Dear Listener,

We all know by now there’s no such thing as climate change—what “feels-like” 102F these days is simply our jonesing for a Hansen’s Sno-Bliz. But what has changed is that ‘OZ’s (and perhaps New Orleans’) annual three-month-long sleepy solstice estivation is now a thing of the past.

Our stalwart staff has been hard at work behind the scenes getting ready for a very active year. For example: the WWOZ On-Air Pledge Drive dates have already been set for the November 3-13. BTW—if you’re one of the people who got caught up in the Brass Pass shortage last Spring, it’s not too soon to start saving your pennies in anticipation of the Fall Drive—indeed a smart play. It’s been our experience that every so often the folks at Jazz Fest raise their ticket prices; and when they do, of course, Brass Passes go up as well. Those lucky enough to have bought theirs before the change get a little better deal. (And I do believe it’s been a few years since the price has gone up.)

We’re also planning on rolling out additional goodies for our streaming and HD audience—now the majority of ‘OZ’s listeners. Let’s just say that you should plan on hearing a lot more of the music that you love at 90.7FM/wwoz.org, both in real time and on-demand! Stay tuned for the upcoming announcements.

We’re also planning a number of WWOZ concerts and live performance broadcasts from local venues and festivals, as well as sites flung far across the nation and offshore.

Most important is the time we’ve put in this summer pondering the BIG issues—how we can better operate the station, create new audiences into the future and really deepen our service and relationship with YOU, the reason we do what we do and whose support makes possible not only our existence but our dreams.

Yours in stink bugs and giant slugs,

David Freedman
General Manager

Satchmo SummerFest, the annual summer festival honoring the late, great Louis Armstrong, is happening from Friday, July 31 to Sunday, August 2. The community festival features local music with a focus on contemporary and traditional jazz and brass bands. There’s also great food, of course. "Red Bean Alley" is home to food booths operated by some of New Orleans finest restaurants. The “Satchmo Symposium” also runs throughout the weekend inside the Old U.S. Mint, and plays host to a series of top-notch lectures on a wide variety of topics surrounding Armstrong, his music, career, and legacy.

» Satchmo SummerFest Performance and Symposium Lineup

WWOZ brings the sounds of New Orleans to the world through our live broadcasts. Festival broadcasts are some of the most popular programming we have, and bringing you to the big festivals like Jazz Fest and French Quarter Fest require a lot of moving parts, a focused team of players, and a bit of luck. This month, we take a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to bring a live event to the airwaves and online at wwoz.org.

» See how we bring the live sounds of New Orleans to the airwaves

2015 is the year of the Mardi Gras Indian Queen in New Orleans, and WWOZ and the Mardi Gras Indian Hall of Fame are partnering to bring you a rare look inside this unique New Orleans Tradition, interviewing a different Mardi Gras Indian Queen every month. This month, we spoke with Big Queen Pauline "Ree" Johnson of the Creole Wild West, the oldest tribe in the city.

» Mardi Gras Indian Queen Interviews

It's never too early to start thinking about next year's Jazz Fest! WWOZ's supply of Brass Passes ran out earlier than ever last year, so act now. Brass Passes for 2016 will be available July 31 at wwoz.org or by calling (504) 568-1239 during business hours. By contributing to receive your Brass Pass now, you get it at last year's contribution level ($500, part of which is tax deductible.)

We're celebrating the launch of next year's Brass Pass. We'll be at Louisiana Music Factory, 421 Frenchmen Street, throughout Satchmo SummerFest, July 31 - August 2. Stop by from 11a to 7p all three days. Get your Brass Pass in person and enter a raffle for a free Brass Pass so that you can bring a guest!

 » 2016 Brass Pass

The Abita Springs Opry, an assortment of folk, country, jazz, and bluegrass musicians, will perform all five Saturdays in August at the Farmers Market stage in the French Market. Each performance will feature two bands including among others The Lucky Dogs, Last Chance Bluegrass Band, PTown Ramblers, and Bad Pennies Pleasure Makers.

 » Abita Springs Opry at the Farmers Market

This simple summer staple comes courtesy of Salú Bistro and Bar and is featured on their July BBQ Menu. Salu's recipe reinvents the classic side dish with decadent pork belly, veal stock, and of course some brown sugar. The entree pairing of your choice is going to have a mighty rival in these beans!

 »  Recipe: Salú Boston Baked Beans