Preservation Hall is about a fifteen minute walk from the end of the St. Charles streetcar. It's a right off of Bourbon onto St. Peters, where you will almost immediate see a huge line forming to see the band. Some people even show up a full hour in advance to see the classic New Orleans jazz tunes, mostly because limited seating is an understatement and one usually finds themselves stuck standing for the first set or two.
Despite this, it is one of the best places I've found in New Orleans to spend a evening, since the music is always fantastic and it only costs $10 to see three 45 minute sets, a much needed bargain in such an expensive part of town. The band is world famous, traveling internationally to perform, even as far as China. They play in both Voodoo Music Festival and the upcoming New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, which I definitely plan to get tickets for.
Preservation Hall was founded in the 60's as an art gallery with music on the side, at least until the owners realized more people were showing up for music than for art. After the band and hall dedicated themselves to preserving traditional New Orleans jazz styles.
Each musician is supremely talented, with nearly all of them singing at some point along side their instrumental duties, and they can (and will) take nearly any traditional request you can throw at them. Here's an example (called Short Dress Gal, with the really awesome sax player.
One of my favorite local songs is St. James Infirmity, a dirge that was made famous by the likes of Louis Armstrong. If I knew more about music, I could perhaps give specific details on what makes New Orleans jazz unique, but I do know that it has something to do with the way the other instruments play off of the lead, improvising constantly and organically evolving off of each other.
It is refreshing to hear such stripped down and bare music nowadays; there are no microphones, no electric keyboards in Preservation Hall. Just raw talent and passion for their work that is rare to find. I would highly recommend stopping down there if anybody ever gets the chance.
-Andrew M.
did you request a song?
ReplyDeleteNaw. I would request St. James Infirmary if they ever had a night where someone else didn't request it, but that has never happened while I've been there. Tourist-types are usually more than ready to throw out the $1 for traditionals (and the $10 for the Saints!)
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