Today, Ivan Neville has announced a very special performance during the 50th annual edition of New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. In honor of his vast contributions to the New Orleans music world over the course of his 40+ year career—and in celebration of Neville’s 60th birthday later this year—musical non-profit 30 Amp Circuihas announced Ivan Neville as the first-ever recipient of their Songbook Award, “an honorarium for artists who have created a lifetime’s worth of songs, performances and unique musical memories, but have never received the level of public support that their artistry warrants.”

This unique distinction will be celebrated with a performance at New Orleans’ most historic playhouse, Le Petit Theatre, on Thursday, May 2nd. The intimate celebration, billed as Ivan Neville Piano Sessions: Through The Ages, will be preceded by authentic New Orleans cuisine and drinks at Dickie Brennan‘s fabled Tableau restaurant, which sits next to Le Petit Theatre in the heart of the French Quarter.

Earlier in the day on May 2nd, Ivan and his band, Dumpstaphunk, will open for The Rolling Stones at Jazz Fest’s main stage on what will surely prove to be one of the most memorable days in the event’s five-decade-long history. Two hours after the fairgrounds close, the doors to Le Petite Theater will open for a VIP experience to kick off Ivan’s Songbook Award celebration at Tableau, followed by a journey through Neville’s musical history in songs, stories, and a parade of his friends and musical collaborators including Cyril NevilleIan Neville, and other guests to be announced.

Proceeds from the event will benefit WWOZThe New Orleans Musician’s Clinic, and host organization 30 Amp Circuit. For those unfamiliar, 30Amp Circuit is a Philadelphia-based music and arts 501(c)3 not-for-profit company established to collaborate with artists and other organizations by commissioning, recording, distributing and promoting culturally relevant and important musical works; curating community driven, socially relevant live music events; and investing in youth-based educational initiatives and cross-cultural exchange. At the core of this three-pronged vision is their 30Amp Circuit—a network of artist services programs, embedded at a local, national and international level. You can learn more about 30Amp Circuit and the story of their inception on the organization’s website.

Tickets for 30Amp Circuit Presents Ivan Neville Piano Sessions: Through The Ages are available here.