We begin with a flurry of performers introducing themselves, a handy visual aid given how many faces will pass our way over the next 90 minutes. 2020 marked the 50 anniversary of The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival aka Jazz Fest and directors Frank Marshall and Ryan Suffern were there to document an event so large it’s known as the sixth biggest city in Louisiana. What kicked off in 1970 would have commenced in 1962 were it not for Jim Crow laws preventing festival co-founders George Wein and Quint Davis from mounting a multi-racial event. Don’t let the name deceive you. This celebration of culture, music, and food doesn’t stop at jazz. A mixture of clips past and present reveals just about every musical genre short of classical is represented. Ba-dee-ya, say, do you remember? Close your eyes and you’ll think you're listening to an Earth, Wind & Fire concert recorded in 1978. Expect more than a performance film per se as the cameras venture out from the little city and into the swamps before hitting up the Mardi Gras. Even talk of Hurricane Katrina and two years in quarantine can’t dampen this joyous celebration. (2022) — Scott Marks