Dark clouds loomed on the Fair Grounds as day 6 made way. Luckily, the coming rain held off and guests were able to enjoy another day of music and fun in New Orleans at Jazz Fest. Not as many people roamed the grounds as they did during Friday of weekend one, possibly due to the chance of rain. Headliners for the night included The Wailers, Joan Jett, and Luke Combs who drew a large crowd for his country hits.
The first and only all-female Brass Band, the Original Pinettes took to the Gentilly Stage in the late morning. All of its members were born and raised in New Orleans. The goal of these wonderful women is to take over the male dominated brass band industry. They are already well on their way with multiple music awards and world tours under their belt.
Conductor Tonia Scott lifted her praises with her Anointed Voices Choir in the Gospel Tent. The choir members of all ages and genders stepped from side to side as their powerful voices filled the air. The energy and spirituality from both Scott and her choir were evident in their harmonies and joyous tone.
Around 2 p.m. Georgia born sisters, The Castellows performed their neotraditional country for their Jazz Fest debut. The trio is composed of Eleanor, Lily, and Powell Balkcom who first came into the music scene when they posted covers of songs on social media. They peppered cover songs throughout their set including the Beatles’ “Come Together” and The Animals’ “The House of the Rising Sun.”
Meschiya Lake and the Little Big Horns took us back to the 1900’s in the Blues Tent with their unique style of jazz and blues. Accompanied by her brass band, drums, and guitar, Lake’s raspy full vocals brought back to life the old soul of NOLA music. Her all black bodysuit and its frilly hot pink fringe added a pop of color to the stage.
The Trumpet Mafia stunned the crowd in the Jazz Tent with special guest trumpeter Marquis Hill as he trilled away some impressive lines of music. The group was created by trumpeter Ashlin Parker in 2013 and has evolved into a band that mixes traditional jazz and hip-hop music. Trumpet Mafia has been a returning favorite every year since their debut in 2015.
Jonathon “Boogie” Long, a singer and guitarist from Baton Rouge jammed out with fans in the Blues Tent on his galactic designed guitar. His smooth and dynamic blues vocals paired perfectly with his carefully played guitar riffs. His talent is absolutely incredible – a good reason why he’s played alongside the greats like The Meters and ZZ Top.
Wayne Toups, a GRAMMY award winning Cajun singer and accordionist played to a packed crowd on the main Festival Stage. Toups has helped keep Cajun music alive by touring around the world, sharing the heart and soul behind all NOLA tunes. His skills, spirit, and commercial success have made him a Louisiana Legend.
Hailing from Havana, Cuba, the Alfredo Rodriguez Trio had their long-awaited debut in the Jazz Tent. Frontman Rodriguez on the keyboard was joined by sidemen Han Beyle on bass and Michael Olivera on percussion. The group vibed alongside one another to their smooth Cuban jazz tunes making their intricate music playing look effortless.
Headliners on the Congo Square Stage were The Wailers with Julian Marley, a 1980’s Jamaican reggae band. The band came to be in 1981 after the death of Bob Marley. Originally led by bassist Aston “Familyman” Barrett until 2016, it is now led by his son Aston Barrett Jr. after his passing in 2016. Their chill set included long time favorites like “Stir It Up,” “Waiting in Vain,” and “Lively Up Yourself.” Many festival goers sang along in the crowd, enjoying over 40 years of music memories.
The crowd at the Gentilly Stage grew for headliner Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. Jett got the crowd going with cover songs like The Runaways’ “Cherry Bomb,” Gary Glitters’ “Do You Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yeah),” and Bruce Springsteen’s “Light of Day.” The crowd went wild and sang along to all the lyrics of the band’s 1981 hit “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” that Jett sang and played guitar along to like not a day had passed since its release.
Country icon and multi-award winner Luke Combs closed out day 6 on the Festival Stage to a huge crowd of younger fans. Combs wore a black button-up and blue jeans, with a red solo cup in hand for his killer set. He sang nearly all 19 of his consecutive number one hit songs as well as his popular Ed Sheeran cover of “Dive.” Fans especially sang along to his signature song “Beer Never Broke My Heart” and the romantic “Beautiful Crazy” before he ended the night with two encore songs.
Check back soon for the details on Day 7 of Jazz Fest 2025!