Tonight, see some world-class pianists tickle the ivories at WWOZ's annual Piano Night. Experimental indie rockers Deerhunter are at One Eyed Jacks, plus there's weekly gigs from Frenchmen to Maple Street. Now, more to do this Monday.

Wednesday is here already, and there’s plenty of live music and theatre to help get you through your week. Happy Birthday to jazz trumpeter Leroy Jones, born in New Orleans on February 20, 1958. Now, more hump day happenings.

It’s the first Sunday of Lent, which means you can blow off your resolutions for just one day. From the afternoon well into Monday morning, enjoy live music from Frenchmen to Oak. On this day in 1805, New Orleans was incorporated as a city. Now, more to do this Sunday. 

Tonight, catch great jazz all over the city, see a chilling 25th anniversary performance of the classic Les Miserables, or get in touch with your inner Cajun with Bruce Daigrepont. Today in 1992, Professor Longhair was one of the inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. 

Today in 1885, Japan issued her first patent... for rust proof paint. In 1908, the first beauty pagaent was held in Folkestone, England, and in 1935, Social security was inventing. (They're still fine-tuning that one.) Today is also the birthday of the American Football League, and Steve Martin. So, if the weekend wasn't enough for you, get out, get busy with these events.

Professor Longhair's likeness hangs over the Acura Stage as the officially chosen spiritual progenitor of Jazz and Heritage, but another New Orleans piano man who made his comeback around the same time as Fess could just as easily occupy that mantle. James Booker was partial to wearing an eye patch and would often roll up to Jazz Fest in a Rolls Royce wearing his finest. But even those trappings couldn't top his flamboyance on the keys.

May 2, the day that President Johnson offered a $100,000 reward for the capture of Jefferson Davis, in relation to his being behind Lincoln’s assassination, 1865. Eight days later, Jefferson would eventually be captured by Federal/Union troops. On this day in 1949, Arthur Miller received the Pulitzer for his ‘Death of  Salesman’; ironically, Joseph McCarthy died eight years later, on this same day, as did Leonardo Da Vinci, in 1519. Lake Charles, LA’s favorite astronaut Domonic L Pugwill Gorie was born (1957), and Diane Crump became the first female jockey to compete in the Kentucky Derby (1970).