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N' Orleans Jazz Fest Recap

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Jazz Fest: 'Good to be home' in New Orleans for Fans, Artists

A cool breeze cut through the welcome sun on Sunday as the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival wrapped up its two-weekend, seven-day run. Muddy fairgrounds did little to deter festivalgoers from making their way to the jam-packed conclusion, and many hard-core fans arrived Sunday in rubber boots. Shanga Mathews, New Orleans native and first-year cleanup worker for the fest, reflected Sunday afternoon on the experience. “This one's been a fine festival," Mathews said. “It seems like every year it gets bigger and bigger."

When asked what he was most looking forward to Sunday, Mathews was quick to respond with the names of the final evening's headliners.

“Santana and the Neville Brothers," Mathews said. “Isn't everyone looking forward to that?"

Nonetheless, plenty of highlights came before. Among them:

*Randy Newman took a stab Thursday at the federal government for not doing more to help hurricane recovery. “This city is not good at fixing things. It's not what it does," he said to laughs and applause. “It's important America has a city like this that knows what's important."

He then launched into Louisiana 1927, a heart-wrenching melody written in 1974 about the Mississippi River flood of 1927 that has become an anthem in New Orleans. Some spectators sang along, and others lowered their heads and quietly cried as Newman sang: “Louisiana, Louisiana ... They're tryin' to wash us away."

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