www.preservationhall.com

Dedicated to preserving New Orleans jazz, the world-renowned Preservation Hall Jazz Band performs traditional New Orleans music and derives its name from the venerable music venue—The Preservation Hall—which is located in the heart of the French Quarter in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Under the auspices of current director, Ben Jaffe, the son of founders Allan and Sandra, Preservation Hall continues with a deep reverence for the musical legacy of New Orleans. Whether performing at Carnegie Hall or Lincoln Center, for British Royalty or the King of Thailand, their music embodies a joyful, timeless spirit.

The building that houses Preservation Hall has been home to many businesses over the years, including a tavern during the war of 1812, a photo studio, and an art gallery. The owner of the art gallery, Larry Bornstein, began holding informal jam sessions for friends; out of these sessions grew the concept of Preservation Hall.

The Preservation Hall Jazz Band was formally founded in 1961 and began touring in 1963. Many of the band's charter members performed with the pioneers who invented jazz in the early twentieth century, including Buddy Bolden, Jelly Roll Morton, Louis Armstrong, and Bunk Johnson. Band leaders over the band's history include the brothers Willie and Percy Humphrey, husband and wife Billie and De De Pierce, and famed pianist Sweet Emma Barrett. These founding artists and dozens of others passed on the lessons of their music to a younger generation who now follow in their footsteps.

In addition to Jaffe, the musical legacy of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band is being carried on by current band members alto saxophonist Darryl Adams; banjoist Carl Le Blanc; clarinetist Ralph Johnson, percussionist Joseph Lastie, Jr; pianist Rickie Monie; trombonists Frank Demond and Lucien Barbarin; trumpet player John Brunious; and saxophonist and vocalist Clint Maedgen.

Immediately after Hurricane Katrina, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band embarked on a world tour to bring attention to the critical needs of New Orleans and its musicians.  In order to provide immediate assistance to musicians, Ben and his wife Sarah Jaffe founded the New Orleans Musicians Hurricane Relief Fund to provide grants to musicians and businesses in New Orleans.  In addition to numerous awards, distinctions, and accolades, Preservation Hall Jazz Band was awarded the 2006 National Medal of Arts by the National Endowment for the Arts, the nation's highest honor for artistic excellence.