Preview: Aretha Franklin, Wilco, Erykah Badu headline New Orleans Jazz Fest

Tampa-Sarasota

Preview: Aretha Franklin, Wilco, Erykah Badu headline New Orleans Jazz Fest

Tampa-Sarasota By Wade Tatangelo, Creative Loafing Tampa December 17, 2008 | 10:33 AM Categories:

Respect - Aretha Franklin

My favorite yearly music bash, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Fest, just announced its lineup for 2009 and I'm stoked about Aretha Franklin headlining the second weekend, April 30-May 3, which I annually attend. I've never seen the Queen of Soul and can't imagine a better place than the Big Easy for it to finally happen.

Other acts on my must-see list for that weekend include Tony Bennett, The Neville Brothers, Bonnie Raitt, Common, Emmylou Harris (huge fan, never seen her before), Dr. John, Buddy Guy, Los Lobos, Toots & the Maytals, Allen Toussaint, John Mayall (he's pretty cool live), Solomon Burke, Doc Watson, Jakob Dylan (more out of curiosity), Chuck Brown, Guy Clark, Cedric Burnside & Lightnin' Malcolm.

Check out some of my Jazz Fest coverage from last year.

Soul Rebels, which I wrote about last year while at Jazz Fest, and other killer New Orleans acts after the jump.

The Crescent City acts I plan to squeeze into my schedule during the weekend: Soul Rebels, Radiators Aaron Neville, Tab Benoit & the Wetland Allstars, Ellis Marsalis, Kermit Ruffins & the Barbecue Swingers, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Walter "Wolfman" Washington & the Roadmasters, the subdudes, Irvin Mayfield & the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, Bonerama.

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