Stars align for New Orleans Jazz Fest

Two-weekend event unveils lineup that features Rod Stewart, Harry Connick Jr., Norah Jones, John Legend, Jerry Lee Lewis, Van Morrison, ZZ Top, New Edition, Joss Stone, and Ludacris.

One of the building blocks of the rebirth of New Orleans is getting some star-studded help this year.

The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, one of the cornerstones of the revitalization of the Big Easy in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, has unveiled its 2007 lineup, with Rod Stewart, Harry Connick Jr., Norah Jones, Jerry Lee Lewis, Brad Paisley, and Van Morrison among the headliners.

The 38th annual event, held at the fabled New Orleans Fair Grounds, will take place over two weekends, April 27-29 and May 4-6.

The first weekend will feature Stewart, Morrison, Jones, Paisley, Ludacris, Bonnie Raitt, Dr. John, Jill Scott, Irma Thomas, Jerry Lee Lewis, Pharoah Sanders, Lucinda Williams, Calexico, Soulive, Rebirth Brass Band, Richie Havens, George Thorogood & the Destroyers, Gillian Welch, T-Bone Burnett, Pete Fountain, and Arturo Sandoval, along with dozens of local acts.

The second weekend's lineup includes Connick Jr., Steely Dan, ZZ Top, John Legend, Allen Toussaint, Counting Crows, New Edition, George Benson, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Allman Brothers Band, Better Than Ezra, Joss Stone, Stephen Marley featuring Jr. Gong, Taj Mahal, Branford Marsalis, Roy Hargrove, Galactic, the Holmes Brothers, the Radiators, Snooks Eaglin, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band.

More than 80 percent of the performers at the festival are from New Orleans.

Connick Jr., a New Orleans native himself, will close the event with a performance of music from his new Oh, My Nola album, which hits stores tomorrow. The CD covers New Orleans standards linked with the likes of Toussaint, Dr. John, and Louis Armstrong and includes original material.

Advance tickets for each day are $35, available through Ticketmaster.