Photo Highlights of the 2016 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Fest

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Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival on April 22.

(Photo: Adam McCullough)

Traditionally taking place over two weekends in late April and early May, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival is an occasion for music lovers from around the world to gather in the birthplace of jazz and celebrate the art form’s rich past and promising future.

During the first weekend of this year’s edition, the festival lineup featured an exceptionally broad range of artists and groups. Zydeco artists and brass bands shared the stage with blues guitarists and Latin ensembles, and jazz fixtures like Brian Blade, Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter rubbed shoulders with pop acts like The Red Hot Chili Peppers, J. Cole and Nick Jonas.

In the slideshow below, DownBeat presents a selection of photos from the festival’s rousing first half, captured in striking detail by photographer Adam McCullough. We’ll have even more photos and a critical recap later this week.

—Brian Zimmerman



  • Al_Foster_Marketing.jpg

    Foster was truly a drummer to the stars, including Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins and Joe Henderson.

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    Roscoe Mitchell will receive a Lifetime Achievement award at this year’s Vision Festival.

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    Benny Benack III and his quartet took the Midwest Jazz Collective’s route for a test run this spring.

  • Theo_Croker_by_Bruno_Baretto.jpg

    To record Dream Manifest (Dom Recs), Croker convened artists from his current and recent past ensembles, plus special guests.

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    “There’s nothing quite like it,” Springs says of working with an orchestra. “It’s 60 people working in harmony in the moment. Singing with them is kind of empowering but also humbling at the same time.”


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