One of the best and cheapest time-machine rides
in town, with no-frills decor and genuine
old-time jazz nightly.
The
Scene
The place is gracefully worn. An ornate iron
gate welcomes you, offering a glimpse of
the lush courtyard in back. Inside the gray,
bombed-out-looking structure, a couple of
paintings provide what passes for atmosphere.
Crowd-wise, the clientele is more often foreign
than local, with a large portion of the average
audience hailing from Europe and South America.
No matter their nationality, all patrons
stand--there are no seats.
The
Draw
The music here is authentic with a capital "A."
The Hall offers down-home, traditional New
Orleans jazz every night, performed by a mixture
of old and new talent. Six nights a week, respected
local musicians such as Gregg Stafford, Wendell
Brunious and Leroy Jones take turns hosting
the proceedings, fronting the Preservation
Hall Jazz Band. The band takes a rest on Sundays,
when the Olympia Brass Band takes over
Preservation Hall History:
Preservation
Hall is located in the French Quarter, just
three blocks from the Mississippi River.
The Hall has served many functions over the
years. Originally built as a private residence
in 1750, the hall has evolved into a tavern,
inn, photo studio and an art gallery. The
inside of the hall contains portraits of
the musicians who first filled it with the
beautiful sounds of New Orleans Jazz.
Preservation
Hall opened its doors in 1961. The hall was
created as a sanctuary, to protect and honor
New Orleans Jazz which had lost much of its
popularity to modern jazz and rock n roll.
Allan and Sandra Jaffe, the hall’s
founders, wanted a place where New Orleans
musicians could play New Orleans Jazz, a
style, they believed, should not disappear.
Today,
over 40 years later, the hall is still going
strong. On any given night, the hall is filled
to capacity with people eager to hear New
Orleans jazz played by veteran musicians
in their 70’s and 80’s and younger
musicians learning and embracing music that
is both sweet and very beautiful.
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