Preservation Hall Jazz Band to Play Van Wezel, 1/5

The Preservation Hall Jazz Band, set to play the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2014 @ 7pm, has charged itself with a unique mission. To expose the music of the early 1900's to a society that has long forgotten this formative genre of jazz.

Founded in 1961 with the intent to preserve the authentic sound of traditional New Orleans Jazz, the Preservation Hall has served as the heart center of this foundational genre, spawning its own in-house band that acts as the world-wide touring component of the hall's mission. Creative Director, Ben Jaffe, has a unique role in this mission, for not only were his parents instrumental in founding the hall and taking the initial steps to broadcast the New Orleans sound across the globe, but he has refocused the band and the genre on a brighter future by bringing together some incredibly innovative collaborations with music "A listers," like: My Morning Jacket, Tom Waits, Merle Haggard (performing at the Van Wezel Jan. 29), Pete Seeger, and the Del McCoury Bluegrass Band. This revitalization has helped the genre remain creative and relevant, and contributed to a sold out 50th Anniversary Concert at Carnegie Hall in January 2012.

Tickets are priced from $25-$40. For more information, call the Box Office at 941-953-3368 or visit www.VanWezel.org.