bettye lavette

The 2008 edition of the Houston International Festival started on Saturday, April 19th with headliner Buddy Guy, and other intriguing acts like "The Great Lady of Soul" Bettye Lavette, Houston's own D.R.U.M., and Austinites/Prince collaborators Grupo Fantasma.

Read more about the first day of iFest after the jump

One of the events I look forward to most in Houston every year is the International Festival. This year's iFest (the 37th edition) aims the spotlight on Africa, and it's scheduled to take place April 19-20 and April 25-27 in downtown Houston. Rather than focusing on one country this year (as is typically the case), diverse performances and activities are planned to highlight the "three journeys of Africans: original human migration out of Africa, the tragedy of forced migration out of Africa, and the cultural journey back to Africa and globalization." This year's performance schedule was released today and includes the likes of The Wailers, Trombone Shorty, and Bettye LaVette, as well as cultural events such as Ethiopian and Kenyan fashion shows.

More iFest info after the jump

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