Welcome to the WWOZ Blog! This is where 'OZ staff and beloved show hosts post news, thoughts, information, and of course, music.

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Free Essence Festival Events

Mon, 07/01/13

Authored by:  David Stafford

Essence Festival is not just four nights of music at the Superdome. It also includes Family Reunion Day on July 4, and daily Empowerment Experience Panels July 4-7 at the Convention Center, the last of which is day-long tribute to gospel icons Tramaine Hawkins and Donnie Mc... Read more

Tiny Desk Concert: Trombone Shorty

Fri, 06/28/13

Authored by:  David Stafford

"Tiny Desk Concert" videos, in which artists perform live during lunch hour at the NPR Music office in Washington DC, are plain awesome, and not just because they fulfill a fantasy of office-bound music lovers everywhere. According to Anya Grundmann, Director of NPR Music, p... Read more

Food Vendors Wanted for Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival

Thu, 06/27/13

Authored by:  David Stafford

Spread the word! The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and Foundation is seeking food vendors for the 2013 Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival in October: We're expanding our food offerings at the Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival, coming up Oct. 18-20, 2013, and we're ... Read more

New Orleans All The Way Live: Saint Gabriel

Tue, 06/25/13

Authored by:  George Ingmire

This week’s program treats you to a taste of the blues, inflections of West Africa, as well as a moment of Gospel accompanied with live music by Marcia Ball, Toubab Krewe, the Johnny Vidacovich Trio, Tommy Ridgely and more! Gin ambassador and master mixologist, Gary Hayward... Read more

Cuttin' Contest: Wynton vs Hoots

Tue, 06/25/13

Authored by:  David Stafford

This one requires little explanation; we offer it purely for your viewing entertainment. A 24-year-old Wynton Marsalis matches chops with Hoots the Owl in a Sesame Street Clip from 1985.   Read more

The Cosimo Code

Mon, 06/24/13

Authored by:  David Stafford

The Cosimo Code is an on-going project launched a few months ago, a collaborative internet resource of note to anyone interested in the history of New Orleans R&B. It's well known that from the 1940s through the 1960s, Cosimo Matassa, operated a pair of French Quarter recor... Read more

Bourbon & Burlesque 2013

Sat, 06/22/13

Authored by:  Bill DeTurk

  Some of the best whiskey in America, food from Dickie Brennan, and beautiful women in various states of undress, do I really need to say more to entice you to one of premiere parties of the Summer here in New Orleans?  But there is more, the party also features aerialists... Read more

Walking Tall with Jamie Lynn

Fri, 06/21/13

Authored by:  Valerie "The Problem Child" Kacprzak

Check out what I just found in my mailbox here at WWOZ. The new album by Jamie Lynn Vessels.  I had a backlog of CDs in my "listen to" box. These are the ever growing collection of music that we show hosts are delivered, many, directly from the artists. I liked what I heard... Read more

New Orleans All The Way Live: Boogie at Midnight

Wed, 06/19/13

Authored by:  George Ingmire

This week's show explores the connection between 1950's Rock and Roll and it's influence on today's local musicians. We take you down in the far side of the Bywater neighborhood, to a windowless bar known as BJ's Lounge where on Monday nights, you can find King James and th... Read more

As Cool As the Other Side of the Pillow: 'OZ on Ice