Oh, what a beautiful thing it is to be throwing back hurricane cocktails in the middle of Bourbon Street during the annual celebration/bacchanal that is Jazz Fest. Just being in the epicenter of that city, you can feel the gravity of the New Orlean’s cultural significance pulling you from every nook and cranny, from every open door that music is effusively pouring. It is a place that is visibly and audibly indebted to it’s own ancestry, and more than willing to celebrate its significance at any time (as Hannibal Buress explains below).

That’s why Jazz Fest is such a great event for people who aren’t from the city and are looking for a gateway into the music scene, both historic and current. Sure it is easy to pick apart the lineup and ask how Steve Winwood typifies the musical heritage of New Orleans, but you can do that with every major music festival that has sponsors and obligations to attract as diverse of a crowd as possible. However, I’d contend that more than any other music festival, Jazz Fest continues to spotlight its local scene with artists representing jazz, zydeco, delta blues, bounce and much more. As we head into the final weekend of the fest, I thought it only appropriate to acknowledge one of the best music events in the country.

For this playlist, I wanted to do the same and highlight artists that are both ambassadors of the city and its spectral music scene and mix in some purveyors of the next generation of New Orleans’ music. Below you’ll find the hip-hop indebted styling of Big Freedia, the heart-filling funk of The Meters, and the vintage sounds of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. Dig in below and I guarantee you will be bouncing around your room and bumping along in your car in seconds flat.

If you are into this playlist make sure to check out our other playlists and boogie down all night long!