Jazz Fest is a great time to justify spending every last red cent on CDs and albums. Under normal circumstances, it might be difficult to tear away from the festivities to scour the record bins and take home some of what you experienced live. But with in-store performances mostly scheduled when Fair Grounds and club activity are at a minimum, New Orleans record stores leave you no excuse to shun their shelves. Louisiana Music Factory (210 Decatur St., 586-1094) is a local staple for in-store performances. Normally held every Saturday year-round with free beverages and good deals on merchandise, this time of year LMF expands its in-store events, packing in performances from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day that Jazz Fest is silent. This year's schedule is rife with roots acts in a variety of genres. LMF's lineup features some rare performances from the vintage swamp contingent in town for the Ponderosa Stomp festival. On Tuesday, look for back-to-back sets from blues pianist Henry Gray, Jody Williams (who played guitar on Bo Diddley's "Who Do You Love?"), and treasured harmonica master Lazy Lester. At 3 p.m. Wednesday, patrons will hear a rare performance from the Swamp Fox -- Tony Joe White (pictured) -- who penned the perennial favorite "Rainy Night in Georgia" (though he hails from Oak Grove, La.). On a different end of the musical spectrum, Wednesday's schedule also features reading and music by Sue Mingus and members of the Mingus Big Band. The same day, original Meters drummer Zigaboo Modeliste will be on hand to sign CDs. LMF is also presenting a host of local favorites, including Kermit Ruffins, the Iguanas, James Andrews and John Mooney. Just down the street, Tower Records (408 N. Peters St., 529-4411) and the Virgin Megastore (620 Decatur St., 671-8100) join in the celebrations. Tower presents more than 50 different acts over the course of the festival. The lineup ranges from folk songwriter Spencer Bohren to swing songstress Ingrid Lucia and the Flying Neutrinos to Wednesday's "Funk Band Battle Royale" and Monday's (May 6) "Battle of the B-3s" with Papa Grows Funk and the Joe Krown Organ Combo. Virgin's three-day lineup features a diverse set of acts including Henry Butler, New Orleans Juice, and the Blind Boys of Alabama. All in-store performances are free and open to the public. Check music listings for complete schedules. -- Cristina Diettinger

Native American Film Tribute 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 30 New Orleans Museum of Art, 1 Collins Diboll Circle, City Park, 488-2631 Jazz Fest's spotlight on Native American music, heritage and culture shifts for one day to NOMA for a film retrospective including featured performer Robert Mirabal's Music From a Painted Cave video that kicks things off at 11 a.m. Making a Noise: Native American Musical Journey with Robbie Robertson features the Band's former frontman exploring his Mohawk roots. The day closes with perhaps the most successful film made by and about Native Americans, 1998's Smoke Signals, at 3 p.m. Grayhawk Perkins serves as the tribute's emcee. -- David Lee Simmons

Art collection dedication 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday, April 30 Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, West Terminal lobby The fact that a city's airport provides arriving visitors with a dose of local flavor was evident last year when the airport was renamed to honor Louis Armstrong. Now tourists will be greeted by another homage with the dedication of the airport's new art collection Tuesday evening. Works selected by the Arts Council of New Orleans include several murals by Richard Thomas that incorporate images of more than 100 music legends. Variations on a Theme appears in Concourse C, as art is embedded into the structure, as well as in Concourse D, where Louisiana Landscapes -- Natural and Manmade was recently installed. The airport collection is valued at more than $750,000. James Rivers will perform with guests Aaron Neville, Harry Connick Sr. and Ronnie Kole. This event is free and open to the public and includes a buffet, libations and validated parking. -- Frank Etheridge

Jazz at the Palm Court 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 30 Palm Court Jazz Cafe, 1204 Decatur St., 525-0200 A regular highlight of the annual Jazz Fest season, "trad jazz" night at the Palm Court brings together the city's best players and the music's most devoted audiences for an evening derived mainly from Dixieland, swing, ragtime, blues, "hot" jazz and popular song. The New Orleans singers and instrumentalists on tap are all top-shelf, with the added attraction this year of an appearance by Butch Thompson, the Prairie Home Companion pianist who's got a serious jones for New Orleans-style jazz. At the age of 18, Thompson ran away from his Minnesota home to join the ranks of Preservation Hall regulars in the '60s and '70s -- one of the few non-New Orleanians able to pull that off. He tours with his own New Orleans Jazz Originals Band, and in '97, he held down the ivories for Nicholas Payton's Grammy-winning collaboration with Doc Cheatham. Expect boisterous and joyous. Tickets $35. -- Roger Hahn

Monkey Ranch 10 p.m., Tuesday, April 30 Tipitina's, 501 Napoleon Ave., 895-TIPS Monkey Ranch began as a just-for-fun pickup band several years ago when Radiators guitarist Dave Malone and Neville Brothers drummer Mean Willie Green put a band together to play a benefit for the now-defunct legendary Uptown late-night dive club Benny's. Along with vocalist Theresa Andersson, funk keyboardist John "Papa" Gros, and New Orleans Klezmer All-Star Glenn Hartman, Malone and Green still get together for a few treasured gigs each year. Fans of New Orleans-style roots rock go nuts over Monkey Ranch's good-time incarnations of standard covers. This particular show should exude a high funk factor, with special guest Leo Nocentelli. The original Meters guitarist's style has smoothed out over the years, but his overblown solos will most likely kick up the energy level. New York City funk fusion group Topaz plays late-night after the Ranch. Admission $25. -- Diettinger

Lakefront Digital Records Night 10 p.m. Wednesday, May 1 Funky Butt, 714 North Rampart St., 558-0872 In the last year, New Orleans' Lakefront Digital Records has emerged as one of the most promising record labels in the city. All of its releases feature top-notch sound, capturing the art of veterans and up-and-comers in the local jazz community. Lakefront Digital's three flagship acts celebrate their debut albums in a varied stylistic triple bill. Trombonist Jeff Albert leads the Albert-Ankrum project through a mixture of avant-grooves and spunky original compositions; guitarist Jesse Lewis & his Union ensemble play gorgeous, modal jazz that illuminates Lewis' formidable melodies and composing skills, and the night climaxes with S,P&M, the all-star free-for-all trio featuring white-hot guitarist Brian Seeger, saxophone titan Ed Petersen and drummer Jason Marsalis. Tickets TBA. -- Scott Jordan

Compaq Classic Thursday-Sunday, May 2-5 English Turn Golf & Country Club, 831-4653 When LSU alum and then-anonymous golfer David Toms' strolled to the 18th green in the final round of the 2001 Compaq Classic to chants of "LSU! LSU!", giant purple and gold flags and a tailgate-party atmosphere, it was readily apparent that local fans can transform even a golf tournament into New Orleans-class party. For the 2002 edition, the tournament, growing in prestige each year, boasts one of its finest fields yet, with standouts such as Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els coming to town. Golf's elite come lured by a challenging course and a purse of $4.5 million, with the winner taking home more than $800,000. Single-day tickets are $25. Visit www.compaqclassic.pgatour.com for more information. -- Etheridge

Better Than Ezra; Karl Denson's Tiny Universe 8 p.m.; 2 a.m. Thursday, May 2 House of Blues, 225 Decatur St., 529-BLUE The Blind Boys of Alabama perform along with Oliver Mtukudzi and Black Spirits at the Parish at House of Blues on Friday. At the dawn of the walloping second weekend club run, House of Blues offers a schedule of shows that's astonishing in scope. Better Than Ezra starts off Thursday night in the main room, with a refreshingly original repertoire of straight-up radio rock. Fallout from their mid-90s commercial success has relaxed the local trio's forced, pop-rock demeanor to the more sincere sound on Closer, their latest album. Late-night, groove mongers from all corners of the continent show up for a marathon set from Karl Denson's Tiny Universe. Former member of the lauded Greyboy Allstars, Denson also played reeds behind Lenny Kravitz and recorded a series of jazz albums before starting up the Tiny Universe, a band with frequently changing personnel and incessantly groovy instrumental output. His overwhelming popularity on the national funk-jazz circuit is waning, but Denson is always a hit around Jazz Fest time, though this year marks his first appearance out at the Fair Grounds. Friday night features a rare double-bill in House of Blues' adjoining Parish venue that straddles the pan-African-American music continuum. Led by the legendary Clarence Fountain, 60-year-old gospel group Blind Boys of Alabama deliver their rollicking blend of 20th century American roots-music styles. Sparse in instrumental accompaniment and plentiful in joyous harmonies, these days the Blind Boys are perhaps best known for their song "Run on for a Long Time," which appeared as a transformed dance track on Moby's smash 2000 album Play. Zimbabwean Afro-pop giant Oliver Mtukudzi closes out the show with a set of warm, hypnotic music that blends a number of traditional styles from his homeland with elements of modern pop. Vermont-based jam band Jazz Mandolin Project throws down late night. There are plenty of other diverse acts packed into this two-night musical adventure, including an annual trumpet battle between Kermit Ruffins and Irvin Mayfield, West Coast groove-jazz bassist/guitarist Charlie Hunter, La Noche Latina featuring Gilberto Santa Rosa, and New York funk trio Soulive. Call club for showtimes and ticket prices. -- Diettinger

Donald Harrison Jr. 8 p.m. Thursday, May 2 Mahalia Jackson Theater of the Performing Arts, 801 N. Rampart St., 565-7470 Jazz saxophonist Donald Harrison Jr. impresses critics and audiences the world over with his ability to present progressive material that holds fast to his New Orleans roots. Having worked with artists as divergent as Art Blakey and the Notorious B.I.G., he's spent his illustrious career incorporating contemporary and traditional styles into one in-the-moment jazz melange. This performance marks the release of his new album, The New Sound of Mardi Gras, a work that ties the traditional elements of New Orleans street culture to Harrison's own sub-genre, "nouveau swing." He's the son of the late Mardi Gras Indian Chief Donald Harrison Sr., so the culture and music of the Indians is an undeniable force in his craft. Harrison is joined by a court of hometown musical compadres, including his nephews, trumpet prodigy Christian Scott and Big Chief Brian Nelson, seminal drummer Idris Muhammad, guitarist Larry Coryell, Big Chief Smiley Ricks, Spy Boy Bruce "Action" Jackson, and more. A portion of the ticket proceeds will benefit the Louis Armstrong Summer Jazz Camp. Tickets $12-$30. -- Diettinger

1776 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, May 3-4; 2:30 p.m. Sunday, May 5; through May 19 Rivertown Repertory Theatre, 325 Minor St., Kenner, 468-7221 July 4 was never the same after the premiere of 1776, a musical that illustrates the struggle of Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and Richard Henry Lee in sculpting the Declaration of Independence. Based on the book by Peter Stone, this award-winning musical is set to songs and lyrics by Sherman Edwards, and now comes directed by Stocker Fontelieu in Rivertown Rep's fifth production of the season. The cast features John Brooks as John Hancock, Chip Stelz as Benjamin Franklin, and Reggie Hendry as John Adams. Gloria Fallo serves as musical director. Tickets range from $12 to $22, with an optional pre-performance buffet available for $16. Call the box office at 468-7221. -- Julie Henson

Zoo-To-Do 8 p.m. Friday, May 3 Audubon Zoo, 6500 Magazine St., 861-2537 The Zoo-To-Do's reputation as a premier event on the already hectic New Orleans' social calendar should be enough to attract its estimated 5,000 party-goers each year. But in its 25th installment, the silver anniversary will kick things up a notch with music headliners Rockin' Dopsie Jr. and the Pointer Sisters, whose '80s hits your dancing shoes will recognize. Another highlight of the event comes served courtesy of nearly 100 area restaurants and beverage purveyors, many of which have been serving the black-tie gala for all of its 25 years. Of course, beyond all the revelry, the event embodies a worthy cause. The first Zoo-To-Do raised $35,000 in 1972; the event now typically rakes in around $1 million. All proceeds benefit Audubon Zoo. Individual tickets are $155 for Audubon Institute members; $195 for non-members; patron and sponsor level tickets begin at $550. For tickets or more information, call 861-6160 or visit www.auduboninstitute.org. -- Etheridge

Medeski Martin & Wood, with Cornershop 9 p.m. Friday, May 3 Saenger Theatre, 143 N. Rampart St., 525-1052 Towering giants of New York's downtown jazz scene, Medeski Martin & Wood is a prototype for the contemporary fusion band. Via the crucial funk link (and a priceless mid-90s nod from Phish guitarist Trey Anastasio), MMW effectively straddles the gaping chasm between contemporary avant-garde jazz and revivalist jam rock, consolidating fans of the whole spectrum into one open-minded mass. A nighttime Jazz Fest fixture since 1996, the band's aurally awesome shows can convert even the most reluctant attendees to progressive jazz fans with a staggering range of textures and sets that waver between way-out exploration and groovy compositions from its 10-album canon. The band's members have indulged in separate projects of late; John Medeski played with all-star roots-gospel group The Word, Billy Martin (aka Illy B.) toured solo, and Chris Wood completed a late-winter run with Galactic's Stanton Moore. The band's now consolidated for a spring tour to support their fresh-pressed album, Uninvisible. While MMW has explored the possibilities of the groove with a steady stream of releases, Cornershop's Tjinder Singh and Ben Ayers seemingly ran away from the massive success of 1997's When I Was Born for the 7th Time (and its hit single, "Brimful of Asha"). Experimenting with even more funky beats on their Clinton side project produced the 2000 release, Disco and the Halfway to Discontent. But now they're back as Cornershop with a fresh new disc, the phenomenal Handcream for a Generation. Written and produced by Singh, the disc is a heady swirl of familiar pastiche references reassembled in an entirely different way thanks to several guest appearances. Otis Clay offers a Memphis soul intro, "Heavy Soul" (which serves as the closer), while Oasis' Noel Gallagher's trippy guitar work blends with that Cornershop sitar sting on the 14-minute psychedelic trip, "Spectral Mornings." Then there's the roots-reggae beat of "Motion the 11," the scratching of turntablist Rob Swift "Wog.com" and "Slip the Drummer One," and "People Power" on loan from Disco. Make no mistake, Cornershop is back with a clubby vengeance. Tickets $28.50 -- Diettinger and Simmons

Cassandra Wilson 10 p.m. Friday, May 3 Contemporary Arts Center, 900 Camp St., 528-3800 Jazz diva Cassandra Wilson gives Jazz Fest night shows a boost with her CAC performance on Friday. A Jackson, Miss., girl who briefly taught New Orleans high school before moving on to the New York loft scene, Cassandra Wilson assumed the throne of nationally acclaimed jazz diva a decade ago based on her uniquely arhythmic arrangements fitted indiscriminately to jazz standards, Robert Johnson blues, and familiar rock chestnuts like Van Morrison's "Tupelo Honey." Half-exposing her sensuous female figure for CD covers and publicity photos hasn't hurt her cause (or sales figures) any. Her latest release, Belly of the Sun (which claims to have been recorded partly in a "boxcar"), continues what is now Wilson's patented formula for roots-chic success, cleverly substituting antebellum bustier for slyly dropped furs while indiscriminately covering Mississippi Fred McDowell, The Band, James Taylor, Bob Dylan and Jimmy Webb. Last year, Time Magazine called her America's best singer. She seems haughty, even pretentious, but go and decide for yourself. Tickets $30 ($25 for CAC members); VIP seating available for $100. -- Hahn

Latin Rendezvous 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 4 Jefferson Performing Arts Center, 400 Phlox St., Metairie, 885-2000 Though known as a troupe that has, since 1964, served as one of America's leading modern dance companies, the Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company comes courtesy of the Jefferson Performing Arts Society to take a one-night-only audience on a "Latin Rendezvous." With a program full of Spanish styles, the dancers will embark on numbers that embody both the poetic and the sensual. Night Story, pulled from Isabel Allende's larger The Stories of Eva Luna, portrays a dark reality exploring one woman's sexuality. Siesta comes inspired by sculptor/painter Giacometti that ironically spins the walk of three nuns to the sensual mood of Bizet's Carmen. Tickets range from $12 to $22 and are available through JPAS by calling the box office at 885-2000 or visiting www.jpas.org. -- Etheridge

Thumbelina 3 p.m. Sunday, May 5 Pontchartrain Center, 4545 Williams Blvd., Kenner, 468-1231 There are many reasons explaining why the smooth medicine of fairy tales has stayed with us for centuries. Mirroring life and its rigors with an alluring dose of fantasy, works such as Hans Christian Andersen's Thumbelina are carried on by sustained relevance and popularity. For one public performance only, the Jefferson Ballet Theatre presents the classic with Artistic Director Myra Mier choreographing the original story set to music by classical composer Leo Delibes. Rachel Aucoin stars as Thumbelina, the girl born in a magic barleycorn and given the name because of her miniscule size. Thumbelina sets off on an adventure marked by a winged prince (played by Christian Beasley) and a group of evil toads and other assorted dangers. Tickets are $10 children and students, $13 seniors and $15 adults, and will be available at the Pontchartrain Center box office one hour before the performance. Call 468-1231 for info. -- Etheridge

Johnny Vidacovich with Charlie Hunter and Luther Dickinson 10:30 p.m. Sunday, May 5 Old Point Bar, 545 Patterson St., Algiers 364-0950 Drummer Johnny Vidacovich holds court with tons of special guests Sunday and Monday (May 5-6) at the Old Point Bar. Astral Project drummer Johnny Vidacovich rules the Old Point Bar. With his regular weekly trio gigs, he plays with a rotating set of local ringers such as George Porter Jr., Anders Osborne and funk fireball June Yamagishi. These shows have set a local standard for jazz-funk jam sessions, and now his all star pickup gigs are hitting it big with the out-of-town Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest crowds. Not only is Vidacovich a graceful drummer, outstanding musician and innovative poet, but he also knows how to infuse his performances with creative musicians from all over the country. Word of Johnny V's gigs has gotten out among popular young touring players, who seem to think that it would be ludicrous to come through town without trying to sit in on one of these transcendental happenings. On Sunday night, West Coast jazz-funkster Charlie Hunter will sit down to play his signature bass-and-guitar combination, with country blues guitarist Luther Dickinson (of the North Mississippi All Stars) ripping it up down-home style. This show should leave few stones unturned in the blues-jazz-funk realm, promising plenty of reeling, exploratory solos, anchored by Johnny's tastefully funky grooves. Monday night features a Vidacovich-style pickup session, with Galactic drummer Stanton Moore joining in on the beat-building. Since Moore is a longtime friend and former student of Vidacovich, their onstage interaction is a thrill to witness. Setting up the groove together, they exchange ideas through familiar beat nuances and egg each other on to frequent percussive climaxes. Astral Project bass giant James Singleton adds wacky low-end lines, fierce slapping and syrupy bowing, while Seattle-based jazz sax visionary Skerik provides lush melodies spiked with his signature squawk. Tickets $20 both nights. -- Diettinger

Revelation of Spirit: Photographs of Michael P. Smith Ongoing, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays Photo Exchange Gallery, 8208 Oak St. Veteran Jazz Festers remember him as the bearded guy with the camera who was always on stage with the musicians. His name is Michael P. Smith, and if no one has documented Jazz Fest performances more thoroughly, that is only the tip of the iceberg as far as his achievements are concerned. During the New Orleans roots culture renaissance that began in the 1960s and continued for decades thereafter, no one was more conspicuously present than Smith. A fixture at jazz funerals and second-line marches, at Mardi Gras Indian gatherings and spiritualist church revivals, he helped facilitate Professor Longhair's comeback by co-founding the institution that became Tipitina's. In recent years, Smith has been slowed by a stroke, but his superb retrospective at the Photo Exchange Gallery reminds us that his images are as vital as ever, as timeless and dynamic as their subjects. -- D. Eric Bookhardt