New Orleans Jazz Fest announces 2008 lineup, schedule

[Above: Galactic performs at 2007's Jazz Fest]

For the first time since 2005, The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival is returning to its full 7-day schedule, April 25-27 and May 1-4. Heavyweight leaders of the freshly-announced lineup include...(deep breath)...Stevie Wonder (Paste's #14 Best Living Songwriter), Billy Joel, Jimmy Buffett, Tim McGraw, Santana, Sheryl Crow, Widespread Panic, The Neville Brothers, John Prine, Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint, Randy Newman, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, The Raconteurs, Maze feat. Frankie Beverly, O.A.R., Galactic, Tower of Power, Cowboy Mouth, Bettye LaVette, Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn, Buckwheat Zydeco, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Dr. John, Keyshia Cole, Diana Krall, Irma Thomas, Al Green and more. Phew!

Needless to say, the festival schedule packs a serious artistic punch, and can be viewed in its entirety here. There are exactly one gazillion more artists slated to play this year at the Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans. The event should have an estimated impact of approximately $300 million on the state of Louisiana and serves as a hallmark of the area's recovery after Hurricane Katrina. Festival organizers boast the most diverse and "deepest" mix of artists to ever play in its 39-year history, and they ain't lying.

The festival draws tens of thousands of visitors each day, and this time around features several performers who make it a habit to play year after year, like Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint, and New Orleans legends The Neville Brothers.

Tickets are on sale at NOJazzFest.com and through Ticketmaster. Single day purchases go for $40 in advance and $50 at the door, except for Thursday, May 1, which is $30 in advance and $40 at the door. Children (ages 2-11) are $5.

Related links:
NOJazzFest.com
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