence Blanchard<\/a> rose from the \u201cyoung lions\u201d ranks in the 1980s to become one of jazz\u2019s premier players. Acclaimed for his expansive compositions, provocative operas, Oscar-nominated film scores and haunting tone, the seven-time Grammy winner is touring with saxophonist Ravi Coltrane<\/a>, whose father, John Coltrane, along with Miles Davis, would have turned 100 this year. At recent performances, Blanchard and Coltrane have been celebrating that shared centennial with new arrangements of the late musicians\u2019 legendary works. Blanchard and Coltrane also will be interviewed by Ashley Kahn at 3:15 p.m. Friday on the Allison Miner Music Heritage Stage. \u2014 JENNIFER ODELL<\/p>\n

Big Chief Juan & Jockimo\u2019s Groove<\/strong><\/p>\n

5:50-6:40 p.m., Jazz & Heritage Stage<\/em><\/p>\n

On Friday, Big Chief Juan Pardo<\/a> of the Golden Comanches, backed by the rhythmic funk of Jockimo\u2019s Groove, offers a glimpse into the Black Masking Indian ritual and the excitement of taking to the streets on Mardi Gras morning. The multigenerational tribe\u2019s vibrant handcrafted suits will be on full display, showing off immaculate beadwork and feathered plumage, led by Pardo with his signature braids and powerful vocals. \u2014 BRAD RHINES<\/p>\n\n

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Gambit previews the second weekend of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div><\/div>\n