One place that I was very keen to check out when I was in New Orleans was the Preservation Hall. Getting tickets over the net was troublesome though and it was not until we arrived in New Orleans that we were able to secure tickets for the following nights show.
Started in the early 60's it provided a place for old timers to get together, play some jazz and make some money to top up any pension (most likely none) that they may have.
The first album I bought of theirs was Preservation a benefit album where the band is joined by a variety of performers from a wide range of genres to present a neat updating of the New Orleans Jazz Band Aesthetic. Artists as diverse as Jim James, Tom Waits and Del McCoury joined the band. The album was recorded in the wake of the Hurricane Katrina as a way to help both the hall and the band survive.
Here is a short documentary on them.
The cover photo shows the hall in all its glory and I was very pleased when we finally found it just off Bourbon St it looks exactly as the photo does.
What Jan and I weren't quite prepared for was how inside it was just the same and how small it was. We had front row tickets in a small intimate venue.
This is a photo from our seat!
Here is a pretty good example of what they sound and "feel" like playing on home turf. A few of teh same players including the singer and trumpet player played on the night we were there.
The next album of theirs I managed to pick up was a limited edition clear green vinyl copy of American Legacies, where the single collaboration with Del McCoury on the previous album is expanded to a whole album, Once you get past how dizzy the vinyl makes you looking at it spin on the turntable what you get is a brilliant mix of Dixie Jazz and Bluegrass.
This version of I'll Fly Away a blue grass standard revitalised on the Oh Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack is a great example of what you can expect on the album.
Until last year the band was totally dedicated to playing dixie standards both well known and not well known. However last year they actually recorded an album of new material written by Ben Jaffe current band member and son of the orignal "curators". It is well worth checking out and I am listening to it as I write.
American Legacies I'll Fly Away gives
Started in the early 60's it provided a place for old timers to get together, play some jazz and make some money to top up any pension (most likely none) that they may have.
The first album I bought of theirs was Preservation a benefit album where the band is joined by a variety of performers from a wide range of genres to present a neat updating of the New Orleans Jazz Band Aesthetic. Artists as diverse as Jim James, Tom Waits and Del McCoury joined the band. The album was recorded in the wake of the Hurricane Katrina as a way to help both the hall and the band survive.Here is a short documentary on them.
The cover photo shows the hall in all its glory and I was very pleased when we finally found it just off Bourbon St it looks exactly as the photo does.
What Jan and I weren't quite prepared for was how inside it was just the same and how small it was. We had front row tickets in a small intimate venue.This is a photo from our seat!
Here is a pretty good example of what they sound and "feel" like playing on home turf. A few of teh same players including the singer and trumpet player played on the night we were there.
The next album of theirs I managed to pick up was a limited edition clear green vinyl copy of American Legacies, where the single collaboration with Del McCoury on the previous album is expanded to a whole album, Once you get past how dizzy the vinyl makes you looking at it spin on the turntable what you get is a brilliant mix of Dixie Jazz and Bluegrass. This version of I'll Fly Away a blue grass standard revitalised on the Oh Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack is a great example of what you can expect on the album.
Until last year the band was totally dedicated to playing dixie standards both well known and not well known. However last year they actually recorded an album of new material written by Ben Jaffe current band member and son of the orignal "curators". It is well worth checking out and I am listening to it as I write.
American Legacies I'll Fly Away gives
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