The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, April 27, 2002

 

New Orleans, LA

  

What can you say about New Orleans?  It is sights and smells and music and hospitality and a complete treat for the senses.   The Matt Savage Trio performed there this year, and had a great time!!!

 

We arrived in New Orleans on Friday afternoon, April 26th…early enough to relax and then attend the festival as spectators.  What is the first thing you want to do when you arrive in New Orleans?  Kick off your shoes, put on the sunscreen and sunglasses, and enjoy yourself.

 

The Trio started by shooting some baskets at the basketball court at our hotel.  Next time you go on a long flight, remember that it is a great way to work out the kinks!

 

 

 

Then it was off to the festival!  We were extremely lucky.  That evening there was a very special group kicking off the first day of the festival.  The group was a collection of some of Jazz’s greatest musicians, together for a performance, and billed as the “Legends of the Bandstand”.  The group included David “Fathead” Newman, Curtis Fuller, Cedar Walton, Buster Williams, and Louis Hayes.  Boy was that an experience! We all split up to try to get the best seats and views we could to hear the music.

 

 

Matt was SO thrilled with the music that he didn’t even realize he was hungry…until he smelled food coming from the food area.  One thing New Orleans is known for is its fantastic food…and food at the festival is no exception.  They have rows and rows of booths that supply different kinds of traditional N’awleans cuisine. Even someone on a special diet can find great food there.  He tried red beans and rice, barbecue chicken, blackened redfish, and LOTS of fresh fruits and vegetables, among other things.  He likes spices.  We kept away from sauces (with the exception of the splurge on the barbecue sauce), but for him, the spicier the food the more he liked it!

 

Saturday, April 27th, was the day of the Trio’s two performances.  At 11:00 AM, they performed at The New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park.  They were awesome.   They performed two short sets to a very appreciative audience, and then rushed to make it to the BIG gig…The New Orleans Jazz Festival. 

 

 

The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival!  THAT was an experience we will never forget.  Despite the fact that the group’s time of performance was listed incorrectly in one guide and they were not listed at all in another guide, people found us.  The guys put on a fantastic show.  And Matt “worked the audience” like a professional.  He announced songs with tidbits of information, jokes, smiles and aplomb.  Word of mouth quickly spread around the festival, and people came running over to hear the “Harry Connick, Jr.” who was performing.  The place went wild, and when the band’s timeslot was over, they received a standing ovation.  With the audience shouting “One More!” and whistling and clapping, the festival organizers looked at each other, shrugged, and nodded.  The Trio played a rousing version of “My Favorite Things” as an encore, and got cheers and ovations.  Everyone had a wonderful time.  The Trio members were all smiles the whole concert, and the audience was laughing at Matt’s jokes and at the same time shaking their heads in amazement at his abilities.

 

 

After multiple interviews and photographs and autographs, Matt and I got more food (I told you he loved the food there!) and enjoyed more music.  Then we made the requisite visit to Bourbon St., which is a lot calmer when you go as early in the evening as we did.  And somehow, we managed to make it back to the hotel in time for a slightly late bedtime.

 

All in all, the trip was great fun, and I hope we have the opportunity to visit New Orleans and perform at The Jazz Festival again.  I’m sure we will.