Preservation Hall and New Orleans & Company announced a benefit gala concert to mark the 60th anniversary of the jazz band and live music venue.
“New Orleans is a city of musical royalty,” said Ben Jaffe, creative director and board chairman of Preservation Hall and son of Preservation Hall founders Allan and Sandra Jaffe. “Many of the Hall’s musicians performing today can trace their family history back to the birth of jazz. Preservation Hall was established to honor these important African American families and their gift to the world.”
To mark the six-decade milestone and celebrate the triumphant resilience of New Orleans music, Preservation Hall will produce a star-studded event to raise funds for the Preservation Hall Foundation. The show will feature four generations of Preservation Hall musical masters who represent the continuous link to the source of American music the Hall was established to celebrate. Performers will include the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, members of the Preservation Hall collective and a wide range of renowned speakers and surprise musical guests reflecting on the important legacy, history and influence of the iconic venue.
Jaffe added, “To celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of Preservation Hall, we are honoring these musical torchbearers who embody this time-honored tradition. These musicians not only represent New Orleans, they are the world’s guardians of the significant and precious tradition that is passed down from one generation to the next.”
Allan and Sandra Jaffe, photo courtesy of Preservation Hall
Founded in 1961 by Allan and Sandra Jaffe, Preservation Hall sought to give a home to traditional New Orleans music at a time when it was surviving primarily on neighborhood streets. Integrated from its very inception during the Jim Crow South, the Hall was always a place for black and white musicians to play together for black and white audiences. It swiftly became a hallowed stage for musical luminaries—from Sweet Emma, Percy and Willie Humphrey, and George Lewis in the 1960’s to sixty of the city’s most cherished and noted musicians today.
Preservation Hall reopened its hallowed doors for live concerts on June 10, 2021, 60 years to the day the Jaffes opened the historic French Quarter venue at 726 Saint Peter Street. The Hall had been shut for the 15 months prior due to COVID-19 restrictions.
For years, Preservation Hall has hosted Midnight Preserves, a late-night benefit concert for the Preservation Hall Foundation held every year during the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. The series welcomes prominent guest artists from a variety of genres and origins alongside the Preservation Hall Jazz Band for intimate midnight concerts. Past guests have included Robert Plant, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Irma Thomas, Jimmy Buffett, The Head and The Heart, Dave Grohl, Jon Batiste, My Morning Jacket, PJ Morton and others
While guest artists are not announced until they reach the stage, collaborations with both chart-topping and international artists ensure audiences remember the aura of these performances for a lifetime. Sixtieth anniversary gala concertgoers can look forward to the same stature of special guest as past Midnight Preserves shows.
The Foundation was launched in 2011 to honor and embody the Hall’s intrinsic ethos and practices. It protects, preserves and perpetuates New Orleans music through engaging and supporting musicians; providing support and services to elder members of the collective; conserving and sharing jazz music archives and spaces; providing educational experiences for students, families and the general public; and grant making to recognize merit and/or alleviate need. which is currently focused on serving the 60-plus musicians who regularly perform at the Hall and offering free online music education resources, Preservation Hall Lessons, to teachers and students nationwide. For more information, visit here.
“The music of our city runs through our blood and Preservation Hall has been inspiring musicians and individuals for the last 60 years,” said Stephen Perry, New Orleans & Company President and CEO. “It is the people of New Orleans who create the culture, and as a company and community partner, we focus on ensuring that the tourism industry benefits all residents. The work that the Preservation Hall Foundation does to support our musicians aligns directly with our goal of always nourishing and sustaining the culture of our city. We are proud to partner with them on this great event to celebrate this monumental anniversary and commend the work they do throughout the year.”
For the benefit gala show, doors will open at 8 PM CT and the show will begin at 9 PM CT. The event will be produced by Winter Circle Productions. For more information, visit preshallfoundation.org.
The will be held at 9 PM CT on Friday, October 8, 2021 at The Orpheum Theater. All proceeds from the event will fund the Preservation Hall Foundation’s mission to “Protect, Preserve and Perpetuate New Orleans music and culture.” Tickets will go on sale to the public at 10 a.m. Central on Friday, July 23, 2021 at this link.
