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Ben Jaffe (foreground, checked suit), the son of Preservation Hall Jazz Band founder Allan Jaffe, now leads the
multigenerational New Orleans landmark.
In addition to Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, the gener-
ous bill includes Galactic, the New Breed Brass Band, Walter
“Wolfman” Washington, Cyril Neville, Kermit Ru ns, and, of
course, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, one of the nest Lou-
isiana institutions of all time, led by longtime artistic director
Ben Ja e (who follows in the footsteps of his father, group
founder Allan Ja e). Now going for nearly years, there’s
perhaps no better act alive to discuss New Orleans arts, culture,
and camaraderie, or the Mardi Gras of a great time that’s arriv-
ing in Highland Park on Sunday, August .
What’s the rst thought that pops into your mind when
Ravinia is mentioned?
:
I know Ravinia very well. e Preservation Hall
Jazz Band, with my father on tuba, were perennials at Ravinia
for many years. One of my fond memories is coming to Ravin-
ia in the summer time and getting ice cream … every year of
my childhood, at least times. All of the shows there were just
legendary in my mind. Ravinia is up there with Wolf Trap in
terms of o ering this very special environment and experience
… where you can sit on the lawn and have a picnic [with the
music], or you can sit inside and watch the band, where it’s an
event. at was really unique when I was growing up.
Your set will be part of Trombone Shorty’s “Voodoo
reauxdown” with several other acts, celebrating
years of the City of New Orleans. Will there be any
special elements that might be unique to this experience?
I’m not generally one to celebrate anniversaries in that way, but
a er we did Preservation Hall’s th, I really started thinking
about landmarks and these big moments in one’s life and how
we do need to honor them. New Orleans has played such an
important role in really the world’s musical history. I mean, we
think of New Orleans as being the birthplace of not just jazz,
but much of what we consider American music: rock and roll,
R&B, soul, gospel. When you think about how much that mu-
sic has inspired and in uenced music around the world, you
really start to understand
how important New Orle-
ans is. It’s just beautiful that
every band and musician on
the tour is born, raised, and
lives in that same city. I don’t
know where else that can
happen, so that’s something
to celebrate.
Why does everyone seem to
stick around for so long?
is is a very culturally and
historically rich city that is
really unlike anywhere else
in the United States. When
I think of New Orleans, it’s
just the Northern Caribbean.
I look to Cuba and Haiti and
Columbia and Mexico and to the West Indies and I look to
Brazil and Africa to understand our history.
What does the Chicago blues scene owe to New Orleans?
Chicago bene tted from the great industrial migration from
the South; it’s always been a very important part of Ameri-
can music. It’s where Louis Armstrong rst recorded his Hot
Fives and Hot Sevens, where he rst found employment as a
musician, where he was rst celebrated as an important artist.
Chicago was one of those major industrial cities that so many
from New Orleans ocked to with the prospect of a better life,
of more work and more opportunity. ey brought with them
their spiritual, musical, and culinary traditions. [
is inextrica-
ble link between Chicago and New Orleans music led to the Au-
gust concert being named the Chicago-area event for Illinois’s
Bicentennial Constitution Day celebrations. –Ed.
]
How would you describe the culture surrounding the start
of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band more than years ago?
We’re talking about the Jim Crow South … when my parents
moved here in
. What they became a part of and what they
created was revolutionary … a venue that celebrated Afri-
can-American music and culture. It was really, truly unheard
of. [ is was a time] when New Orleans jazz, and just jazz
in general, was associated with drinking and bar culture and
brothels. It sort of had the reputation of being the devil’s music.
It wasn’t something that was presented in concert halls. Preser-
vation Hall was one of the rst touring jazz bands that brought
music into major concert halls and music venues around the
country, not just dance clubs and bars and jazz clubs, but
music
halls
, like Ravinia.
What is it like following in the footsteps of your father as
bandleader?
Because of how and where I grew up and who I grew up
around, in many ways, this is sort of what I was put on the
Earth to do. New Orleans is an important place, and there’s an
DANNY CLINCH (BOTH)
AUGUST 20 – SE3TEM%ER 2, 2018 | RAVINIA MAGAZINE
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