Preservation
Hall is proud to present ‘Midnight
Preserves,’ an intimate concert series scheduled
to take place from April 24 to May 4 during the 2008
New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. The
series curated by Preservation Hall creative director
Ben Jaffe now in its forth year began in 2005. It provides
guests the unprecedented opportunity to see critically-acclaimed
artists at the venerable music venue which rarely presents
music outside the realm of New Orleans jazz. Celebrated
two-time Grammy-winner Terence Blanchard, whose CD “A
Tale Of God’s Will (A Requiem For Katrina)” was
the recipient of this year’s Grammy Award for
Best Jazz Ensemble, will serve as the artist in residence
for the series.
Said Blanchard, “It is a big honor to be included
in the Preservation Hall Midnight Preserves series
given the Hall's historical significance-- not only
in New Orleans, but the world culture of music in general. It
is also an honor to be included at this time because
of the innovative and thoughtful direction that Ben
Jaffe is courageously moving towards.”
In the spirit of tradition and
innovation, Blanchard will perform as special guest
with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band on April 25th
and with George Wein and the Preservation Hall All-Stars
on April 26th. Blanchard will also host a very special
concert featuring the students of the Thelonious
Monk Institute of Jazz on Wednesday, April 30th,
from 5:00 pm-8:00 pm. "By
connecting the students of the Monk Institute with
New Orleans and Preservation Hall, we are perpetuating
the New Orleans Jazz tradition," states Blanchard.
The concert is open to the public (limited space available).
"Mr. Blanchard exemplifies an unparalleled level of achievement. It is
a tremendous honor to have him participate as this year's artist in residence
for Midnight Preserves. Mr. Blanchard embraces New Orleans culture and
its traditions while challenging and pushing the limits of artistry” states
Ben Jaffe, Creative Director of Preservation Hall.
‘Midnight Preserves’ will feature concerts by the Preservation
Hall Jazz Band, legendary festival impresario George Wein, multi-talented artist,
DJ, producer Kid Koala, and others. There will also be sets by critically acclaimed
duo, Benevento-Russo, Grammy winning blues legend, John Hammond, New Orleans
own Dirty Dozen Brass Band and many more. See complete schedule below.
As a world-renowned film composer
and two-time Grammy winner, Terence Blanchard is
a son of New Orleans and its Jazz tradition. Growing up in the birthplace
of Jazz, Blanchard learned and played with some of
New Orleans most proficient Jazz musicians. By
the age of 18, after touring with Lionel Hampton's
Big Band, Blanchard continued his odyssey with Art
Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, which placed him in
the vanguard of the contemporary Jazz era. Now, at
home in New Orleans, Blanchard is on a mission to perpetuate
its Jazz legacy. As the Artist in Residence for the
Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz at Loyola University,
Blanchard is bridging the history of Jazz with its'
past, present and future.
