New Orleans Jazz Fest starts this Friday

April 22, 8:40 PMNew Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival ExaminerDino Perrucci

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This Friday April 24th The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival will celebrate the first day of the 2009 Jazz Fest. This year is extra special as people from around the world are celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the greatest Festival in the world.

As the anticipation grows it is always fun to look at the daily schedules and plan out your musical "must see's". With eleven stages of continuous music nobody can catch everything. Besides you need to leave time for the food!

One of my favorite aspects of Jazz Fest is that you can see and hear performers that you won't see anywhere else. Case in point are the Creole Wild West Mardi Gras Indians. One of the longest running Mardi Gras Indian Tribes, the Creole West Indians storm the stage in a dazzling flurry of color and rhythm. It is nearly impossible to resist getting drawn in to the heavy percussive sounds. Head over to the Jazz & Heritage Stage for their set beginning at 4:50pm.

Local favorites Trombone Shorty & Orleans Ave. perform on the Gentilly Stage at 3:45pm. Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews mixes up a Gumbo of traditional New Orleans Brass, Funk & Hip Hop to create one of the most exciting sounds coming out of New Orleans right now.

British Soul legend Joe Cocker closes out the Gentilly Stage at 5:30pm. Famous for his gravely voice and transcendent performance at Woodstock, Cocker will be playing many of his hit songs for the Jazz Fest faithful.