The Preservation Hall Jazz Band will be playing at the Saenger Theater this Thursday for its International Jazz Jam, along with Switzerland’s Tonic Strings and Mobile’s Roman Street.

Ben’s mom and dad, Sandra and Allan Jaffe, bought Preservation Hall in 1961 shortly after it opened, and turned it into one of the most famous jazz clubs in the world.  As you may know, they don’t serve food or liquor at the Hall.  They charge a small entrance fee and the audience listens to a 45-60 minute set.  Allan’s goal was to give New Orleans jazz musicians an authentic, respectful place to play and has been given credit for preserving traditional jazz in New Orleans. Allan passed away in 1987.

Ben graduated from Isidore Newman School in New Orleans, growing up in the French Quarter, and Oberlin College.  He joined the band playing bass and tuba, and taking over Allan’s position as Director.

Doc grew up with Ben (he remembers marching in the MLK Day parade in New Orleans’ Ninth Ward with his brass band – Wow), and so found coming up with “interview” questions difficult, but asked a few pertinent ones:

Doc: Have you all ever played Mobile before?

BBJ:  This is my first time playing Mobile.  I’ve been to the Saenger Theater before to see Tom Waits.  This is our first performance there.

 Doc: Have you had any interaction with the Mobile jazz community?

 BBJ:  We are looking forward to sharing the bill with two other groups, Roman Street and Tonic Strings.  As far as the local Mobile Jazz scene, I do not have any personal relationships.

 Doc: How many days a year do you all tour these days?

 BBJ:  We are on tour 200 days a year.

 Doc: Thanks, Ben. 

 Doc hopes to convince Ben to help open a “Preservation Hall” type-institution in Mobile (which he has also discussed with Gulf Coast Ethnic & Hertitage Jazz Festival Director Creola Ruffin).  Mobile has a great jazz heritage and great musicians that are underappreciated in Mobile itself – we need a place to showcase them.