favorite Jazz Fest artist (poll results)

For the past several months there has been a poll up here asking which artist you're most excited to see at Jazz Fest. It was a tough survey, a lot of feedback said it wasn't fair to only allow one choice. Well that's what it was asking, which single artist or group did you want to see more than any others. Here are the unscientific, unofficial and unorthodox results of this survey.

Al Green	1%		Ozomatli with Chali 2na	0%
Bela Fleck & Abigail Washburn	1%		Pet de Kat Krewe	2%
Billy Joel	2%		Randy Newman	0%
Bobby McFerrin and Chick Corea	1%		Rebirth Brass Band	1%
Burning Spear	0%		Robert Plant and Alison Krauss	4%
Cassandra Wilson	0%		Santana	4%
Del McCoury	0%		Sheryl Crow	2%
Delbert McClinton	0%		Steel Pulse	0%
Diana Krall	2%		Stevie Wonder	24%
Dianne Reeves	0%		Terrence Simien	1%
Dirty Dozen Brass Band	0%		The Count Basie Orchestra feat. Patti Austin	0%
Dr. John	2%		The Derek Trucks Band	2%
Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint	4%		The Neville Brothers	4%
Galactic	0%		The Raconteurs	4%
John Prine	4%		The Radiators	4%
Keb' Mo'	2%		The Roots	0%
Keyshia Cole	0%		Tim McGraw	1%
Lizz Wright	0%		Total votes: 142
Maze feat. Frankie Beverly	0%		Tower of Power	2%
Michael Franti & Spearhead	1%		Widespread Panic	3%
O.A.R.	0%		Other artist	7%

As a follow-up, which artists or artist gave you the best show at JazzFest this year?
Feel free to add your comments :)

New Orleans Jazz Fest LIVE Webcast this weekend on AT&T Blue Room

Exclusive Webcast of the Jazz Fest Available on AT&T blue room May 3 - 4, 2008

Festival season is in full force! AT&T blue room is delivering the best of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival presented by Shell via an exclusive webcast on the AT&T blue room this weekend (May 3 - 4 2008). The webcast will combine LIVE PERFORMANCES from the 2nd weekend along with archived performances from the first weekend of JazzFest, held April 25 - 27. Additionally, on-demand content will be available across the three screens -- on blue room, on AT&T U-verse(SM) TV and through Cellular Video on AT&T wireless devices starting in early June.

Here is the Webcast schedule of performers...
(All Times E.D.T.)

SATURDAY MAY 3, 2008			SUNDAY MAY 4, 2008 revised
Time	Artist		Time	Artist
2:00 PM	Roddie Romero and the Hub City All-Stars		2:00 PM	Porter Batiste Stoltz
2:30 PM	Susan Cowsill		2:13 PM	Alejandro Escovedo
2:38 PM	Theresa Andersson Group		2:40 PM	Papa Grows Funk
2:53 PM	Kim Carson		3:00 PM	Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk
3:00 PM	Jon Cleary		3:40 PM	Bonerama
3:30 PM	Dr John		4:20 PM	Salvador Santana Band
3:55 PM	Voice of The Wetlands All-stars		4:50 PM	TBD
4:40 PM	The Subdudes		6:00 PM	Art Neville
5:35 PM	Zac Brown		6:40 PM	The Neville Brothers
6:00 PM	Irma Thomas
6:45 PM	Wayne Toups
7:30 PM	Widespread Panic
7:40 PM	Tim McGraw
7:45 PM	Jimmy Buffet

Be aware that the Webcast SCHEDULE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE!

"We are excited to once again bring the sights and sounds of New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival to consumers nationwide," said Dan York, head of Content and Programming, AT&T Entertainment Services. "Last year, we opened the virtual door of the Big Easy to thousands of music fans via the blue room. This year, we're extending the experience of Jazz Fest to even more consumers in more places across the three screens that matter most to their lives -- the TV, PC and wireless device."

The Blue Room webcast will be available at 12 p.m. CDT May 3 and 4. A full lineup of artists participating in the webcast will be available on blue room soon. Fans who can't wait for the festival to begin can tune in to blue room radio, a 24-hour streaming music station, to hear interviews and performances with past and present Jazz Fest performers by visiting http://www.attblueroom.com/.

"This is an exciting time of year for AT&T blue room," said Joey Schultz, vice president of AT&T Consumer Marketing. "Festival season allows us the opportunity to introduce consumers to AT&T's full lineup of products and service offerings while they enjoy exclusive live webcasts of today's top music festivals."

AFTER THE FEST! Tune in on Saturday, May 3, 2008 to RadioJohnson.net for high quality LIVE AUDIO broadcast of Michael Franti & Spearhead LIVE from Tipitina's @ Jazz Fest in New Orleans. The show will begin sometime after 9:30 PM CT. Radio Johnson will be streaming Funk Radio Johnson right up till the live act hits the stage.

DURING THE FEST! Tune into WWOZ for live AUDIO broadcasts during the Jazz Fest.

Sazerac: The Official Cocktail of Louisiana?

The Sazerac is one of the oldest known cocktails, with its origins in pre-Civil War New Orleans, Louisiana. The original drink is based on a combination of Cognac and bitters created by Antoine Amédée Peychaud. Since its creation, many different recipes have evolved for the drink, usually involving some combination of Cognac, rye whiskey, absinthe, pastis, Peychaud's bitters, and Angostura bitters.

YES, there is a bill in the Louisiana Senate (Bill No. 6 by Sen. Edwin Murray, D-New Orleans) to enact R.S. 49:170.15, relative to state symbols; to designate the Sazerac as the official state cocktail; and to provide for related matters.

Murray wants the Sazerac commemorated at a festival this Summer in New Orleans as the "official state cocktail" and does not foresee any opposition. CHEERS! :)



The Sazerac cocktail was named by John Schiller in 1859 upon the opening of his Sazerac Coffee House in New Orleans. Both most likely derive their name from a popular brand of Cognac, Sazerac-du-Forge et fils .

A recipe for the Sazerac is listed in Famous New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix 'Em by Stanley Clisby Arthur, (published in 1937).

Jeffrey Morgenthaler writes about bartending and mixology (all the way from Eugene, Oregon) and has a great blog entry on Sazerac.

Recipe for New Orleans Barbecued Shrimp - BBQ Shrimp

YatCuisine did a story on New Orleans Barbequed Shrimp, or bbq skrimps as my pal JoeP might say. It's tasty recipe and worth a read when you're thinking about your next shrimp dinner. Don't forget to fix me a plate too! :)

This is one of the easiest New Orleans dishes to make, and it's fantastic if
you're not afraid of butter. Unlike "shrimp on the barbie," when New Orleanians
think of "barbecued" shrimp, they really mean baked with lots of butter and
pepper. The dish was invented at Pascal's Manale Restaurant, uptown on Napoleon
Ave., and it's their signature entree to this day. — YatCuisine

Looking for more about BBQ Shrimp? Check out what Southern Living has to say about this spicy, buttery, and decidedly hands-on, this dish is a New Orleans classic.

Several years ago Pascale's had a lunch special, not sure if it's still on the menu... a Barbeque Shrimp Poboy! All the taste on a delicious poboy. YUM!

some JAZZ FEST downloads for under a buck

So it's just about time for the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (JazzFest) and the Frenzy of the Fest is growing in a lot of my friends.

Emails are flying, dinners are being planned, concerts and meet ups are synching. Some folks, waking up to temperatures in the 20s, have to remember the Louisiana heat and dig out their shorts and flip flops. The Fever is hitting and folks are getting ready for the Fair Grounds!

Even those who can't get to New Orleans seem to check in the music sites and listen to 'OZ a bit more and check New Orleans blogs for the latest tidbits.

If you happen to be craving more Louisiana music, in addition to your CDs, WWOZ, live shows, and other sources, here are a bunch of 99¢ MP3's to download!

http://astore.amazon.com/louisiana20-20/002-6702839-3399235?%5Fencoding=UTF8&node=35

HAPPY JAZZ FEST!

Threadheads raffle supports New Orleans causes

Hey there Friends and Family,

A raffle is being conducted by a group dubbed Threadheads who support New Orleans music and culture. ALL efforts of this raffle will directly help the New Orleans Musicians Clinic, the New Orleans Musicians Assistance Foundation and Fest4Kids.

With each raffle ticket you purchase there are a wide variety of items to choose from including: Collectibles, Food and Drink, Tickets, Art, Gift Packs, Music, Posters, Books, Clothing, Travel, Jewelry, Photos, and where nothing fits the category of Other! For the past few years I've donated a tee shirt to be raffled, and as a matter of fact you may have received this years Pet de Kat shirt details a few days ago. Now here's your chance to grab one for about a buck :)

Everything on the raffle list is really a deal and you're supporting New Orleans music and culture too!

• Visit the Threadheads website at http://www.threadheads.org
• Locate the menu on the left with a link for the 2008 Raffle
• Follow the Raffle link, and browse around
• Buy some chances on some of these cool items (repeat often!)

THANK YOU!

Steve