Jazz Fest '08 Line-up Released

New Orleans. Just uttering those two words conjures a wide array of images, from beads and bare breasts to faulty levees and hurricanes (both the disastrous and tasty kinds). But at its core, New Orleans is a city filled with music and culture -- and a guaranteed good time. Each year, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival celebrates the fullness of the city's musical legacy, bringing in heavyweight acts as well as staples of NOLA's music scene. This year's festival, the 39th installment of the event, is certainly no exception: the line-up boasts acts representing genres ranging from jazz (of course) and zydeco to country and jam.

More Jazz Fest info after the jump

Perhaps you're scratching your head and wondering why it's called 'jazz' fest when it actually encompasses so many different styles of music. I say this only means that the 'heritage' umbrella is a mighty big one, and there are no complaints here. As jazz legend Duke Ellington once said, "It's all music." So bring it on.

The full line-up for the 7-day festival is a bit too extensive to list in its entirety here, so instead I'll give you a few highlights. You can check the full list at the festival's official website.

Friday April 25
Buckwheat Zydeco
Sheryl Crow
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
Burning Spear
Ozomatli with Chali 2na
Big Sam's Funky Nation
Zydepunks
Lizz Wright
Tab Benoit
Anders Osborne
Terence Simien & Zydeco Experience
Banu Gibson & New Orleans Hot Jazz
The Iguanas
Moov
Kustbandet
Bonsoir Catin

Saturday April 26
Dr. John
Billy Joel
O.A.R.
Jon Cleary and the Absolute Monster Gentlemen
Keyshia Cole
The Count Basie Orchestra feat. Patti Austin
Cowboy Mouth
Cupid
James Cotton
The Imagination Movers
Wayne Toups & Zydecajuns
NewBirth Brass Band
Astral Project
Big Chief Peppy & the Golden Arrows
The Original Last Straws
Po' Henry & Tookie

Sunday April 27
Irma Thomas
Tim McGraw
Al Green
Elvis Costello & Allen Toussaint
Del McCoury
Cassandra Wilson
Delbert McClinton
Voice of the Wetlands All-Stars
Big Chief Monk Boudreaux & the Golden Eagles
BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet
Gal Holiday & the Honky Tonk Revue
Rockin' Dopsie & the Zydeco Twisters
New Orleans Klezmer All-Stars
Egg Yolk Jubilee
Midnite Disturbers

Thursday May 1
Randy Newman
Widespread Panic
Tower of Power
Kermitt Ruffins & the Barbecue Swingers
Bettye LaVette
Porter-Batiste-Stoltz
Johnny Sketch & the Dirty Notes
The Lee Boys
Gene "Duke of Earl" Chandler
Deacon John
Carolina Chocolate Drops
Luther Kent & Trickbag
Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys
New Orleans Rhythm Conspiracy
Fredy Omar con su Banda
Lafayette Rhythm Devils

Friday May 2
Art Neville
Stevie Wonder
John Prine
Michael Franti & Spearhead
John Butler Trio
John Hammond
Trombone Shorty & Orleans Ave
Marva Wright & the BMWs
Papa Grows Funk
Bonerama
Richard Thompson
Zigaboo Modeliste
Soul Rebels
Driskill Mountain Boys
Eve's Lucky Planet
Fi Yi Yi & the Mandingo Warriors

Saturday May 3
Marcia Ball
Jimmy Buffett
The Roots
Bobby McFerrin & Chick Corea
Dirty Dozen Brass Band
Aaron Neville's Gospel Soul
Charmaine Neville
Ruthie Foster
Diana Krall
Steel Pulse
John Mooney & Bluesiana
the subdudes
Nathan & the Zydeco Cha-Chas
War Chief Juan & Young Fire
Storyville Stompers Brass Band
Rumba Buena
The Dixie Cups

Sunday May 4
The Neville Brothers
Santana
Galactic
The Raconteurs
Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk
The Derek Trucks Band
Keb' Mo'
Rebirth Brass Band
Preservation Hall Jazz Band
Maze feat. Frankie Beverly
Amanda Shaw & the Cute Guys
Abigail Washburn & the Sparrow Quartet feat. Bela Fleck
Benny Grunch & the Bunch
Grupo Fantasma
Snooks Eaglin

Hundreds more bands are listed at Jazz Fest's website. Advance tickets are $40/day (except Thursday, May 1, which is $30), and $50 at the gate ($40 on May 1).

Carpe ientaculum.

--Cereal