The French Quarter Festival

Ian and Tonya come to you live from New Orleans, where theyre celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the French Quarter Festival- the largest free music festival in the south. Theyll bring home some of the sounds and tastes of the city to you, as the go inside the New Orleans Jazz Scene with Ben Jaffe of Preservation Hall and get a taste of the culinary delights the Big Easy has to offer from Chef Duke LoCicero of Caf Giovanni Restaurant.

Episode Segments:

Whats New in New Orleans Kelly Schultz from the New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau talks about the rebuilding progress of the city, and discusses some of the upcoming events and festivals, including the New Orleans Jazz Fest.
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Fun at the French Quarter Festival Ian and Tonya welcome Marci Schramm, Executive Director of the French Quarter Festival. Marci shares the origins of the festival, and tells you all about the types of music and food you will be able to find there. She also discusses how the Festival ha grown in the years since Hurricane Katrina.
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New Orleans Jazz Ben Jaffe, owner and direction of Preservation Hall talks about how his parents founded the hall, and the Preservation Hall Band. He also talks about how Preservation Hall is reaching the younger generations to teach them about jazz, and shares his Katrina story.
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A Taste of New Orleans Chef Duke LoCicero, better known as Big Sexy, the owner and Chef Caf Giovanni Restaurant talks about how the food is bringing people back to New Orleans, and what makes New Orleans cuisine so unique. He also talks about the food available at the French Quarter Festival, and how growing up in New Orleans has shaped his culinary style.
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Guest(s) Appearing on this Episode

Benjamin Jaffe The son of the co-founders of Preservation Hall, Allan and Sandra Jaffe, Benjamin was raised in the heart of the French Quarter and its culture. Benjamin began playing bass in his school's band at age seven. The day after his graduation from Oberlin College in 1993, Ben flew out to join the Preservation Hall Band as bassist on their world tour. Gradually, he assumed his late father's responsibilities as director of Preservation Hall. Jaffe and his wife stayed in New Orleans as Katrina hit. He yielded his position as bassist with the touring band in order to devote full energies to the recovery of Preservation Hall. Ben and his wife, Sarah organized the New Orleans Musicians Hurricane Relief Fund with a mission to restore New Orleans’ culture and vitality, and to provide emergency relief for performers in need. Already, the NOMHRF has distributed over a half million dollars in the form of grants to local musicians, musical institutions and members of the extended cultural community. Click here to learn more about Preservation Hall

Duke LoCicero In his 18 years at Cafe' Giovanni, Owner and Chef Duke LoCicero has been bringing worldwide attention to New Orleans Cuisine. Born and raised in New Orleans, "Chef Duke" has been a part of the restaurant scene since he was thirteen. At eighteen he enrolled in the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. After his apprenticeship he worked throughout the United States, gaining experience with a variety of cuisine's that have undoubtedly influenced the blend of flavors that characterize Chef Duke's creations at Cafe' Giovanni. The Sea Ketch in New Jersey, The Brownstone in Houston, Joey's in Baton Rouge, and the Royal Orleans were just a few of his ports of call. Chef Duke creates "New World Italian Cuisine" which he presents in a unique artistic style. Chef Duke has won numerous awards including Louisiana Restaurant Association's 2004 Restaurateur of the Year, and the prestigious Taster's Choice Award for Best Chef in 2002. Click Here for Duke's Resturant