In the SEPTEMBER 2026 Issue of the 'OZone,
WWOZ's monthly newsletter:
Fall Membership Drive, September 17-25 | Photos: Groove Gala 2026 | Save the Dates: Festing in Place October 22-25 | Crescent City Blues & BBQ Fest, October 9-11 | Fall Second Line Season | BlackAmericana Fest, September 25-26 | In Memoriam: Jerome "Big Duck" Smith | Show Host Profile: Andrew Grafe | Recipe: Blackened Grilled Shrimp | Quick Links
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Fall Membership Drive, September 17-25This fall's "Guardians of the Groove" Membership Drive will take place September 17-25. Our new collection of Member Gifts for 2026-27 (pictured above) features the “WWOZ Open 24 Hours Since 1980” logo. So fire up the device of your choice, tune in, and help us Guard the Groove! WWOZ needs your support in order to keep the sweet world-wide stream of New Orleans music flowing. |
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Photos: Groove Gala 2026It was the party of the year: another amazing WWOZ Groove Gala at Tableau Restaurant and Le Petit Theatre last Thursday night! Thank you to 'Ozillians who came from here and 18 states to celebrate, as well as our generous sponsors, board, staff, and volunteers. And special thanks to our incredible gala performers including John Boutte, Irma Thomas, Big Sam's Funky Nation, Doreen Ketchens, River Eckert, New Orleans Jazz Vipers, and DJ Swamp Boogie! |
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Save the Dates: Festing in Place October 22-25Plan on tuning in October 22-25 from 11am-7pm for Festing in Place, our annual celebration of live music from New Orleans and the world beyond! Once again, we're partnering with the Archive of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation to share the greatest music from Heaven & Earth, including recent and historical recordings. Get ready to celebrate the best of New Orleans music--from anywhere in the world! |
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Crescent City Blues & BBQ Fest, October 9-11This year's Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival happens Friday, October 9 through Sunday, October 11 in Lafayette Square. The award-winning fest features two stages of music, great barbecue vendors and a local arts market. Performers will include Booker T. Jones, Cedric Burnside, Samantha Fish, Little Freddie King, George Porter Jr. & the Runnin’ Partners, Terrance Simien and the Zydeco Experience, Erica Falls & Vintage Soul & lots more! If you can't be there in person, tune in to WWOZ for the sounds and sights from this year's festival! Listen live at 90.7 FM locally or wwoz.org worldwide, or watch on our YouTube channel. |
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Fall Second Line SeasonFall second line season is under way. The Good Fellas second line happens on September 20 and Young Men Olympians on September 27. See the schedule of upcoming events and get the route sheets & more from Takin' It to the Streets, WWOZ's multi-platform program celebrating New Orleans' social aid & pleasure clubs, second lines, Black Masking Indians, Baby Dolls, and brass band traditions. While you're there, check out our list of weekly Brass Band events. |
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BlackAmericana Fest, September 25-26BlackAmericana Fest features two days of performances, panels, and celebrations of the black roots of American music. It's a platform honoring the heritage, legacy, and contributions of Black artists making music in the Americana and Folk genres in New Orleans and the Mississippi River Delta region. This year's lineup includes Tray Wellington, Seratones, Joy Clark, the Lilli Lewis Project, Bolton Serunjogi, Dusky Waters, Southern Nights Superset, Teena May, Sunpie & The Louisiana Sunspots, Robin Barnes & the Fiya Birds, and many others. The festival happens September 25–26 at The Broadside Theater; see the ticket link below. |
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In Memoriam: Jerome "Big Duck" SmithJerome "Big Duck" Smith, a Freedom Rider, civil rights leader, community organizer, culture bearer, and mentor passed on August 21 at the age of 87. Smith dedicated his life to justice and to preserving the culture of New Orleans. As a young man, he participated in sit-ins, boycotts, and Freedom Rides during the Civil Rights Movement. A longtime leader in Treme, 7th Ward, and beyond, Smith played an important role in the preservation and resurgence of the city's brass band, second line, and Black Masking Indian traditions. WWOZ extends our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and all who were touched by his leadership and generosity. |
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Show Host Profile: Andrew GrafeIn programming his “Blues Eclectic” show (Mondays, 2-4pm), Andrew Grafe strings together classic and contemporary blues while occasionally wandering into other genres. It’s a bit of a rabbit hole, he admits, one that he loves sharing with his listeners. “I’ve been doing this longer than anything else in my life!” Grafe laughs. “I think that, as someone who came to the station because I loved the station, and I love New Orleans music and all the genres that contribute to New Orleans music, I still think after 30 years of listening to OZ that it’s still a great station. At any given point during the week I can turn on the station and I’ll probably hear something that I’m really into, or that I haven’t heard before.” Our thanks to Andrew for helping make WWOZ what it is! |
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Recipe: Blackened Grilled ShrimpSummer's winding down but it's still hot, and Blackened Grilled Shrimp--quick and smokey and Louisiana's answer to shrimp-on-the-barbie--really hits the spot! You can get your blackening seasoning at the store, or make it with our recipe. |
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