Dear Listener,

It is a curious phenomenon about New Orleans—it’s 5 feet below sea-level, but not everywhere. Think of a saucer, where the center keeps sinking lower into the swamp but the lip is built up year after year (or used to be) by the overflow of the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain, enhanced by man-made levees. So the parts of the city that were closest to the water were actually the only ones that weren’t drowning underwater during the Federal Flood of ’05 (known otherwise by the misnomer “Katrina”).

Spring is the traditional time for the Mississippi to begin to rise as the snows begin to melt, and spring is when we also experience an overflow of friends, acquaintances and associates thanks to Ol’ Man Jazz Fest. Instead of having to go all over the country and the world to catch up with the station’s many well-wishers, they all flock to us in the WWOZ Hospitality Tent. We call it Hug-Fest, and we hope you’ll be joining us for the fresh fruit and iced coffee (and the hugs!) next to the Grandstand at the Fair Grounds.

This year, the spring winds wafting across the Gulf of Mexico along the Louisiana and Mississippi coast will also be carrying the WWOZ airwaves broadcasting magnificently and officially at 100,000 watts. This means that folk in Biloxi, perhaps Mobile, listeners on the North Shore, perhaps Hattiesburg, will tune into 90.7 FM later this month and enjoy the sounds of live music emanating from the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.

Truly a breathtaking moment for the little station that defiantly refused to give up over that past 32 years, struggling when its original tower was knocked down by a Mississippi River barge in 1987, making do over the years, underfunded, understaffed and overcrowded in our tree house studio in Armstrong Park, springing back to life after being wiped out by the FF of ‘05.

This makes WWOZ the largest non-commercial broadcaster in the state of Louisiana and, as such, we will be welcoming, you, the thousands of new listeners throughout the state and along the Gulf Coast. We hope you will enjoy our fare of honest, authentic roots music presented by the most passionate and informed advocates for this area’s cultural heritage that can be found. We hope you enjoy the live music from Jazz Fest (and all the other many festivals we present). Enjoy the freedom and ease of New Orleans wherever you are!

Yours in Gulf breezes and Mango Freezes,

David Freedman
General Manager

How do you make Jazz Fest? Take the world's greatest music festival, add a vast array of amazing food, and throw in a healthy dose of family reunion, and you've got the gist of it. Oh, and put it in New Orleans, where the music will continue in clubs and bars all night long. Finally, let 'OZ live broadcast some of the choicest parts.

» Jazz Fest is on!

If you can't be at Jazz Fest, don't miss our live broadcasts:

» WWOZ Jazz Fest Live Broadcasts

Question: Where can you see Kermit Ruffins, Rockin' Dopsie Jr., and the Iguanas play a night show after the first Saturday of Jazz Fest? Sounds like a question for WWOZ's Music Calendar, the online version of Livewire. Answer: All three acts will perform at the Mid-City Lanes Rock 'n' Bowl on the night of April 27.

» See the complete Music Calendar

Piano Night is a one-of-a-kind fundraiser for 'OZ at the House of Blues on the Monday night between the two New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival weekends. We honor the New Orleans piano tradition by inviting an amazing array of local pianists (and a few out-of-town favorites!). This year's performers include Ike Stubblefield, Bob Malone, Tom McDermott, Carol Fran, Marco Benevento, and Marcia Ball.

» Get the details on Piano Night & get tickets

'OZ's Cookbook: That Sounds Good!

Check out That Sounds Good!, 'OZ's cookbook, now in its second printing and available at the Jazz Fest book tent!

Chill with Mango Freeze

Mango Freeze: it's sweet and frosty and by far the coolest thing at Jazz Fest.

Join WWOZ for a film screening of the award winning documentary Bury The Hatchet, a film by Aaron Walker featuring three Mardi Gras Indian Chiefs. The Theatres at Canal Place are hosting this exciting new fundraiser for WWOZ on May 1. We'll start with cocktails and light food at 7pm, with the film screening at 8pm.

» Details on this special film screening

We mean that in two different ways. If you've already scored a Brass Pass (thanks much!), you can pick it up according to the instructions here:

» Brass Pass pick up times and locations

On the other hand, if you don't have this year's Brass Pass, you can still get one:

» Get a Brass Pass before they're gone

Festival Kit

Koozies, umbrellas, flags, fanny packs and more: our Swamp Shop let's you own festival season.

Vintage Jazz Fest Tees

Do festival season in style with one our vintage Jazz Fest tee shirts.

Pasta all’Amatriciana, from That Sounds Good! -- WWOZ's cookbook filled with recipes from our Louisiana music family -- reflects New Orleans' Italian cultural heritage, originating from the town of Amatrice in central Italy.

» Recipe: Marc Stone's Pasta all'Amatriciana