The third annual Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival is a free celebration of Southern soul.

Produced since 2006 by the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation (the nonprofit organization that owns the world-famous New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival presented by Shell), the Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival brings to life New Orleans' historic role in making the blues one of the most influential sounds in the world.

The Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival presents many of the top performers from southern Louisiana and Mississippi, plus delicious food and unique visual art.

The 2008 Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival will once again boast a who's who of Louisiana blues artists, including such perennial favorites as Marva Wright, Walter "Wolfman" Washington, Snooks Eaglin and Little Freddie King.

This year, the festival welcomes for the first time John Mooney, whose mix of electric slide guitar and the street parade rhythms of New Orleans has made him one of the top attractions on the modern blues circuit.

Also new to the festival is Baton Rouge guitar ace Kenny Neal. The son of legendary harmonica player Raful Neal, Kenny comes from a large family of equally soulful relations.

Cedric Burnside - grandson of the late blues great R.L. Burnside, and a member of the Burnside Experience - brings a modern take on traditional juke joint blues in his duo with guitarist Lightnin' Macolm.

Purists will be flocking to see legendary 93 year-old David "Honeyboy" Edwards, who was a friend of the blues originator Robert Johnson and was first recorded by the famous musicologist Alan Lomax.

• Add to calendar
• Invite Friends
• Print