Science has yet to invent a time machine, but walk into 726 St. Peter St. in New Orleans’ French Quarter any night of the week and you may feel like you’ve stumbled into one anyway. Since the early 1960s, Preservation Hall has served as a haven for musicians familiar with traditional New Orleans jazz. As the clip above suggests, it’s a cant-miss stop for any visitor to New Orleans, and not just for historical value. The Jaffee family—first founders Allan and Sandra and now their son Ben—set out to provide a venue for veteran players. They succeeded and then some: Preservation Hall has played a key role in passing traditional sounds from one generation to the next. In the second season of Treme, Delmont Lambreaux, the New Orleans-born jazz trumpeter played by Rob Brown, gets in an argument with some New York players who look down their nose at Preservation Hall as an artifact of another time that appeals only to tourists. They’d clearly never been there. Though grounded in past forms, the playing at Preservation Hall remains vital and spirited. It’s hard to sound stodgy when you’re playing music that depends on improvisation. Heard live, it doesn’t sound the least bit old fashioned, and since traditional jazz’s influence has seeped into virtually every musical style that emerged in New Orleans since its heyday, it doesn’t sound the least bit distant.
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Been there. I think the fact that it didn’t stand out is what drew me to it.
really love the jingle at the end!!!
you guys should go somewhere that’s not lame
“sweet” emma?? really???
Cool! We went to New Orleans on a band trip last year, and this was one of our items on the agenda. It was amazing. So much fun. Even if I had to stand in the back of the room, the music was great. I’d recommend going if you can. So much fun energy comes from the music made in that room.
Great video.
Also I just bought the Maritime album because of this series. Good stuff.
i love these videos.
dude has a killer radio voice
haha im a loser. im 17 and love jazz
Would London be too far for the A.V. Club? Many pop culture landmarks there.
Wish I could go there.
@theavclub awesome!!! by the way, check out LeftShoeBand on youtube. we’ll be famous soon so you’ll have to remember to come out to the boston area haha
@JakeDewar227 We will soon!
go to seattle and places that have to do with nirvana! i loved the one at gilman with green day!
Oh yes, my dear.
no