Speculation has been rampant over the past few weeks as writers and pundits have perused touring schedules, album release dates, and other music business minutia to speculate on the performers at the annual event, which is scheduled for April 25-May 4, 2014. Now the guessing games and the wait are over.
“Slowhand” himself, Eric Clapton tops the list appealing to the graying baby boomer demographic that has been the Jazz Fest’s bread and butter since the event’s inception. Add John Fogerty, Bruce Springsteen, Santana, Robert Plant, and Boz Scaggs to that list.
For the younger crowd, which tends to avoid rampant genre-fication, there are some interesting bands and individual performers scheduled.
Arcade Fire, Trey Songz, Christina Aguilera, the Avett Brothers, Vampire Weekend (pictured below), and Robin Thicke made the cut.
Though the era of the jam band has mostly passed, jam band favorites, Phish, who turned the world of the fest upside down before, during, and after their first performance back in 1996 and the String Cheese Incident, another band with a predilection to noodle that emerged during the same era, are also scheduled to perform. For local jammers, the Radiators, who retired in 2011, will reunite for the fest.
Jazz lovers can expect to see acclaimed veterans Chick Corea and Al Jarreau along with newcomer Gregory Porter.
Of course, as the fest’s organizers never fail to point out, the great majority of the acts over the course of the ten days are local and Louisiana bands. For the full schedule, head here.
