Jazz Fest Weekend 2

The second weekend of Jazz Fest is four days: Thursday, April 30 through Sunday, May 3. Here are the acts circled on my calendar:

Thursday, April 30:

• Little Freddie King, 12:25 p.m., Blues Tent. I saw Little Freddie last year. Besides being maybe the last of the great country-blues guitarists, he’s one hell of a showman. The only trouble is that his set conflicts with ...
• Theresa Andersson, 12:45 p.m., Gentilly Stage. I assume Theresa will do her one-woman loop-pedal show. While that in itself is an amazing display of talent, even more amazing are her song-writing and singing. And it doesn’t hurt that she’s drop-dead gorgeous.
• New Birth Brass Band, 1:40 p.m., Congo Square. The only reason I can think of to see these guys is that they play the music bubbling up today from the streets of New Orleans. Which is a pretty good reason not to miss them. If only their set didn’t conflict with ...
• Anders Osborne, 2:05 p.m., Acura Stage. Anders has been around New Orleans for many years. I know he’s a great guitar player, but somehow I haven’t gotten around to giving him a serious listen. My bad. I intend to fix that on April 30. My only regret is that his set overlaps with ...
• Sunpie and the Louisiana Sunspots, 3:00 p.m., Blues Tent. These guys are, in my opinion, the most underrated blues/zydeco band around. If you see them, you’ll be glad you did. But you’ll wish that their set didn’t overlap with ...
• Jakob Dylan, 3:40 p.m., Gentilly Stage. Son of Bob, which alone makes him worth checking out.
• They say Thursday is a low-key day. On this particular low-key day, I’m going to have a hard time figuring out whom to close with. The choices include Emmylou Harris (5:35 p.m, Gentilly Stage), maybe the most gorgeous gray-haired lady on the plant; Solomon Burke (5:45 p.m., Congo Square); Nicholas Payton (5:55 p.m. WWOZ Jazz Tent); Marva Wright & the BMWs (6:00 p.m., Blues Tent); and Louisiana’s zydeco sweetheart, Rosie Ledet (6:00 p.m., Fais-Do-Do Stage).

Friday,May 1:

• J Monque’D Blues Band, 12:15 p.m., Blues Tent. You might say that J’Monque D is only an okay blues singer. But he’s a damned good harmonica player, and he’s got a great band. He’s a lover and a serious student of the blues, which works for me. I just wish his set didn’t conflict with ...
• BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet, 12:30 p.m., Acura Stage. I can’t think of anything these guys have accomplished other than winning Grammys before there was a separate category for cajun and zydeco. Trouble is that their set overlaps with ...
• Frankie Ford, 12:55 p.m., Gentilly Stage. Frankie proves that you can take a Sea Cruise from Gretna, Louisiana. I would catch his entire set if it didn’t overlap with ...
• Marcia Ball, 1:50 p.m., Acura Stage. I have no words to describe how great this lady is. If you like piano blues, then you already know about her—and have her circled on your own Jazz Fest calendar. My only regret is that her set conflicts with ...
• The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, 2:05 p.m., Congo Square. These guys are probably the most famous practitioners of contemporary New Orleans street music.
• Bonnie Raitt, 3:30 p.m., Acura Stage. I’ve never seen Bonnie live before. Iintend to fix that on May 1. I just wish that her set didn’t conflict with ...
• Kermit Ruffins & the Barbecue Swingers, 3:55 p.m., Gentilly Stage. Kermit is a great trumpet player, a great entertainer, and a great personality. People who like him (including me) will only wish that his set didn’t conflict with ...
• Walter “Wolfman” Washington & the Roadmasters, 4:15 p.m., Blues Tent. Great musicians who work for a living.
• Tony Bennett, 5:45 p.m., Gentilly Stage. This guy is a great singer, but it’s hard to imagine him playing to a festival crowd. Still, he is who he is, and that will probably be enough to draw me to his set.

Saturday, May 2 (we’re only halfway through the weekend, people):

• Julio y Cesar, 11:20 a.m., Lagniappe Stage. As you might guess, this is a Latino duo.Besides being fine musicians, they’re good people.
• Zachary Richard, 12:25 p.m., Acura Stage. Back in the 1980s, Zach was trying to be a cajun-rock crossover. I’m interesting in finding out what he’s up to lately.
• Bonerama, 1:40 p.m., Gentilly Stage. Imagine the bell of a trombone pressed against one ear, blowing you mind out of the other side. That’s these guys.
• Dr. John, 3:10 p.m. Acura Stage. If you don’t know about Dr. John, I can’t help you. I will offer this trivia: When Emerson, Lake & Palmer were deciding on a name for their best album, they settled on a phrase from Dr. John’s Right Place, Wrong Time: “brain salad surgery.” I just wish his set didn’t conflict with ...
• Aaron Neville, 3:30 p.m., Gospel Tent. Aaron’s gospel set, in turn, will overlap with ...
• Irvin Mayfield & the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, 4:00 p.m., WWOZ Jazz Tent. Irvin & Co. gave a great performance last year. If you’re in a jazz mood, you’ll want to catch this set. Me, I’ll have to go with one of the following:
• Chris Thomas King, 4:15 p.m., Blues Tent. Movie fans will remember Chris as the actor who played Tommy in Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? The bad news for me is that his set goes head-to-head against ...
• Bobby Lounge, 4:15 p.m., Lagniappe Stage. Between Chris and Bobby, I’ll probably opt for Bobby. Whichever one I see, I’ll regret not being able to see the other.
• After Chris or Bobby will come the choice of whom to close out the day with. Bon Jovi will be at the Acura Stage from 5-6 p.m. That’s good; they’ll draw a mob, leaving elbow room at the other stages, where the choices will include the O’Jays (5:30 p.m., Congo Square), John Mayall (5:50 p.m., Blues Tent), and C.J. Chenire & the Red Hot Louisiana Band (:55 p.m., Fais Do-Do).

Sunday May 3:

• D.L. Menard & the Louisiana Aces, Fais-Do-Do Stage, 12:30 p.m. D.L. & Co. play the finest traditional cajun music you’ll ever hear. I wish his set didn’t conflict with ...
• Allen Toussaint,1:00 p.m., Acura Stage. If you don’t know who Allen Toussaint is, please visit the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. I just wish his set didn’t overlap with ...
• Cedric Burnside & Lightin’ Malcolm, 1:35 p.m., Blues Tent. Cedric is the grandson of R.L. Burnside. I’ve been listening to their CD lately, and that’s enough to draw me to their set. When they’re finished, I may stick around for ...
• Eric Lindell, 2:50 p.m., Blues Tent. Eric sounds like a young Delbert McClinton who plays guitar instead of harmonica. I just wish his set didn’t conflict with ...
• Neil Young, 2:55 p.m.. Acura Stage. I really don’t need to say anything about Neil, do I? The only bad news is that, besides conflicting with Eric Lindell, his set conflicts with ...
• Los Lobos, 3:45 p.m., Gentilly Stage. Feet, don’t fail me now. After Los Lobos, there will be one more set to close out the Fest. Of the many fine choices, I will probably opt for ...
• Buddy Guy, 5:45 p.m., Blues Tent. Among blues guitarists, Buddy is the living legend. Other fine choices in this time slot include Maze with Frankie Beverly (5:20 p.m., Congo Square), the Radiators (5:40 p.m., Gentilly Stage), and the Neville Brothers (5:40 p.m., Acura Stage).