David Bromberg, above, and Marcia Ball, below, will be appearing at the 2008 Rhythm & Roots Festival.

The Rhythm & Roots Festival is two days and three nights of music in a beautiful open-air setting at Ninigret Park, in Charlestown, that showcases the roots and the branches of American music. You can listen to blues, Cajun, zydeco, jam-band and more, all in one weekend and just a few feet from each other, and you can hear traditions being carried on by veteran pros and tweaked by young hotshots — sometimes both at the same time, in small-stage workshop performances.

It’s one of the best parties Rhode Island throws, and roots musicians nationwide know that a Rhode Island party is one of the best there is. See Pages 8 and 9.