WWOZ Piano Night From Our Homes to Yours on Monday, April 26th!

We won't be able to get together for Piano Night 2021, but we'll still revel in New Orleans piano thanks to an incredible lineup of pianists! On Monday, April 26 at 7pm NOLA time, 5pm L.A. time, WWOZ Piano Night From Our Homes to Yours will be streamed via WWOZ's Facebook page, on our YouTube channel, and on WWOZ.org.

Piano Night will still be a benefit for WWOZ, but as in 2020, no tickets will be required. While it's bittersweet to miss gathering together for our 35th annual Piano Night, by going virtual we we'll reach thousands of guests who never would have been able to all fit in the same room. In 2020, over 150,000 New Orleans piano fans from all over the world streamed the WWOZ Piano Night from Our Homes to Yours performances!

Celebrating the Birthday of Allan Jaffe

Jazz tubist and entrepreneur Allan Phillip Jaffe was born on April 24, 1935, in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, and is the person who developed Preservation Hall into a New Orleans jazz tradition, along with his wife Sandra. Jaffe's grandfather was a French hornist, his father was a mandolin player and teacher, and Jaffe learned piano and cornet before settling on tuba in junior high school. He studied at the University of Pennsylvania before joining the Army and being stationed at Fort Polk, Louisiana.

Following his discharge in 1961, Jaffe moved to New Orleans where he took over management of Preservation Hall. As owner, he played a major role in the New Orleans jazz revival of the 1960s, shepherding the latter-day careers of numerous musicians. He also played the tuba in the Preservation Hall Jazz Band and took the group on tours worldwide, booking them into the finest music and performance halls and making appearances at cultural events of note even in small communities.

Sadly, Jaffe passed away in New Orleans on March 9, 1987. But, his legacy lives on as his son, Ben, now leads and performs with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. Today we celebrate someone who helped preserve and promote the musical heritage of New Orleans.

Photo: Twitter

Festival International de Louisiane in Lafayette on 4/23-25/2021

Festival International de Louisiane is a non-profit organization that produces the largest international music and arts festival in the United States with a special emphasis on the connection between Acadiana and the Francophone world and an estimated economic impact of 49 million annually. The annual festival features musical performances by international artists along with workshops, exhibits, visual art, theater and other forms of performance arts. The festival transforms downtown Lafayette, Louisiana into an entertainment mecca.

WWOZ's Jazz Festing in Place - April 22 - 25 & April 29 - May 2!

With New Orleans’ Jazz & Heritage Festival not scheduled until October 2021, New Orleans non-profit radio station WWOZ will again air its Jazz Festing In Place marathon in lieu of the annual event. The special radio broadcasts scheduled for April 22nd-25th and April 29th-May 2nd feature rare and memorable Jazz Fest performances from years past which will air between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. CT (9 a.m. and 5 p.m. L.A. time) each day. Produced in partnership with the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation, the daily broadcasts will also feature interview segments that highlight the food, crafts, and cultural heritage of the Louisiana city as fans patiently await the festival’s return later this year. Fans will be able to tune in by streaming the audio for free at the WWOZ website or via its terrestrial radio channel 90.7 FM. Check out the Cubes (broadcast schedule) by clicking here.

Select archive performances to air during the back-to-back weekends include Ella Fitzgerald with Stevie Wonder (1977), The Preservation Hall Jazz Band (1970), Tank & The Bangas (2017), Galactic (2014), Widespread Panic feat. Dirty Dozen Brass Band (2001), The Allman Brothers Band (2010), Carole King(1992), Dr. John (2000), Neville Brothers (2003), and more.

So, sit back, close your eyes, and lose yourself in some of the best music on the planet! Happy Jazz Festing in Place!

Mardigramus - My Saturday

Mardigramus the soothsayer dispenses pointless wisdom and useless observations every Tuesday. Today’s sooth is called “My Saturday”. Click on the image to view his visionary video.

Zurich Classic Golf Tournament on 4/19-25/2021

The Zurich Classic of New Orleans is a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour, played in Avondale, Louisiana. Dating back 81 years ago to 1938 and held annually since 1958, Zurich Insurance Group is the main sponsor, and it is organized by the Fore!Kids Foundation.The tournament generates an estimated $40 million annually in economic activity, which has helped in rebuilding and resilience efforts post-Katrina. Since 2005, the Zurich Classic also has contributed more than $20 million to over 200 charities.