Spanning 14 diverse stages, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (April 24–May 4, 2025) turned the Fair Grounds Race Course into an electrifying hub of American musical expression. More than 5,000 performers energized nearly half a million attendees, delivering an experience that was as grand in scale as it was in spirit.
Music lovers from across the globe gathered in New Orleans, drawn not only by the sound but also by the essence and soul that have made the city a wellspring of musical creativity. Jazz, blues, Cajun, and zydeco were especially prominent throughout the week’s festivities.
Photographers Carl Beust and Astrida Valigorsky captured the essence of the event through their lenses. Carl also contributed a vivid report from the scene.
New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival 2025 – Report by Carl Beust
Although superstar acts like Pearl Jam, Santana, and Lil’ Wayne packed the main stages with enthusiastic crowds, it was the more intimate settings of the Blues Tent and the Sheraton New Orleans Fais Do-Do Stage where the heart of the festival truly beat. These stages offered deeply personal performances steeped in tradition and soul.
The Blues Tent served up a feast of emotional depth and extraordinary skill. Local favorite Johnny Sansone mesmerized listeners with his harmonica-driven tunes and raspy vocals, delivering an electrifying show. Little Freddie King channeled the Delta blues with a magnetic presence, while Walter Trout unleashed an explosive set that reminded fans of the genre’s unrelenting power. Marcia Ball, a Louisiana piano legend, stirred the crowd with her swamp-boogie flair. Shemekia Copeland’s commanding vocals were both fiery and poignant. And Eric Gales left jaws dropping with intricate guitar solos that electrified the room.
At the Fais Do-Do Stage, the focus was squarely on the roots of Louisiana’s sound, particularly Cajun and zydeco music. The Lost Bayou Ramblers, a personal highlight, fused gritty accordion lines with a distorted fiddle, delivering a set that honored Cajun traditions while fearlessly exploring new sonic territory. Singing in Cajun French, they embodied the state’s cultural spirit. Rosie Ledet lit up the stage with sultry energy and R&B-inflected rhythms, while C.J. Chenier—carrying the legacy of his father, Clifton Chenier—brought high-voltage accordion performances infused with blues, funk, and Creole influence.
The 2025 edition of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, especially through the performances at the Blues Tent and Fais Do-Do Stage, reinforced the event’s mission: to honor and showcase the region’s musical lineage. With each performance wrapped in heritage and heart, the festival once again solidified its place as a pillar of New Orleans’ cultural identity.