ALL THAT JAZZ

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The Franklin Avenue Baptist Choir, from one of this city’s more devastated areas, had already whipped fans at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival into a frothing frenzy — but the choir’s leader didn’t think the crowd was excited enough.
He only needed to mention Hurricane Katrina to get the already enthusiastic group on its feet.
“Didn’t he get you through Katrina?” the leader shouted to the hundreds packed inside the gospel tent on Saturday. “He left New Orleans here for a reason. Y’all need to get up on your feet.”
That spirit permeated the second day of the Jazz Fest, the first since the hurricane tore through the city last year, displacing untold numbers of its musicians. Bob Dylan, Dr. John and Ani DeFranco were among Friday’s performers, along with dozens of local acts.
Despite high winds and foreboding clouds that hovered all day Saturday, thousands of fans packed the Fair Grounds for a second day.
While big names such as the Dave Matthews Band, Etta James and Herbie Hancock played at the bigger stages, one star casually dropped in on one of the smaller sets. The Edge, from supergroup U2, walked on during the New Birth Brass Band’s already enthralling set, joining them as they sang “Stand By Me” in tribute to New Orleans. Juvenile, a New Orleans native who depicts the city’s streets in his raps, performed later on the same stage as New Birth. As the chorus of one rap boomed “Bounce back”, Juvenile yelled to the crowd, “That’s what New Orleans is about to do!” Later, noting he was a Katrina victim as well, Juvenile said, “I ain’t gonna give up on y’all.”
But the singer said her performance Friday at the House of Blues in the French Quarter and her Jazz Fest appearance assured her that the city was on the right track.
Jazz Fest continues through Sunday, when headliners will include Bruce Springsteen, Allen Toussaint and Elvis Costello. It concludes next weekend.

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BRETT DUKE

Associated Press Dwayne Dopsie of Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisiers performs during the 2006 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in New Orleans on Saturday, April 29.