VOA标准英语2011--It's Time for New Orleans Jazz Fest

It's Time for New Orleans Jazz Fest

The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival is back for its 42nd season (4/29-5/1 and 5/5-5/8), and the word is come early and stay late.
The good news is Jazz Fest 2011 is not sold out. Matter of fact, Jazz Fest never sells out. Tickets to the seven-day music extravaganza are always available at the gate, right up until the final note on closing night, so last-minute arrivals have nothing to worry about.
Staking out a great space near any of the 12 stages at the New Orleans fairgrounds is another matter. An early arrival is highly recommended, but with hundreds of performers spanning almost 60 hours of every conceivable type of music, any spot at Jazz Fest is just fine.
Over time, the word jazz in New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival has taken on a new meaning. There's lots of jazz, like Sonny Rollins, Ahmad Jamal, Terence Blanchard and Nicholas Payton, but there is also Robert Plant, Bon Jovi, Willie Nelson, Kid Rock, Jimmy Buffett and Tom Jones. Yes, Tom Jones!
Jazz Fest is big on nostalgia¹ so it's not unusual to see pop sensation Tom Jones on this year's schedule.
Star power aside, Louisiana-bred Cajun music, zydeco, gospel, blues², and Southern soul remain festival favorites. Not to be missed, are the brass³ band parades, the Louisiana folklife village, a Native American village, food and crafts fair, and a special celebration of Haitian culture. Jazz Fest closes on Sunday May 8.

1 nostalgia   

n.怀乡病，留恋过去，怀旧

参考例句：

• He might be influenced by nostalgia for his happy youth.也许是对年轻时幸福时光的怀恋影响了他。
• I was filled with nostalgia by hearing my favourite old song.我听到这首喜爱的旧歌，心中充满了怀旧之情。

2 blues   

n.抑郁，沮丧；布鲁斯音乐

参考例句：

• She was in the back of a smoky bar singing the blues.她在烟雾弥漫的酒吧深处唱着布鲁斯歌曲。
• He was in the blues on account of his failure in business.他因事业失败而意志消沉。

3 brass   

n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器

参考例句：

• Many of the workers play in the factory's brass band.许多工人都在工厂铜管乐队中演奏。
• Brass is formed by the fusion of copper and zinc.黄铜是通过铜和锌的熔合而成的。