Preservation Hall is a famous jazz performance hall in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana. It hosts nightly concerts featuring a rotating roster of bands. The bands of Preservation Hall typically perform jazz in the New Orleans style. Despite the fame of the institution, admittance is affordable ($8 as of early 2005). Because of limited seating, crowds typically begin lining up well in advance of a performance, and the line is typically quite long, although there is sometimes a band member not performing that evening playing for those waiting in line.

History

The origins of Preservation Hall go back to the start of the 1960s and an art gallery run by local enterpenuer Larry Bornstein. Many older jazz musicians were then minimally employed, and Bornstein arranged for some of them to play for tips in the gallery to help draw in potential customers. More people started comming for the music than the art. Allen Jaffee took over running of the Hall, and made it into a famous institution in part by ignoring the then prevelent ideas of what was needed for a successful music business-- there was no dance floor, and no food or drinks were served, the focus being just on the music.

In addition to the French Quarter Hall, bands of New Orleans musicians tour the world under the Preservation Hall Jazz Band name.

Further reading

• Preservation Hall by William Carter

External links

• http://www.preservationhall.com/