New Orleans : Musicians including Herbie Hancock are kicking off performances in New Orleans to celebrate International Jazz Day.
The concert began Monday morning with ritual drumming and a string of jazz performances. Other artists performing included pianist Ellis Marsalis, trumpeters Terence Blanchard and Kermit Ruffins and singer Stephanie Jordan.
They performed as the sun rose on Congo Square, an area near the French Quarter neighborhood where slaves once gathered on Sundays to play music. Hundreds crowded the stage, some dancing and waving white handkerchiefs to the music.
International Jazz Day was launched in Paris on Friday and made its way to the United States. The concert is one of two being held in the U.S. on Monday. The other is in the evening in New York.
