French Quarter Festivals, Inc. releases the 2012 music lineup for the 29^th annual French Quarter Festival – April 12- April 15, 2012 and introduces two new stages to the growing festival – the Rick’s 315 Stage on Bourbon Street (traditional Jazz)  and a Cabaret Stage at the Hotel Monteleone’s new Carousel Bar. French Quarter Festival was founded in 1984 as a way to bring locals back to the French Quarter after major street and sidewalk construction before the World’s Fair. What was meant to be a one-time event has grown into a free,  four-day festival with over 22 stages of music throughout the French Quarter, over 800 local musicians, over 250 hours of free music, and over 500,000 festival goers.

This year French Quarter Festival introduces many new acts to the lineup including the Royal Southern Brotherhood with Cyril Neville, Don Vappie and the Creole Jazz Serenaders, Deacon John, New Orleans Bingo! Show, George Porter, Jr. and his Runnin’ Pardners, Papa Grows Funk, Gina Brown & Anutha Level, the Iguanas, and Bill Summers & Jazalsa, to name a few.  French Quarter Festival will also feature 2012 Grammy winners, Rebirth Brass Brand – along with local favorites like Troy ‘Trombone Shorty’ Andrews and Orleans Avenue; Walter ‘Wolfman’ Washington; Irvin Mayfield and the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra; Jeremy Davenport; Soul Rebels; Amanda Shaw and the Cute Guys; and Don Vappie & the Creole Jazz Serenaders.

Musician Sponsorship Program

In 2012 French Quarter Festival, Inc. launched the Musician Sponsorship program which eliminated the musicians’ responsibility of securing a sponsor.  The new program has taken the burden off musicians and created hundreds of new partnerships for the festival.  In March 2012, the Festival met its goal for musician sponsorships and will use the extra funds raised to cover musician parking at festival this year.  One hundred percent of the musician sponsorship income will go towards musician expense at French Quarter Festival.  Currently, twenty-one (of the twenty-two) stages at French Quarter Festival feature Louisiana artists exclusively.   Over 800 local musicians perform at French Quarter Festival each year.

Visit www.fqfi.org for more information on the music lineup, stages, and musician sponsorship.  The free App for iPhone or Android  is courtesy of Capital One Bank and Applitite.

In a city known for its delicious and diverse cuisine, even festivals are known for serving world-class food. During the 29th annual French Quarter Festival (Thursday, April 12 – Sunday, April 15, 2012) festival-goers will enjoy signature offerings at the “World’s Largest Jazz Brunch.” The 2012 festival welcomes nine new restaurants including Galatoire’s, K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen, Blue Dot Donuts, Three Muses, Maximo’s Italian Grill, Grand Isle, Deanies, Lasyone’s Meat Pie Restaurant, and PJ’s Coffee and Tea of New Orleans. Food and beverage booths, located in Jackson Square, Woldenberg Riverfront Park and the Louisiana State Museum’s Old U.S. Mint, make up the “World’s Largest Jazz Brunch.”

French Quarter Festival annually features authentic local cuisine from the area’s finest restaurants, including festival favorites such as crawfish and goat cheese crepes, cochon de lait po-boys, crawfish bisque, Oysters Bonne Femme, hot boiled crawfish, grilled chicken livers with pepper jelly, sweet potato pie, bourbon bbq shrimp, prime debris po-boys, Abita beer, snoballs, and more. Foodies will also enjoy lamb sliders, Crawfish Diavolo, baked alaska, and boudin balls. In addition to the food offerings, the festival offers an array of refreshing beverages including Abita Beer, Absoult Vodka, Malibu Rum and Jameson cocktails and daiquiris, Pepsi products including Aquafina and Gatorade, Pat O’Brien’s hurricanes, Tropical Isle Hand Grenades (and Skinny Hand Grenades), WWOZ’s Mango Freeze, and Plum Street Sno-Balls – now with an additional fourth location in Jackson Square. Most menu items range in price from $4 – $8 to keep the festival not only fun, but affordable.

In order to maintain the authenticity and quality of the cuisine, the Jazz Brunch Committee follows specific criteria for participating in the “World’s Largest Jazz Brunch”. In order to qualify, vendors must be dine-in restaurants and New Orleans restaurants are given first preference. French Quarter Festival features neighborhood favorites – including Antoine’s, Desire Oyster Bar, Galatoire’s, G W Fins, Muriel’s, Court of Two Sisters, The Bombay Club, Bennachin, Praline Connection, and Tujague’s – many of whom participated in the first-ever French Quarter Festival in 1984.
Visit www.fqfi.org to view complete food and beverage menus, or download the free Apps for iPhone and Android – courtesy of Capital One Bank and Applitite. The “World’s Largest Jazz Brunch” is served daily from 11am to 7pm at Jackson Square and Louisiana State Museum’s Old U.S. Mint and 11am to 9 pm at Woldenberg Riverfront Park, except for Sunday when the entire festival closes at 7pm.

Help Us Keep the Festival Free!

All Proceeds from Merchandise sales goes towards keeping French Quarter Festival FREE and open to the public.

Dancing through the festival

As part of French Quarter Festivals, Inc.’s partnership with the NOLA Jitterbugs, festival-goers can enjoy free dance lessons at the French Market Traditional Jazz Stage and on the riverfront – at the Cajun-Zydeco Showcase. Professional dance teachers from NOLA Jitterbugs, DancingMan504, Dance Quarter, and Cajun Dance Productions will teach classes.

Friday, April 13:
Cajun-Zydeco Stage – 2:00 Cajun Jitterbug dance lesson / 4:00 Zydeco dance lesson
Traditional Jazz Stage at the French Market: 12:45 Swing dance lesson / 3:00 BrassXcise Second Line dance lesson

Saturday, April 14:
Cajun-Zydeco Stage – 2:00 Zydeco dance lesson / 4:00 Cajun Jitterbug dance lesson
Traditional Jazz Stage at the French Market: 10:30 am Traditional Jazz dance lesson / 12:45 Swing dance lesson / 3:00 BrassXcise Second Line dance lesson

Sunday, April 15:
Cajun-Zydeco Stage – 2:00 Cajun Jitterbug dance lesson / 4:00 Zydeco dance lesson
Traditional Jazz Stage at the French Market: 10:30 am Swing dance lesson / 12:45 1920s Charleston dance lesson / 3:00 Balboa Swing dance lesson

Author and Artists at French Quarter Festival

Festival-goers can enjoy the Pirates Alley Juried Art Show presented by the New Orleans Art Association, open Saturday and Sunday of the festival from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. with over 100 artists displaying original fine art on Pirates Alley, Pere Antoine Alley, Cabildo Alley, and Royal Street.

French Quarter Festival Artist and Author Signings, featuring Brandon Delles, official poster artist for the 2012 French Quarter Festival – and Kit Wohl, author of New Orleans Classic Brunches-French Quarter Festival edition – Jackson Square near the merchandise tent – 2012 Poster Artist Brandon Delles will sign every day from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Kit Wohl will sign her book on Friday and Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. and on Sunday from noon to 3 p.m.

French Quarter Festival Artist Poster Signing and Reception, featuring 2012 French Quarter Festival poster artist Brandon Delles – Vincent Art Gallery, 631 Decatur; hors d’oeuvres and refreshments will be served – 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Musical Special Events at French Quarter Festival
All events are free and open to the public

French Quarter Festival Second-Line Kickoff Parade led by New Birth Brass Band – 100 block of Bourbon Street to Jackson Square – Friday, April 13th at 10 a.m.

Opera at Dusk – operatic performances with musical accompaniment from a beautiful French Quarter Balcony. Sponsored by La Belle Galerie; 300 block of Chartres – Saturday, April 14th at 6 p.m.

Battle of the Bands – Traditional Jazz bands compete in a rousing playoff on the steps of the Supreme Court building on Royal Street. This year’s bands include Cori Walters and the Universe Jazz Band, Andrew Hall’s Memories of New Orleans and Bob Walters’ Good Time Jazz Band – 400 block of Royal Street – Saturday, April 14th from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

New Orleans Jazz Orchestra Concert at St. Louis Cathedral – Grammy Award-winner Irvin Mayfield and the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra will perform original Jazz arrangements of Negro spirituals and sacred music – St. Louis Cathedral – Saturday, April 14th at 6 p.m.

Dancing at Dusk – Audiences will be ‘In the Mood’ for a ‘Sentimental Journey’ with the sounds of Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller, Count Basie and other favorites from the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s. Dance and swing on picturesque Royal Street at this festival favorite. This year’s big band is Rocky’s Hot Fox Trot Orchestra – 400 Block of Royal Street – Sunday, April 15th from 6 p.m. – 7:15 p.m.

The St. Louis Cathedral Annual Spring Concert – Under the direction of Dreux Montegut, the Saint Louis Cathedral Concert Choir and Orchestra, joined by Loyola University Chamber Singers and New Orleans Vocal Arts Chorale, will perform at the St. Louis Cathedral on Jackson Square. The combined ensembles will perform the Vesperae Solennes de Confessore, K 339 by W. A. Mozart and the Missa Kenya by Paul Basler – St. Louis Cathedral – Sunday, April 15th at 7 p.m.

Rouses World Championship Crawfish Eating Contest
Hosted by the IFEA (International Federation of Eating)
Professional and celebrity eaters battle to eat the most crawfish by the pound. The professional eaters round will be preceded by a media round – Old U.S. Mint, 400 Barracks Street – Saturday, April 14th at 12 noon.

Fireworks are back!
Sponsored by Tropical Isle

2012 brings the return of the fireworks show presented by Pyrotecnico and sponsored by Tropical Isle. Fireworks are scheduled for Saturday, April 14th at 9 p.m. over the Mississippi River. Fireworks were last seen at French Quarter Festival in April 2005 (pre-Hurricane Katrina).

New series!
Let Them Talk: Conversations on Louisiana Music

Louisiana State Museum’s Old U.S. Mint, 3rd Floor – 400 Esplanade
Sponsored and presented by French Quarter Festivals, Inc. and the New Orleans Jazz National Historic Park, with support from the University of New Orleans Midlo Center, Hogan Jazz Archives at Tulane University, and the Louisiana State Museum.

Saturday, April 14
12:00PM — The Many Sides Of Sunpie — Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes is a multi-faceted exponent of New Orleans and Louisiana music and culture — who does distinguished work as a Ranger for the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park — and crowd-pleasing turns as the multi-instrumentalist (harmonica, piano, accordion) leader of Sunpie and the Louisiana Sunspots. Meet Bruce Barnes in this interview with Fred Kasten.

1:00PM — Super Sousaphone — New Orleans sousaphone virtuoso Matt Perrine is also a big time performer on acoustic and electric bass — and that versatility keeps Matt in demand with an eclectic range of bands — including the New Orleans Nightcrawlers, Tin Men and John Ellis’s Double Wide. Find out more about the life and career of Matt Perrine in this interview with Fred Kasten.

2:00PM — Groove Interrupted — Longtime Times-Picayune music writer Keith Spera’s recent book Groove Interrupted: Loss, Renewal, and the Music of New Orleans includes a chapter about the recording of jazz trumpeter Jeremy Davenport’s 2009 album, We’ll Dance ‘Til Dawn. The scenes capture the wise-cracking camaraderie of a cast of characters that includes trumpeter Kermit Ruffins. For Let Them Talk, Keith Spera and Jeremy Davenport discuss the behind-the-scenes reality of making a jazz album in the modern era.

3:00PM — Funkify Your Life – Electric bass master George Porter, Jr. laid down the super funky bass lines that helped form the foundation of the deep grooves created by legendary New Orleans band The Meters, whose innovative, irresistible and highly influential music remains a powerful force in the funk, jam band and hip-hop genres. George Porter, Jr. has gone on to become an award-winning bandleader with his Runnin’ Pardners and first-call sideman of international renown – and talks about these many aspects of his life in music with interviewer Fred Kasten.

4:00PM — Clyde Kerr, Sr. Award Winners Shirley Chatters Bloom and Jonathan Bloom – The Clyde Kerr, Sr. Award honors outstanding achievement in music education. This year’s award winners are Shirley
Chatters Bloom and her son, Jonathan Bloom. Shirley Chatters Bloom is a soon-to-be 91 year-old violinist and vocalist who sang with Paul Robeson and taught at the Grunewald School of Music with Clyde Kerr, Sr. Jonathan Bloom is a noted percussionist and a dedicated music educator in New Orleans for over three decades. For Let Them Talk, Jonathan and Shirley Chatters Bloom discuss their lives in music and music education with New Orleans historian Al Kennedy.

Sunday, April 15
1:00PM – In the Pocket with Johnny V. — Drummer and composer Johnny Vidacovich is a New Orleans rhythm master. From second line street beats to trad jazz cadences, contemporary jazz polyrhythms to big band swing, and hard-hitting funk to jam band explorations, Johnny Vidacovich has the rhythm covered – and music colored – in exciting and innovative ways. For Let Them Talk, Johnny V. discusses his life in music with interviewer Fred Kasten, and takes to the trap set to demonstrate some essential New Orleans rhythms.

2:00PM – Lionel Ferbos: on the Right Side of 100! – New Orleans trumpeter Lionel Ferbos celebrated his 100th birthday in July of 2011 and continues to charm listeners with his heartfelt singing and playing at regular appearances around the Crescent City. He also had a long career as an accomplished craftsman in the building trades and talks about his life and times with award-winning photographer and jazz historian John McCusker.

3:00PM — 21st Century Slidemen in a Tailgatin’ Town – The trombone has played a primary role in New Orleans jazz and brass band music for over a century. Outstanding contemporary trombonists Craig Klein, Delfeayo Marsalis, and Mark Mullins remain deeply informed and respectful of the New Orleans trombone tradition, even while spending considerable time pursuing different approaches to music. For Let Them Talk, the three discuss their lives as trombonists and the instrument’s evolving role in modern music. Interviewer Fred Kasten

4:00PM — Dynamic Duo: Meschiya Lake and Tom McDermott – Top-notch New Orleans pianist and composer Tom McDermott and rising-star jazz vocalist Meschiya Lake have won a lot of fans with their series of intimate but powerful duo performances in the last few years. For Let Them Talk Tom McDermott, also an accomplished journalist, interviews Meschiya Lake about her life in music. The session concludes with a 15 minute mini-concert of jazz and blues classics.

New this year!
Children’s Museum Activities and fun at the Hermann-Grima House

The education departments of some of New Orleans’ great museums (Longue Vue House and Gardens, Hermann-Grima House, Beauregard Keyes House, New Orleans Pharmacy Museum, and more) will host activity booths in the beautiful courtyard gardens of the Hermann-Grima House, located at 820 St. Louis Street – Saturday and Sunday from Noon to 6 p.m.

Children and adults alike can also enjoy the family friendly activates at the riverfront plaza near the Audubon Aquarium. The riverfront Children’s Headquarters is filled with fun educational activities, fun exercise offerings, and kid-friendly music and food.

To view the full schedule of Special Events or for more information about the Children’s Areas, click here or download the free app on your iPhone or Android courtesy of Capital One Bank and Applitite.

NEW ORLEANS CLASSIC BRUNCHES

It makes perfect sense that the Big Easy, with its knack for nostalgia as well as its passion for living in the moment and savoring it, would be the home of so many decadent recipes for that most luxurious of meals—brunc —especially for the World’s Largest Jazz Brunch during the annual French Quarter Festival. Pelican Publishing Company has produced a special signed and numbered, limited edition of the new book in Kit Wohl’s Classic New Orleans series to be released on March 15.

In this gorgeously photographed book, Wohl has compiled fifty recipes from the city’s legendary restaurants and chefs, complete with straightforward instructions for attaining easy elegance any time of the day

“We‘re toasting New Orleans greatest entertainers: food, music, and the leisure to enjoy them. Festival executive director Marci Schramm and her colleagues give us that opportunity,” says author Kit Wohl. ”The city’s legendary and quirky restaurants provided both traditional and unconventional recipes for a close-up of our magical customs. The chefs comprise an honor roll of New Orleans’ best. From highfalutin to down home, they create the greatest neighborhood food in America. We know this to be true—that’s a promise.”

The French Quarter Festival serves up the World’s Largest Jazz Brunch, rollicking through historic Jackson Square, Vieux Carré parks, and the riverfront. Each spring is a free showcase of traditional and contemporary jazz, rhythm and blues, New Orleans funk, Zydeco, brass bands, folk, opera, and gospel. —Seasoned with fun in a four-day second line, it’s a fest with a feast celebrated by New Orleans best: great food, music, and dancing in the streets.

Tips, techniques, culinary escapades, and inspirations from these masters accompany the recipes. If you know what it means to miss New Orleans, this cookbook is for you. If you’ve never been here, plan a visit for the French Quarter Festival, and relish a meal you’ve only dreamed about.

Or, remembered.

Kit Wohl is the author of eight books celebrating cuisine and her native New Orleans, is also a photographer, fine artist, and graphic artist.

French Quarter Festivals, Inc. unveils the 29th annual French Quarter Festival Poster by artist Brandon Delles. Each year, the festival’s Merchandise Committee selects a painting that portrays the fun, festive atmosphere of French Quarter Festival and appeals to both locals and tourists. Consideration is given only to local artists. To keep the festival free and open to the public, French Quarter Festival relies heavily on merchandise and poster sales, sponsorships, and beverage sales to generate its operating budget.

For the 2012 poster, well known local artist, Brandon Delles, recreates a lively French Quarter Festival atmosphere with a triptych display of the Woldenberg Riverfront Park, Jackson Square, and the Louisiana State Museum’s Old U.S. Mint, while playfully bringing to life New Orleans icon and French Quarter Festival regular, blues musician, Coco Robicheaux. Brandon captures New Orleans food, music, and culture by including elements that personify New Orleans and the French Quarter through the use of rich colors, unique character, and whimsical charm.

Brandon Delles
Brandon began his professional career in the arts as a caricaturist at Walt Disney World after his tour with the Marine Corps in 1996. His interest to become an animator for Walt Disney drove him to learn the craft of caricaturizing and eventually shaped his unique and playful style of art.

Brandon attended the University of the Arts and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and later moved to New Orleans, Louisiana. Since his move to New Orleans, Brandon has become an active member of the Arts Council of New Orleans and has created works for Dirty Linen Night 2011, The Three Muses, and the Vieux Carré Art Gallery in Jackson Square. Brandon is often found in Jackson Square painting his unique pieces using quick sketching and self taught painting techniques to capture the essence of the New Orleans diverse scenes.

Coco Robicheaux
Coco Robicheaux (born Curtis John Arceneaux) was born in 1947 in Ascension Parish, Louisiana. Coco’s gravelly voice, bluesy Louisiana music, and interest in the spiritual and mystical elements made him a New Orleans and global icon. His name, Coco Robicheaux, came from the Louisiana folk tale of a boy taken by the loup garou – French for werewolf. His family had called him by the name from the time he was a little boy—it was a popular name to use for frightening kids when they were behaving badly.

He released several albums during the many decades of his career including Spiritland, Hoodoo Party, and Revelator. He was often seen in the Frenchmen Street entertainment district, is a well known icon around the globe, and a regular talent at French Quarter Festival. Coco is also famous for his appearance in the HBO series ―Treme‖ where he sacrifices a rooster in the studio of radio station WWOZ. Mr. Robicheaux passed away Friday, November 25, 2011 at the age of 64. He is greatly missed by the community of New Orleans and the world.

Editions:
2750 Artist-signed & numbered prints, $45
250 Artist Proofs & numbered prints, $65
Image Size 120″ x 72″
Poster Size 38” x 17”