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A new day kicks off Jazz Fest 2003.

Count Basin, Scott Jordan, David Kunian and Michael Tisserand

Ah, the Count loves this time of year. For your intrepid Jazz Fest correspondent and humble guide, yours truly Count Basin, the last weekend of April means it's time to help you make the most of your New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival experience. To that end, the Count -- as he's done for more than a decade -- has spent the fall and winter scouring dancehalls and bandstands across Louisiana and the world, getting all the essential information you need about every single musical performer playing at Jazz Fest. From gospel to funk, rock to Cajun, zydeco to jazz, blues to world beat, the Count's highly trained musical ears have sifted through the riffs and rhythms to provide you with your very own personalized musical guide.

And the Count has worked extra hard this year, as Jazz Fest has blessed us with a new day this year (a first-weekend Thursday), meaning there's even more music to hear for all you Fest diehards.

Artists such as Jon Cleary (pictured) are ready to help you get your groove on for the first weekend of Jazz Fest 2003.

Photo by Scott Saltzman

For maximum ease, the Count has arranged all the bands chronologically, so your musical knowledge will always be right on time. So please take my hand, grab a spinach or meat pie and your favorite beverage of choice, and without further ado, let's head out to the Fair Grounds.

On the Cover
James Michalopoulos, New Orleans' premier painter, captures the devotional rapture of the heavenly Mahalia Jackson. The artist brings his signature emotive power to this definitive portrait of America's gospel roots. This limited-edition silk-screen classic will likely sell out, so don't delay. Visit www.art4now.com or call (888) art4now for more details.

Cristina Diettinger on Garage a Trois
David Kunian on the Rob Wagner Trio
Tom McDermott on Manuel Oberon
Gene Scramuzzo on Ornette Coleman
Michael Tisserand on Moise and Alida Viator
CD Reviews
Schedule

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