2007年VOA标准英语-New Orleans Jazz Fest Gears Up for Weekend Fina

By Doug Levine
Washington
02 May 2007

Thousands took in the sights and sounds of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival on its opening weekend, April 27-29, which featured almost every type of music imaginable. As VOA's Doug Levine tells us, some of the best is yet to come at the festival many thought would never return after Hurricane Katrina.

Still lingering on the minds of musicians and fans was Hurricane Katrina, whose wrath¹ and destruction nearly two years ago almost put an end to the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. But, judging by last weekend's crowds, it looks like Jazz Fest is here to stay.

Though attendance is still down from pre-Katrina levels, the numbers are slowly climbing back. Producer and director Quint Davis remarked that, "It looks like a full-sized Jazz Fest." He added, "It feels more substantial and settled than last year, when it was hanging off the cliff by its fingernails."

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Phillip Paulin belts out a tune during his set at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, 29 April 2007

Substantial might be putting it mildly. With the opening three days boasting everyone from the Crescent City All-Stars to Van Morrison, and hundreds more in between, Jazz Fest 2007 is once again proving itself gargantuan³.

While many came for the headliners - Van Morrison, Percy Sledge⁴, Rod Stewart, Jerry Lee Lewis, Dr. John, Bonnie Raitt, Norah Jones and Ludacris - most were willing to seek out their favorite local act, like the New Birth Brass⁵ Band.

Fans daring to stay in town for the Jazz Fest finale May 4-6 will be richly rewarded by the variety of music offered at the Fair Grounds Race Course.

Dotted among the Native American pow-wows, second line parades, and heritage food and crafts fairs are two jazz tents, a blues⁶ tent, a gospel tent, a kid's tent, and three main music stages. After catching⁷ a glimpse of ZZ Top, Steely Dan, John Mayer, New Edition, Counting Crows, The Allman Brothers Band, George Benson and Harry⁸ Connick, Jr., who could resist an hour in the Southern Comfort Blues Tent listening to guitarist Walter "Wolfman" Washington and The Roadmasters.

1 wrath   

n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒

参考例句：

• His silence marked his wrath. 他的沉默表明了他的愤怒。
• The wrath of the people is now aroused. 人们被激怒了。

2 tune   

n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整

参考例句：

• He'd written a tune,and played it to us on the piano.他写了一段曲子，并在钢琴上弹给我们听。
• The boy beat out a tune on a tin can.那男孩在易拉罐上敲出一首曲子。

3 gargantuan   

adj.巨大的，庞大的

参考例句：

• My gargantuan,pristine machine was good for writing papers and playing solitaire,and that was all.我那庞大的、早期的计算机只适合写文章和玩纸牌游戏，就这些。
• Right away,I realized this was a mistake of gargantuan proportions.我立刻意识到这是一个巨大的错误。

4 sledge   

n.雪橇，大锤；v.用雪橇搬运，坐雪橇往

参考例句：

• The sledge gained momentum as it ran down the hill.雪橇从山上下冲时的动力越来越大。
• The sledge slid across the snow as lightly as a boat on the water.雪橇在雪原上轻巧地滑行，就象船在水上行驶一样。

5 brass   

n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器

参考例句：

• Many of the workers play in the factory's brass band.许多工人都在工厂铜管乐队中演奏。
• Brass is formed by the fusion of copper and zinc.黄铜是通过铜和锌的熔合而成的。

6 blues   

n.抑郁，沮丧；布鲁斯音乐

参考例句：

• She was in the back of a smoky bar singing the blues.她在烟雾弥漫的酒吧深处唱着布鲁斯歌曲。
• He was in the blues on account of his failure in business.他因事业失败而意志消沉。

7 catching   

adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住

参考例句：

• There are those who think eczema is catching.有人就是认为湿疹会传染。
• Enthusiasm is very catching.热情非常富有感染力。

8 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。