NEW ORLEANS --
John Boutte knew just what to sing to a drenched crowd packed under a tent being pounded by rain at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.He lit into a Randy Newman song Friday, singing, "Louisiana, Louisiana, they're trying to wash us away. They're trying to wash us away.
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As the festival's final weekend got under way, the rain cleared performers from the outdoor stages at the New Orleans Fair Grounds racetrack, but jazz, blues and gospel performances continued under the tents. Water on the grounds was near knee-deep for a time.
The weather didn't stop pianist Ellis Marsalis, the patriarch of New Orleans' first family of jazz, from performing with his son Jason, a drummer.
Headlining the festival's final weekend are John Mayer, Steely Dan, ZZ Top, John Legend, Counting Crows and New Edition.
New Orleans native Harry Connick Jr., will close the festival Sunday.
He is expected to perform selections from his "Oh, My Nola" album, which covers New Orleans standards associated with the likes of Allen Toussaint, Dr. John and Louis Armstrong, as well as a handful of original recordings.
Before his performance, Jason Marsalis said he was working on a movie with his brothers Delfeayo and Wynton about Charles "Buddy" Bolden, the New Orleans cornetist credited with helping to create jazz at the dawn of the 20th century.
Parts of the movie were recently filmed in New Orleans, though most of it is being shot in North Carolina, said Jason Marsalis, who helped transcribe music for the film. Wynton and Delfeayo are in charge of sound and recording.
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