Jazz Fest: Sunday's Schedule and Picks

My Spilt Milk's downloadable schedule, complete with our picks for Sunday at the Fair Grounds.

I have the highest hopes for today at Jazz Fest. With the exception of Janelle Monae, this first weekend has lacked musical urgency. Pearl Jam started and finished hot, but you had to be committed to get through the middle hour. Van Morrison wasn't a mess, but I'm not sure "electrifying" is in his vocabulary in 2016. Our highlights for today aren't all attention-grabbers, but they do reflect personal visions.

I'm particularly interested in Leyla McCalla, who I wrote about for the New Orleans Advocate last year. We'll have a review of her new album, A Day for the Hunter, A Day for the Prey tomorrow or Tuesday, but it's a beautiful album of folk music derived from Haiti and performed on cello. There's a good chance that Rhiannon Giddens, who also performs today, will join her at some point. Giddens performed with McCalla last time she played Jazz Fest, and they have toured together as solo acts as well as when they were members of the Carolina Chocolate Drops.

I'm also cuious about Elle King, who was nominated for two Grammys last year. What I've heard sounds like retro hot rod rock, which is just fine with me if it goes that way. I know my day will end with J. Cole, and I'll likely swing by Red Hot Chili Peppers out of curiosity. 

Here's our schedule for today, color-coded with the people we hope to see as well as the Louisiana artists who ought to be on your radar. Print it or download it to your phone or tablet.