There are nights on JamFest when the signal feels less like a broadcast and more like a direct transmission from the front row of something global, kinetic
Source: Da Tweekaz live from Tomorrowland Winter in France on March 19, 2024 on Live Nuggets Tonight!
JamFest Spotlight: The Lumineers Light Up Newport Folk Festival 2013 in a Sing-Along Performance That Defined a Folk Revival Moment
Source: Events
Tori Amos Reimagines Strange Little Girls for 2026: The Definitive 25th Anniversary Edition Arrives on Vinyl for the First Time
Source: Events
Few cities in the world have shaped modern music culture the way New Orleans, Louisiana has. The sound of the city—often described simply as the NOLA style—is not confined to a single genre. Instead, it represents a living musical ecosystem where funk, brass band traditions, Treme street music, rhythm and blues, zydeco, second-line grooves, and classic New Orleans soul intersect to create one of the most recognizable musical identities anywhere in the world.
This season, JamFest is shining a spotlight on that powerful musical legacy with expanded programming that celebrates the full spectrum of New Orleans sound. At the center of that celebration is the radio show What Is Hip?!, an overnight broadcast designed to immerse listeners in the rhythms and culture of Louisiana music.
The show begins each night at 10 PM, launching a deep musical journey through the sounds that define New Orleans nightlife. From there, the program continues throughout the night—delivering hours of funk grooves, brass band street rhythms, zydeco accordion energy, and the unmistakable pulse of the Crescent City—until the broadcast concludes with NPR News Now at 9 AM.
For music fans, the show offers something rare: a full overnight immersion in authentic New Orleans music culture.
While many people associate New Orleans primarily with jazz, the city’s musical identity has always been far broader and more diverse. The NOLA style reflects generations of cultural exchange and neighborhood traditions that shaped an entire family of musical genres.
The foundation of that sound can be traced to historic gathering places such as Congo Square, where African rhythms and Caribbean influences blended with European musical traditions centuries ago.
From those early musical gatherings grew a musical culture defined by rhythm, improvisation, and collective performance.
Today, the New Orleans sound encompasses multiple styles that remain deeply connected to the city’s streets and neighborhoods:
Funk: New Orleans funk carries a groove-driven rhythm that emphasizes syncopation and deep bass lines. The style became globally influential through artists such as The Meters, whose rhythmic innovations helped shape funk music worldwide.
Brass Band and Treme Traditions: In neighborhoods like Tremé, brass band music has long served as both celebration and storytelling. These ensembles perform at parades, second-line celebrations, and community events, keeping the city’s street music tradition alive.
Zydeco: Originating in Louisiana’s Creole communities, zydeco blends accordion-driven melodies with blues, R&B, and dance rhythms. The genre remains a central part of Louisiana cultural festivals and dance halls.
Second-Line Rhythms: One of the most distinctive elements of New Orleans music is the second-line parade tradition, where musicians and dancers move through neighborhoods performing high-energy rhythms rooted in community celebration.
Together, these styles form the NOLA musical identity—a sound that JamFest is celebrating in its full diversity.
The What Is Hip?! radio show was created to capture the experience of a night in New Orleans and bring it to listeners around the world.
Instead of focusing on a single genre, the program explores the entire musical ecosystem of the city.
From late-night funk sessions to brass band recordings, zydeco dance tracks, and classic New Orleans R&B, the show recreates the experience of moving from club to club through the neighborhoods of the Crescent City.
Listeners tuning in at 10 PM step into a curated musical environment designed to mirror the city’s nightlife rhythm.
As the night unfolds, the playlist expands across decades of recordings and modern performances, celebrating artists who helped shape the sound of New Orleans.
By the time the show reaches the early morning hours, audiences have traveled across the entire spectrum of NOLA music culture.
JamFest’s focus on the New Orleans music tradition arrives during one of the most vibrant periods in the city’s festival calendar.
One of the most anticipated events is the legendary French Quarter Festival, scheduled for April 16–19, 2026.
The event transforms the historic French Quarter into a massive outdoor celebration of Louisiana music and culture, featuring hundreds of performances across multiple stages.
Unlike many large music festivals, French Quarter Festival places a special emphasis on local artists and regional genres, including brass band music, funk, zydeco, and Cajun traditions.
Another major cultural event highlighting the next generation of New Orleans musicians is the Congo Square Rhythms Festival, scheduled for March 28, 2026.
The festival hosts the well-known Class Got Brass competition, where school brass bands compete for more than $50,000 in musical instruments and education support.
The event celebrates the educational pipeline that keeps New Orleans music traditions thriving across generations.
Meanwhile, the popular Wednesday at the Square concert series continues drawing large crowds to Lafayette Square each spring. The free outdoor concerts feature local bands performing funk, soul, brass band music, and modern interpretations of the NOLA groove.
Together, these festivals demonstrate how deeply music remains embedded in everyday life across New Orleans.
Beyond the major festivals, New Orleans music culture thrives in the city’s clubs and performance spaces.
One notable example is the launch of the “Jazz on a Sunday Afternoon” series at the Three Maries Jazz Club inside the Omni Royal Orleans.
Although the venue highlights jazz in its programming, the performances often reflect the broader musical influences of the city, blending funk rhythms, brass instrumentation, and improvisational traditions.
Across the city, venues continue hosting nightly performances where musicians reinterpret the sounds of New Orleans through contemporary perspectives.
These intimate club settings remain one of the most important spaces where the NOLA sound continues to evolve.
New Orleans musicians continue producing recordings that blend tradition with innovation.
Recent projects receiving attention within the Louisiana music community include recordings from Kyle Roussel, Corey Henry and the Treme Funktet, and Trombone Shorty with the New Breed Brass Band.
These artists represent the modern evolution of New Orleans music, combining brass traditions with funk, hip-hop, and contemporary performance styles.
Meanwhile, Tipitina’s continues preserving historic recordings through its vinyl-focused record club, highlighting rare and influential music from the city’s archives.
Each new release contributes to the ongoing story of New Orleans music culture.
By spotlighting New Orleans through JamFest programming and the overnight What Is Hip?! broadcast, the festival is helping expand global awareness of the city’s musical diversity.
Rather than focusing solely on a single genre, JamFest celebrates the full spectrum of the New Orleans sound—from funk grooves and brass band parades to zydeco dance rhythms and modern Louisiana soul.
This approach reflects the true identity of New Orleans music.
It is not defined by one genre.
It is defined by rhythm, community, and the ability of musicians to reinterpret tradition in new ways.
Each night as What Is Hip?! goes live at 10 PM, that tradition continues—broadcasting the pulse of New Orleans to listeners everywhere and reminding audiences why the Crescent City remains one of the most influential music capitals on Earth.
Moby’s Future Quiet (2026): A Monumental Ambient Statement from an Electronic Pioneer Entering His Most Reflective Era
Source: Events
The heartbeat of JamFest has always been live music culture—celebrating the sounds, artists, festivals, and global communities that keep music alive around the clock. As the weekend unfolds, JamFest transforms into a full-spectrum listening experience, offering an electrifying lineup of radio shows that carry audiences through the night and deep into Sunday’s musical traditions.
From the late-night energy of Sunday Spunday, to the soulful rhythms of The Gospel Lunch, and the international pulse of Project Reggaeologist, JamFest Radio delivers a journey across genres, continents, and musical histories.
At the center of it all is a commitment to showcasing the spirit of live performance, festival culture, and the artists who keep the world’s music scenes vibrant and evolving.
When the clock pushes past midnight on Saturday night, JamFest Radio shifts into high gear with Sunday Spunday, a show built for night owls, late-shift listeners, and anyone who believes the party should never end.
Broadcasting from 2:00 AM Eastern Time until around 9:00 AM Sunday morning, Sunday Spunday transforms the quiet hours before sunrise into a high-energy musical celebration.
This is not just another late-night radio show.
It’s an extended musical journey that carries listeners through the final hours of Saturday night and into the early light of Sunday morning with a soundtrack designed to keep the energy alive.
Listeners tuning in during these hours experience a dynamic mix of sounds that mirror the excitement of a festival afterparty—tracks that blend genres, eras, and musical styles into a seamless flow of rhythm and momentum.
The show’s format embraces spontaneity and discovery. DJs dig deep into playlists that highlight underground favorites, classic party anthems, and unexpected musical gems that keep the vibe fresh throughout the night.
For fans who stay up late chasing the perfect track—or those just beginning their day with music already in motion—Sunday Spunday creates a space where time seems to disappear and the music simply continues.
It’s the sound of a festival crowd refusing to leave the stage.
As Sunday moves toward midday, JamFest Radio transitions into one of its most beloved weekly traditions: The Gospel Lunch.
Broadcasting every Sunday from 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM Eastern Time, this show offers a joyful celebration of music inspired by the rich traditions of New Orleans, Louisiana.
Few cities in the world carry the musical heritage of New Orleans.
From jazz and blues to brass bands, gospel, funk, and second-line rhythms, the city’s cultural influence has shaped the course of American music for generations.
The Gospel Lunch taps into that legacy by presenting a vibrant blend of sounds rooted in the spirit of NOLA-style music.
Listeners can expect uplifting rhythms, soulful melodies, and performances that capture the energy of live gospel gatherings and Sunday celebrations.
The show’s programming often highlights artists whose music bridges gospel traditions with jazz, rhythm and blues, and the unmistakable groove of New Orleans street parades.
There is something uniquely communal about this style of music.
It’s the sound of a city that lives and breathes through its culture—where church choirs, brass bands, and neighborhood musicians blend together to create a musical identity unlike anywhere else in the world.
For JamFest listeners, The Gospel Lunch provides the perfect Sunday soundtrack: uplifting, joyful, and deeply rooted in musical history.
As evening arrives, JamFest Radio shifts its focus from American roots traditions to the global rhythms of reggae and world music.
Project Reggaeologist brings listeners an immersive journey through the sounds of reggae, dancehall, ska, and roots music from across the world.
Broadcasting on Sunday nights, the show celebrates the international reach of reggae culture and its influence across continents and musical communities.
From the pioneering sounds of Jamaican reggae to contemporary dancehall innovations and world music festival performances, Project Reggaeologist offers a nonstop musical exploration.
Listeners can expect a diverse mix of tracks that highlight both legendary artists and emerging voices within the reggae movement.
The show also draws inspiration from some of the most influential reggae and world music festivals across the globe, capturing the atmosphere of live performances that bring thousands of fans together to celebrate the music.
Reggae has always been more than a genre—it is a cultural movement rooted in themes of unity, resilience, and social awareness.
Through Project Reggaeologist, JamFest Radio continues to amplify that message while introducing listeners to new sounds and artists shaping the future of the music.
In an age dominated by streaming platforms and on-demand playlists, radio continues to offer something unique: the experience of discovery guided by passionate curators who understand the deeper connections between songs, genres, and musical history.
JamFest Radio embraces that philosophy fully.
Each show is carefully crafted to reflect the spirit of live music culture—mirroring the experience of attending a festival where different stages showcase different sounds, yet together create a unified musical journey.
Listeners tuning in across the weekend move through a musical landscape that includes late-night dance energy, gospel celebration, and global reggae grooves.
It’s a format that mirrors the diversity of modern festival lineups.
Alongside these weekend shows, JamFest listeners can also tune into the All Things Considered Live Radio Show, which dives deep into the world of NPR-driven artists, showcases, and music festivals.
This weekly program brings audiences exclusive live performances and highlights recorded by NPR Music at some of the most iconic venues and festivals across the country.
Listeners can experience extraordinary concert recordings from events such as:
Newport Folk Festival
SXSW (South by Southwest)
The legendary 9:30 Club
And many more landmark music stages
Each broadcast captures the raw energy of live music—those moments when artists and audiences connect in ways that studio recordings simply cannot replicate.
By featuring these performances, the show allows listeners to rediscover historic concerts while also exploring emerging artists making waves across the music world.
What makes JamFest special is not just the music itself—it’s the community built around it.
Listeners tuning in throughout the weekend are part of a global network of music fans who share a passion for discovering new sounds, celebrating legendary artists, and supporting the festival culture that keeps live music thriving.
Whether it’s the high-energy pulse of Sunday Spunday, the uplifting spirit of The Gospel Lunch, the worldwide rhythms of Project Reggaeologist, or the festival performances showcased through All Things Considered Live, JamFest Radio delivers an experience that extends far beyond a traditional playlist.
It becomes a destination.
A place where music never stops, genres intersect, and listeners can explore the full spectrum of global sound.
Music has always had the power to bring people together, but there is something especially meaningful about shared listening experiences.
Weekend radio shows create moments where audiences tune in at the same time, experiencing the same songs and performances together.
It’s a reminder that music is not just something we consume individually—it’s something we celebrate collectively.
JamFest Radio captures that spirit perfectly.
From late-night party vibes to Sunday afternoon soul and global reggae rhythms, the station offers a continuous soundtrack that carries listeners through the entire weekend.
And for those who believe music should always be alive, spontaneous, and communal, JamFest delivers exactly that.
The party starts Saturday night.
It continues through sunrise.
It celebrates tradition at lunchtime.
And it travels the world by Sunday evening.
On JamFest Radio, the music never stops.
There are artists who chase trends. And then there are artists who follow an internal compass so precisely that decades later, their work still feels urgent
Source: NRN Tonight is Victor Krummenacher’s Block Out the Sun
Live Nuggets on JamFest: The Police & Friends – The Amnesty Human Rights Conspiracy Of Hope Concert (June – 1986)
Source: Events
There are radio lineups — and then there are cultural events disguised as radio lineups.
This season, JamFest delivers a masterclass in curated live performance, historic broadcast moments, genre-defining radio programming, and forward-thinking new releases — all available exclusively on TuneIn. From jazz royalty and human-rights activism to bluegrass innovation and electronic exploration, JamFest is not simply airing shows.
We are building a memory of a lifetime.
And at the center of it all: unforgettable live recordings, immersive themed broadcasts, and the NRN Radio Show spotlighting the most essential new music of 2026.
When Harry Connick Jr. took the stage at the Newport Jazz Festival in 2004, he did more than perform — he reaffirmed why he remains one of contemporary jazz’s most dynamic voices and pianists.
Broadcast as part of All Things Considered Live, this full concert capture transports listeners directly to Newport, Rhode Island, on October 12, 2004.
From the opening elegance of “The Other Hours” to the rhythmic lift of “What a Waste,” Connick balances technical precision with emotional elasticity. His piano phrasing is crisp yet fluid; his vocals warm yet disciplined. Swing, storytelling, improvisation — all arrive naturally.
For jazz aficionados, this performance is archival gold.
For new listeners, it is a masterclass in contemporary jazz craftsmanship.
All Things Considered Live airs special sets from the Newport Festival and NPR showcases.
MONDAYS AT 7PM EST — Listen Now.
At 9PM EST every Monday, JamFest shifts from jazz sophistication to roots innovation.
NewGrass Radio operates under one guiding principle: music without rules.
Inspired by the revolutionary spirit of New Grass Revival, the show honors tradition while spotlighting artists who stretch bluegrass into rock, jazz, folk, and experimental territory.
The legacy includes pioneers such as:
But the mission today goes further. NewGrass Radio highlights rising artists and genre-blurring collaborators who prove bluegrass is not static — it is evolving.
MONDAYS AT 9PM EST — Listen Now.
In June 1986, six concerts changed the intersection of music, activism, and mass media.
The Amnesty International Conspiracy of Hope tour celebrated the organization’s 25th anniversary and united major artists under a single cause: human rights.
This week, Live Nuggets Radio presents a full-concert broadcast spotlighting The Police and friends during this historic run.
This was not promotion.
This was purpose.
The broadcast captures a rare moment when rock performance and global advocacy merged on a massive scale — a reminder of music’s power beyond entertainment.
TUESDAYS BEGINNING AT 9PM EST — Listen Now.
On Wednesdays at 9PM EST, the NRN Radio Show unveils the most compelling new releases in modern music — and this season, the spotlight belongs to Lotus.
Their 2026 album Rise of the Anglerfish explores the dichotomy between light and dark, fusing live guitar, bass, drums, and keys with modular synth textures and electronic beats.
The single “One Word” radiates melodic interplay and shimmering harmonic layers. The full album expands that dynamic into a cinematic, groove-driven journey.
This is not nostalgia.
This is evolution.
And for JamFest listeners, it represents the future-facing edge of instrumental electronic music.
WEDNESDAYS AT 9PM EST — Listen Now.
Every Thursday beginning at 9PM EST, JamFest becomes Festival Radio.
For over eight uninterrupted hours, every track aired originates from major music festivals across genres and decades. This is communal memory reactivated — the sound of stages you stood before, crowds you joined, and nights you never forgot.
THURSDAYS AT 9PM EST — Listen Now.
Every Friday night at 10PM EST, JamFest channels the spirit of New Orleans — the birthplace of jazz and a global epicenter of groove.
From dixieland roots to funk, brass-band swagger, soul, and second-line rhythms, What Is Hip?! delivers high-energy NOLA style into the early hours of Saturday morning.
This is rhythm with lineage.
This is culture with pulse.
FRIDAY NIGHTS — Listen Now.
Saturday at 10PM EST, the Club opens.
Remixes. DJ sets. EDM. Global festival energy. Studio mixes and dance-floor momentum that carries seamlessly into Sunday Spunday — a non-stop overnight ride from 2AM until 9AM EST.
If your weekend needs propulsion, JamFest delivers.
SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY MORNING — Listen Now.
Midday Sunday brings The Gospel Lunch — a celebration of NOLA-style spiritual groove from 12:30PM to 2PM EST.
Sunday night belongs to Project Reggaeologist — non-stop reggae, dancehall, roots, world, ska, and music from the world’s greatest reggae festivals.
Global rhythms.
Historic lineage.
Modern movement.
SUNDAYS — Listen Now.
Four times daily — 9AM, 12 NOON, 6PM, and 8:30PM EST — JamFest integrates NPR News Now, delivering concise, five-minute updates across politics, international affairs, business, sports, and entertainment.
Music informs emotion.
News informs awareness.
Together, they create balance.
JamFest is not a playlist.
It is programming.
Every block carries intent:
This is radio as curation.
Radio as experience.
Radio as memory-building architecture.
From Harry Connick Jr.’s Newport brilliance to The Police’s human-rights anthems, from Lotus’ forward-looking sonic architecture to the roots innovation of NewGrass Radio, JamFest builds a week designed not for passive listening — but for immersion.
Every show is a destination.
Every night carries intention.
Every broadcast connects eras, genres, and communities.
Available exclusively on TuneIn.
JamFest doesn’t just fill airtime.
We create moments.
And this week, we invite you to press play — and step into something unforgettable.
