The wonderful colors of Jazz Fest.

WELCOME TO JAZZ FEST

New Orleans is a city steeped in musical history and a true music-lovers paradise. Over two weekends each Spring for the last 35 years, the Crescent City has welcomed people from all over the world for the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. This musical playground, held at the Fair Grounds Race Course, is presented by New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation, a nonprofit organization, and is produced by Festival Productions, Inc. New Orleans. "Jazz Fest," as it is known, consists of over 72 acts per day on 12 stages and draws hundreds of thousands of attendees each year. The vast majority of the line-up is comprised of native Lousiana acts, but there are also top national and international artists. This musical mecca showcases an exhilarating range of genres including jazz, blues, funk, Cajun, zydeco, R&B, Latin, rock, folk and gospel music.

As the name suggests, music is not the sole attraction of Jazz Fest. The festival is a celebration of the rich heritage of New Orleans and Louisiana itself. The festival grounds contain a huge amount of crafts, art, workshops, cultural celebrations and, of course, food! -– an integral part of New Orleans heritage. The natural way to experience the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage festival is through the sights of this magical event. Here is a look at performances by ASCAP members at one of the country’s biggest musical celebrations.

Alvin Youngblood Hart’s stirring acoustic blues captivated the Blues Tent.

Corey Harris’ raw emotional delta blues electrified the Blues Tent, delighting traditionalists and contemporary fans alike.

Local legend Henry Butler brought his funky-styled blues piano playing to the Blues Tent.

Superstar Bonnie Raitt returned to Jazz Fest and brought her sultry blues slide-guitar skills to a massive crowd.

Rocker and multi-instrumentalist Lenny Kravitz headlined the second day of the festival. One of the most popular international recording artists of the last decade and a half, Kravitz has always put on a colorful performances and his Jazz Fest set was no different. He altered his set for this audience infusing his act with a heavy amount of jazz.

Local drum hero Johnny Vidacovich is one of the most in-demand drummers in town. He has the syncopated rhythms of New Orleans ingrained in his backbeats.

Jason Marsalis played drums during his father’s (Ellis Marsalis) set in the Jazz Tent following Jason’s own set where he played vibraphones.

Patriarch of the city's most famous jazz family, Ellis Marsalis, is still a very active performer and an important jazz educator. Ellis, at the piano, was joined by 23-year-old trumpet phenom, Maurice Brown, who has quickly earned tremendous praise locally. Branford Marsalis also had a set at the festival.

The ethereal Emmylou Harris brought her organic country-folk to Jazz Fest joined by songwriter and guitarist Buddy Miller on guitar and vocals.

Drummer Terrance Higgins leads that excellent Nawlins favorite the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. He is shown here in a set, called The Woodshed, where he put together a band to "compete" in a classic "Cutting Contest" style performance. Ever-present trumpeter Maurice Brown was featured in Higgins’ band.

Jacques-Imo’s –- one of the legendary restaurants in New Orleans.