The spring 2021 Jazz at the Sandbar concert series kicks off Wednesday, April 7 at 7 p.m. from the University of New Orleans. New Orleans 7th Ward native Carl LeBlanc, known for his work in both avant-garde jazz and traditional jazz, is the featured artist this week.

The series will be presented virtually each Wednesday night for five weeks and features a different respected jazz artist.  Jazz at the Sandbar, established by the late faculty member Ellis Marsalis in 1990, pairs seasoned professional musicians with UNO jazz students on the bandstand in a nightclub environment.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the musicians won’t be performing in front of the usual live audience at the Sandbar, located inside the The Cove. Instead, the shows will be streamed through the School of the Arts’ Facebook page with limited student participation.

The spring 2021 series will run from April 7 and concludes May 5 with a student showcase.

Jazz at the Sandbar is presented by the UNO jazz studies program with support from the Coca-Cola Endowment Fund.

Here is the full lineup for the spring 2021 season of Jazz at the Sandbar:
• April 7: Carl LeBlanc, guitarist and banjo player.
• April 14: Mahmoud Chouki, master guitarist and composer.
• April 21: NOLATET jazz quartet band with bandleader, composer and performer Aurora Nealand.
• April 28: Amina Figerova, pianist and composer.
• May 5: Student showcase.