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ANY ANI DiFRANCO fan will tell you true love is something that gets the kinetic punk-folk singer moving. But this time the impetus is not romantic love, but true love --- love of New Orleans.
Though DiFranco was pushed off tour by the threat of permanent nerve damage from debilitating wrist tendonitis last summer, she's hitting the road again on a four-date tour to warm up for this year's New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (April 28-30 and May 5-7).
Once maintaining a brutal schedule of more than 100 dates a year for the better part of the past decade and a half, the prolific songwriter/performer/producer, who relocated to the French Quarter from her native upstate New York a few years ago, had vowed to stay in the studio in hopes of healing.
Along with love, politics and human rights have been subjects close to her heart. And not surprisingly, she's been generous and vocal about hurricane relief, supporting Katrina's Piano Fund, which provides instruments to New Orleans musicians. So, when invited to perform at Jazz Fest, she put her wrists on ice and the work on her 15th studio album, aptly called "Reprieve," on hold.
Injured or not, don't expect DiFranco to calm down. The performer promises to get back to her roots for New Orleans. While her set list will touch on the jazz-inspired songs from her latest albums, expect the introspective and personal wild folk of vintage Ani.
> THE 411: Sold out. With Athens Boys Choir. April 26. Variety Playhouse, 1099 Euclid Ave., Little Five Points. 404-524-7354, www.variety-playhouse.com.
Copyright 2006 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
