The Preservation Hall Jazz Band is a New Orleans jazz band founded in New Orleans by tuba player Allan Jaffe in the early 1960s. The band derives its name from Preservation Hall in the French Quarter. In 2005, the Hall's doors were closed for a period of time due to Hurricane Katrina , but the band continued to tour.
22-471: In the 1950s, Larry Borenstein, an art dealer from Milwaukee, managed Preservation Hall in the French Quarter as an art gallery. To attract customers, he invited local New Orleans jazz musicians to play. After their honeymoon in 1961, Allan Jaffe and his wife Sandra visited to hear some traditional New Orleans jazz. The Jaffes were from Pennsylvania. Allan Jaffe was a tuba player who had graduated from
44-442: A pool of about 150 local musicians, had played at Preservation Hall in the 1960s, but by 1999 virtually all of the older generation of musicians had died and the band members were a mixture of younger African-American players and white musicians from overseas. Most notable among the former were Michael White (ii), Wendell Brunious (who gradually took over the leadership of Valentine's band in the elder trumpeter's final years, as well as
66-424: A time, the music started drawing more attention than the art. In May 1961, Borenstein turned management over to Ken Grayson Mills and Barbara Reid, who turned it into a music venue and named it "Preservation Hall". After their honeymoon in 1961, Allan Jaffe and his wife Sandra visited to hear some traditional New Orleans jazz. The Jaffes were from Pennsylvania. Allan Jaffe was a tuba player who had graduated from
88-488: Is a jazz venue on St Peter Street in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana . The building is associated with a house band , a record label, and a non-profit foundation. In the 1950s, art dealer Larry Borenstein from Milwaukee managed what would become Preservation Hall in the French Quarter as an art gallery, Associated Artists. To attract customers, he invited local jazz musicians to play for tips. After
110-796: The Hollywood Bowl and the Lincoln Center . In 2018 the documentary A Tuba to Cuba was released. Preservation Hall celebrated its Golden Anniversary from 2011 to 2012. Projects included: In 2006, President George W. Bush and the National Endowment for the Arts awarded the Preservation Hall Jazz Band with the National Medal of Arts , the highest honor given to artists and arts patrons by
132-555: The Wharton School of Business in Philadelphia, while his wife had been employed at an advertising agency. They attended concerts, grew to love the French Quarter , and stayed longer than they had intended. Borenstein asked if they wanted to manage Preservation Hall, and they agreed. Allan Jaffe hired local musicians whose ages ranged from the 60s to the 90s. Many were struggling with poverty, racism, and illness. At first
154-519: The Wharton School of Business in Philadelphia, while his wife had been employed at an advertising agency. They attended concerts, grew to love the French Quarter, and stayed longer than they had intended. Borenstein asked if they wanted to manage Preservation Hall, and they agreed, taking over in September 1961. Allan Jaffe hired local musicians whose ages ranged from the 60s to the 90s. Many were struggling with poverty, racism, and illness. At first,
176-615: The Hall. Fans from all over the world came to New Orleans to hear traditional jazz. The Preservation Hall Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization primarily dedicated to Preservation Hall's educational initiatives, including but not limited to providing private lessons to youth taught by New Orleans jazz musicians, coordinating group lessons with the Preservation Hall Junior Jazz Band, presenting workshops during Preservation Hall Jazz Band tours, or maintenance of
198-530: The Hall. Fans from all over the world came to New Orleans to hear traditional jazz. Barrett's health began to decline in the 1970s, which forced her to stop touring. She was replaced as leader by brothers Percy Humphrey (trumpet) and Willie Humphrey (clarinet). The lineup included Frank Demond (trombone), James Prevost (bass), James "Sing" Miller (piano), Cie Frazier (drums), Jim Robinson (trombone), Narvin Kimball (banjo), and Allan Jaffe (tuba). During
220-506: The Jaffes served no alcohol, used no amplification, and didn't advertise. In 1963, Allan Jaffe began to tour with bands in the U.S. and in other countries. These tours included such popular figures as pianist Sweet Emma Barrett , trumpeter Kid Thomas Valentine , brothers Percy Humphrey and Willie Humphrey , trumpeter De De Pierce and his wife, pianist Billie Pierce . The most popular was clarinetist George Lewis , whose reputation preceded
242-454: The Jaffes served no alcohol, used no amplification, and refused to advertise. In 1963, Allan Jaffe began to tour with bands in the U.S. and in other countries. These tours included such musicians as pianist Sweet Emma Barrett , trumpeter Kid Thomas Valentine , brothers Percy Humphrey and Willie Humphrey , pianist Billie Pierce and her husband, trumpeter De De Pierce . The most popular was clarinetist George Lewis , whose reputation preceded
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#1732772510758264-466: The Preservation Hall Jazz Band was awarded the National Medal of Arts , the nation's highest honor for artistic excellence. The award was presented to Benjamin Jaffe and co-founder of Preservation Hall, Sandra Jaffe , who accepted the award from President and Mrs. Laura Bush in an Oval Office ceremony on November 9, 2006. The citations read: "With enormous talent and pride, this ageless ensemble has toured
286-655: The United States government. A writer for the NEA commented, "Whether performing at Carnegie Hall or Lincoln Center, for British Royalty or the King of Thailand, the band conveys a joyful, timeless spirit. Under the auspices of current director, Ben Jaffe, the son of founders Allan and Sandra, Preservation Hall continues with a deep reverence and consciousness of its impressive history as a venue, band, and record label." Past members Preservation Hall Preservation Hall
308-834: The ever-growing Preservation Hall archives. The Foundation also provides a free online learning resource for music educators and students called the Preservation Hall Foundation Brass Bandbook including the songs "Bourbon Street Parade", "Just a Closer Walk with Thee", "Lil' Liza Jane", "Down by the Riverside", "Didn't He Ramble", "Lord, Lord, Lord", "I'll Fly Away", "Joe Avery's Piece", "Paul Barbarin's Second Line", "Old Rugged Cross", "By and By", and "Do Whatcha Wanna". 29°57′30″N 90°03′55″W / 29.9583°N 90.0654°W / 29.9583; -90.0654 John Brunious John Brunious Jr. (October 12, 1940 – February 12, 2008)
330-459: The group. During the Olympia years, a young Harry Connick Jr. performed with Barrett and the band at Preservation Hall. In 1977, Jaffe and Arthur Hall and his Afro-American Dance Ensemble released Fat Tuesday and All That Jazz! A Mardi Gras Dance Musical . The world premiere of the dance musical was on February 19, 1977, and was followed by a tour in the United States. Dejan's Olympia Brass Band
352-702: The late 1960s and early 1970s, many of the touring members were hired by Harold Dejan for his Olympia Brass Band. This band became not only a staple at Preservation Hall, but also influenced the Preservation Hall Jazz Band and future Preservation Hall musicians. Dejan's regular sidemen included Andy Anderson (trumpet), Milton Batiste (trumpet), Kid Sheik Cola (trumpet), Paul Crawford (trombone) Gerald Joseph (trombone), Emanuel Paul (tenor saxophone), Andrew Jefferson (snare), John Smith, Henry "Booker T" Glass, Nowell "Papa" Glass. Cag Cagnolatti, Kid Thomas Valentine, Louis Nelson, Louis Cottrell, Jr., Cié Frazier, Emanuel Sayles, and Allan Jaffe on tuba were among those who played with
374-570: The military during the Vietnam War. After he returned to New Orleans, he performed in nightclubs with pianist Ellis Marsalis Jr. and drummer James N. Black . He became a member and then leader of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band during the 1980s. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina drove him from his home in Gentilly and buried his trumpets. While attempting to secure his boat, he was rescued. He moved with his family to Orlando, Florida. He died of
396-524: The touring band), Freddie Lonzo, and the tuba player Walter Payton; Europeans included the Swedish pianist Lars Edegran, the English trumpeter Clive Wilson, Orange Kellin, and Jacques Gauthé" (Hazeldine, Kernfeld). The Preservation Hall Jazz Band continued to tour nationally and internationally. The band was led by trumpeter Wendell Brunious , later replaced by his older brother, John Brunious . In 2006,
418-603: The world displaying the unbreakable spirit of New Orleans and sharing the joy of New Orleans jazz with us all." Nearing Preservation Hall's 45th anniversary, the band collaborated with musicians from other genres, such as Blind Boys of Alabama on their Grammy Award winning album Down in New Orleans . The band's benefit album in 2010 contained contributions from Andrew Bird , Del McCoury Band , Jim James , Dr. John , Pete Seeger , and Tom Waits . The Hall band supported My Morning Jacket on tour. The album American Legacies
440-628: Was a jazz trumpeter and a bandleader for the Preservation Hall Jazz Band in New Orleans. The family lived in the Seventh Ward neighborhood of New Orleans. His father, John Brunious Sr., played piano and trumpet and transcribed songs such as "Bourbon Street Parade" for Paul Barbarin . His brother, Wendell Brunious , also became a trumpeter. Brunious was influenced by Dizzy Gillespie and played in rhythm and blues bands. He attended St. Augustine High School and served in
462-594: Was a collaboration with the Del McCoury band, uniting New Orleans jazz and bluegrass music. In 2014, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band made a guest appearance on the Foo Fighters ' eighth studio album Sonic Highways . The Trey McIntyre Project dance ensemble collaborated with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band to create Ma Maison and The Sweeter End , two contemporary dance works set. The two ensembles toured numerous dates nationally, including performances at
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#1732772510758484-698: Was featured in Fat Tuesday and All That Jazz , in addition to the Arthur Hall Afro-American Dance Ensemble of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1987, Allan Jaffe died of cancer at the age of fifty-one. After his son Ben graduated from Oberlin College , he became artistic director in 1993. Ben Jaffe toured with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, playing double bass and tuba. He began the educational initiatives that his father developed. "As many as 20 different bands, drawn from
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