Last night the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation unveiled this year’s official Jazzfest poster. Over the years, collecting these posters has become quite a pastime for many fans of the Fest. This year’s poster featuring iconic New Orleans trumpeter Louis Prima should garner particular attention, as it was painted by Anthony Benedetto, the birth name of legendary lounge singer Tony Bennett, who, incidentally, performed at last year’s festival. Now maybe I’m out of touch, but until this morning I had no idea Bennett was an accomplished painter. So, I was rather surprised to learn that his work has received worldwide acclaim. As for Louis Prima, he is best know for his work in the big band arena during heyday of Swing. His trademark song “Sing, Sing, Sing” remains a jazz favorite. Later, much like Mr. Bennett, Prima led an illustrious career on the Vegas club scene. Though he died in 1978, his biggest hit “Just A Gigolo / I Ain't Got Nobody” was revived in the mid-Eighties by Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth. A fitting subject for this year’s poster, 2010 marks the 100 year anniversary of Prima’s birth. For more information on the poster including ordering information, visit Jazzfest online. Also, fans of Jazzfest prints should expect the unveiling of the 2010 Congo Square poster soon.

While the Saints going to the Super Bowl remains the talk of the town, this week the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation made a bit of news when they announced the daily lineups for this year's Jazzfest. Though the real squabbles won’t begin until the times and stages are announced, there are a few points of interest worth mentioning… none greater that the addition of Dominican megastar Juan Luis Guerra (winner of two Grammys and nine Latin Grammys) to the lineup on Sunday, April 25th. Disappointingly the ultimate anti-icon, spoken-word-soul pioneer Gil Scott Heron will not be leading a revolution at the Fairgrounds this spring. Also, fans of the Band of Horses should plan to head to the Big Easy the first weekend of May (May 1st to be exact)… not the last weekend of April as previously announced. At first glance, I can see a conflict brewing on Saturday, May 1st, where guitar god Jeff Beck and grunge gods Pearl Jam are set to headline. For the full schedule, keep on reading…

Yesterday, more like midnight on Wednesday (though the news had leaked out much sooner) it was announced that folk-rock juggernaut Simon and Garfunkel was slated to fill the remaining headliner slot on the first weekend of Jazzfest, April 23rd-25th. The on-again, off-again duo, which reconvened last April and recently participated in the 25th anniversary concerts for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, will be joining fellow headliners Lionel Richie, Anita Baker, the Allman Brothers Band, My Morning Jacket, Dr. John, Darius Rucker, the Black Crowes, Steel Pulse, and Levon Helm that weekend. I’d have to say that the move didn’t necessarily come as a surprise. One could have easily predicted that the unnamed act would most certainly be of rock royalty and favorite amongst baby-boomers. As for myself, I’ve listed to their essential albums and paid my respects, but I’ve never really dove headlong into the fold… mostly because I never felt like concerning myself with their fame-obsessed falling-outs… particularly on Simon’s behalf. Still, the idea that they drew half of a million fans out to their Central Park concert in the Eighties is mind-blowing. I wonder what the attendance will be like in New Orleans? Also, I was a big fan of Simon’s 2006 release Surprise, which was produced by Brian Eno and features Herbie Hancock and Bill Frisell. Simon also performed at Jazzfest that year, and I was pretty bummed that I missed his set. So, all in all, I’m intrigued by the announcement, and I definitely think that I’ll stick around for (at least part of) their set. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the selection. Dig the tunes below as well…

MP3: Simon and Garfunkel – The Boxer – Saturday Night Live 1975
MP3: Paul Simon – American Tune – Live Rhymin’ 1974
MP3: Art Garfunkel – Bright Eyes – Live Ellis Island 1996
MP3: Paul Simon ft Bill Frisell – Everything About It Is a Love Song

Amazon Music: Simon and Garfunkel
Amazon Music: Paul Simon
Amazon Music: Art Garfunkel

Merry early Christmas to all of you… at least to all of you music fans out there, especially you Jazzfest fans out there. Yesterday, the announced the lineup for New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation Jazzfest 2010 – and, wow, is it loaded with heavyweights! Personally, I almost did a back-filp when I read the headliners… I settled for a tiny dance around my room. In addition to the usual suspects, local staples, rare surprises, and up-and-comers, “next” year’s lineup looks as if it’s shaping up to be one of the most formidable casts of any festival I’ve ever come across. Now, of course, that’s up for debate. But for me, it was settled when I saw Jeff Beck on the bill. Of all the legends I’ve yet to see in concert, Beck tops the list… and if you follow my twitter stream, I’ve been quite vocal about how desperately I wished that he’d play Jazzfest. Looks like my wish came true… and right in time for Christmas! I’ll put time in dissecting the lineup from top to bottom later. But for now, here’s a look at the headliners.

Weekend 1: April 23rd – 25th
Allman Brothers Band, My Morning Jacket, The Levon Helm Band, Band of Horses, Drake, Dr. John, Lionel Richie, The Black Crowes, Steel Pulse, Jonny Lang, Anita Baker, Elvin Bishop, Sam Bush, George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, and the Blind Boys of Alabama

Weekend 2: April 29th – May 2nd
Jeff Beck, Pearl Jam, Elvis Costello  & the Sugarcanes, Gil Scott Heron, Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi, Gov’t Mule, Widespread Panic, Stanley Clarke, Richie Havens, The Dead Weather, Van Morrison, Marcus Miller, Old Crow Medicine Show, Steve Martin (yes, Steve Martin) and the Steep Canyon Rangers, Juvenile and Mannie Fresh, Allen Toussaint, and Aretha Franklin

For the complete lineup… click here.