Brian Wise broadcasts from New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, bringing listeners a wide-ranging dispatch from the eight-day celebration across two weekends.

In the thick of the festival grounds and backstage, Brian captures the New Orleans' musical legacy through a range of interviews spanning jazz, blues, Americana, zydeco, second lines, and the deep creative culture that makes New Orleans unlike anywhere else.

Welsh-born, London-raised singer-songwriter Judith Owen reflects on falling in love with New Orleans after first visiting Jazz Fest in the mid-’90s, and later moving there with husband Harry Shearer after Hurricane Katrina. Her new album, Suit Yourself, continues a run of work shaped by New Orleans jazz and its spirit of finding joy in the face of adversity.

Brian also catches up backstage with The Deslondes, who discuss their upcoming covers record Don’t Let It Die, recorded in Sam Doores’ old house on Deslonde Street during a rare New Orleans snowstorm. The band reflect on the city’s pull as a place musicians come not to chase fame, but to find inspiration in its deep musical tradition.

Later, blues legend Charlie Musselwhite and GA-20 guitarist Matt Stubbs talk about their new collaborative record Blues Now, recorded fast, live, and loose in one room. They dig into Charlie’s long history with the blues, the songs chosen for the record, and the simple joy of playing music that feels good.

The show also features moments with Jon Cleary and Zachary Richard, plus reflections on Wilco, Bob Dylan in Baton Rouge, and the unmistakable atmosphere of a city where music is alive, communal, and still unfolding.