Americana Dominates Saturday at Jazz Fest 2026

Tyler Childers

Saturday’s a strong day for sincerity at Jazz Fest.

Saturday is a strong Americana day at Jazz Fest with Rhiannon Giddens (Blues Tent, 5:25 p.m.) and Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit (Shell Gentilly Stage, 3:30 p.m.). They’re very different acts, but Isbell and Giddens have both earned respect for their musical accomplishments and integrity. They’re both Jazz Fest veterans, and first-timer Tyler Childers (Shell Gentilly Stage, 5:25 p.m.) occupies a similar space. He has made his reputation by clinging to a version of country too old-time for country radio to recognize, though last year’s Rick Rubin-produced Snipe Hunter updated Childers’ sonics for his album, Snipe Hunter.. 

Local Americana artists will get their time as well. The Deslondes have a new album, Don’t Let it Die, Vol. 1, due out May 22. On it, they cover songs by their peers as well as such heroes as Johnny Cash, Swamp Dogg, and Shelby Lynne, but none of their choices are so signature that they’re selling refracted glory. They’ve chosen songs that make sense for them. 

Louisiana multi-instrumentalist and producer Dirk Powell (Rhythmpourium, 2:20 p.m.) also has a new album, Wake, and he will perform with his daughter Amelia. 

In 2022, we wrote about Kelcy Wilburn’s transition from Kelcy Mae to Ever More Nest, and Ever More Nest (Lagniappe Stage, 4:55 p.m.) returns to Jazz Fest this year as well. 

Hip-hop never gets too much time at Jazz Fest, but it makes a few appearances on Saturday starting with Congo Square Stage headliner Nas (5:55 p.m.). Bounce artist HaSizzle (Congo Square Stage, 11:20 a.m.; Allison Miner Music Heritage Stage, 2:15 p.m.) is a human syllable machine, as he demonstrated when he appeared on our “Twelve Songs of Christmas” podcast in 2024. It’s also great to see Kr3wcial playing later in the afternoon. Kr3wcial (Rhythmpourium, 4:45 p.m.) has made a few Jazz Fest appearance that I can remember—one as part of glbl wrmng in 2023 and once with Alfred Banks. This will be his first solo show.

Earlier this week, I previewed the Jamaican acts playing Jazz Fest this weekend. I skipped Burning Spear (Congo Square Stage, 4 p.m.) because I can’t have to tell you about one of reggae’s legendary figures (though I will vouch for Garvey’s Ghost as one of the great dub albums), but I did highlight reggae lifer Lutan Fyah (Sandals Resorts Jamaica Cultural Exchange Pavilion, 2:10 p.m.; Jazz & Heritage, 4:45 p.m.) and BrukOut Sound System feat. Seani B., Nesta, Laa Lee, and DJ Izzy Bossy (Sandals Resorts Jamaica Cultural Exchange Pavilion, 3:35 p.m.). The latter act was assembled to create a dancehall show specifically for Jazz Fest with London DJs Seani B. (from the BBC) and DJ Izzy Bossy, along with dancers and vocalists Nesta and Laa Lee.