Preservation Hall — New Orleans Jazz Institution

Preservation Hall at 726 St Peter Street in the French Quarter of New Orleans has been dedicated to the preservation and performance of traditional New Orleans jazz since 1961. Founded by Allan and Sandra Jaffe, the Hall was established at a time when traditional jazz was being eclipsed by modern jazz and rock and roll, and the elderly musicians who had played in the style since the early 20th century were in danger of being forgotten. The venue provided a permanent home for artists like Sweet Emma Barrett, Punch Miller, and the Humphrey Brothers to play the music they had spent their lives perfecting.

The Hall is deliberately spartan — no food, no drinks, minimal amplification, wooden benches and standing room for an audience of about 40. The intimacy is the point: visitors sit feet from musicians playing in a style that originated in the same neighbourhood over a century ago. The Preservation Hall Jazz Band, the resident ensemble, has become one of the most respected traditional jazz groups in the world, touring internationally while maintaining their nightly performances in the French Quarter.

Preservation Hall is open nightly for three sets of traditional New Orleans jazz. There is no reservation system — visitors queue on St Peter Street and enter as space permits. The cover charge is modest. The building itself is a weathered, unassuming structure that makes no concession to tourism, and the experience of hearing live New Orleans jazz in this setting — the music echoing off the old plaster walls, the night air of the French Quarter drifting through the open shutters — is unlike anything available elsewhere.