Last spring, performers Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel caused waves of excitement in the music industry when they announced that they would tour for the first time in five years.
But when the summer 2009 routing was revealed to be only for Australia and New Zealand, the duo’s stateside fanbase was left wondering whether they would be left with the sound of silence. Now those questions have been answered with the announcement that Simon and Garfunkel are one of the latest acts booked for the 41st annual New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival lineup.
As usual, the festival will run over the course of two weekends this spring — April 23 through 25, and April 29 through May 2 — at the Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, LA. The duo will make its Jazz Festival debut on April 24.
Single-day tickets and weekend packages are already on sale for this year’s Jazz Fest.
Festival producers have already announced a full slate of artists for the 2010 season. Pearl Jam, Aretha Franklin, Van Morrison, Lionel Richie and the Allman Brothers Band are among the previously confirmed performers at the upcoming Jazz Fest. The complete lineup, as it stands now, is available on the official Jazz Fest Web site.
Garfunkel first acknowledged his reunion plans with Simon during an interview with the BBC in February 2009, though he would not confirm any specific routing. Less than two months later, Simon and Garfunkel confirmed nearly 10 performance dates Down Under, which Australian promoter Michael Chugg called “a twice in a lifetime chance, but the last time you’ll get to take it.”
