Preservation Hall Jazz Band

“The past and promise of American music” (Rolling Stone), Preservation Hall Jazz Band is a true New Orleans institution that defines the tradition of Crescent City music. They return to their West Coast homec accompanied by special guest vocalist Tarriona "Tank" Ball and multi-instrumentalist Norman Spence II of the GRAMMY-nominated soul group Tank and The Bangas.

Founded in 1961 by tuba player Allan Jaffe, the PHJB was formed to preserve the city’s priceless musical heritage and give their veteran musicians a place to play, and it instantly attracted players linked to the glory days of the 1920s. Now run by Jaffe’s son, tuba player Ben Jaffe, the group features a wealth of New Orleans talent, including longtime-member and saxophonist Charlie Gabriel, versatile singer and instrumentalist Clint Maedgen, trumpeter Brandon Lewis, pianist Kyle Roussel, drummer Walter Harris, and trombonist Ronell Johnson, who joined the band in 2012.

Under the younger Jaffe’s direction, the band has remained timelessly relevant, recording and sharing the stage with the likes of Allen Toussaint, the Foo Fighters, Tom Waits, Yasiin Bey (Mos Def), Dr. John, My Morning Jacket, Beck, and others. For their tireless work in performance, promotion, and preservation of New Orleans music and their commitment to education initiatives, we honored Preservation Hall with the Lifetime Achievement Award at SFJAZZ Gala 2018.