"PRESERVATION" Preview #5: Appearing with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band - MS. AMY LAVERE

February 16, 2010 - PRESERVATION: an album benefitting Preservation Hall & The Preservation Hall Music Outreach Program hits the streets! (Best Mardi Gras Ever?) While we wait with baited breath, we share with you these previews of the 19 amazing tracks and special guests that make this latest offering from the Preservation Hall Jazz Band so very special. In this installment...

AMY LAVERE
By Mark Deming for Allmusic.com

While Amy LaVere's voice may have the high, breathy tone of a young girl, she brings to her music the emotional peaks and valleys of a grown woman who has certainly seen her share of the world, and it's hard not to believe that her adventurous life has informed her work. LaVere was born in a small town near the border of Texas and Louisiana to parents who were part-time musicians. Her family's nomadic life led LaVere to live in 13 different places before she finished high school, and when her folks finally settled in Detroit, she rejected the classic country sounds they doted on -- Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, and Willie Nelson were their favorites -- in favor of punk rock. LaVere played drums and sang in a Motor City punk band called Last Minute, but after graduating she grew restless and headed back to Louisiana, which turned out to be a brief stop on the way to a job in Nashville, working for a music management company. After settling in Nashville, LaVere met Gabe Kudela, who played with the barnstorming country-punk band the Legendary Shack Shakers. After a brief romance, LaVere and Kudela wed, and after she learned to play upright bass, the couple began playing nightclubs on Nashville's Lower Broadway as part of a group they called the Gabe & Amy Show; the band developed a loyal following in Nashville, and spawned another when they pulled up stakes and relocated to Memphis in 1999.

Although LaVere and Kudela's marriage broke up in 2003, LaVere's love of singing was stronger than ever, and she had developed a belated appreciation for classic country, blues, and jazz sounds that influenced her performing style. With the help of friends Paul Buchignani and Jason Freeman, LaVere began performing as a solo act, and after extensive gigging in the South LaVere caught the attention of Memphis-based independent label Archer Records, which released her striking debut album, This World Is Not My Home, in April of 2006. A little over a year later, LaVere's second long-player, Anchors & Anvils (produced by legendary Memphis musician and studio hand Jim Dickinson), arrived in stores. When not busy with her musical career, LaVere also dabbles in acting; she played pioneering rockabilly filly Wanda Jackson in the film Walk the Line, and later appeared in Craig Brewer's Black Snake Moan.PHOTOS OF AMY LAVERE @ PRESERVATION HALL
BY ERIKA GOLDRING

The Song:
"Baby Won't You Please Come Home"
Amy LaVere & The Preservation Hall Jazz Band
(Charles Warfield/Clarence Williams) public domain

Amy LaVere - vocals
Mark Braud - trumpet
Clint Maedgen - clarinet
Lucien Barbarin - trombone
Carl LeBlanc - banjo
Rickie Monie - piano
Ben Jaffe - string bass
Joe Lastie - drums

Amy LaVere appears courtesy of Archer Records

...as performed by BESSIE SMITH (1923):

Amy LaVere performs "Killing Him" at Sun Studios:

AMY LAVERE - OFFICIAL WEBSITE

AMY LAVERE on MTV's BUZZWORTHY BLOG
PRESERVATION HALL - OFFICIAL WEBSITE
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT "PRESERVATION," THE ALBUM

New photos on Preservation Hall's Flickr Page!

Wanna see some pics from the PHJB Tour? Visit our Flickr page at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/39969912@N03/

PHJB together with The Blind Boys of Alabama. On Tour in January!

If you haven't caught the Down The Riverside Tour featuring The Blind Boys of Alabama with PHJB, you've got a few chances in January:
Jan. 7th at Tarrytown, NY - Tarrytown Music Hall
Jan. 8th at Washington, DC - Warner Theatre
Jan. 10th at Chapel Hill, NC - Univ. of North Carolina
Jan. 29th at Morristown, NJ - Community Theatre of Morristown

See you there!

Happy Birthday, Willie Humphrey! (1900-1994)

Born on this day in 1900, Willie Humphrey was a singular performer who lent his unique blend of clarinet and charisma to the Preservation Hall Jazz Band for many, many years. Together with his brother Percy on trumpet, his playing is still held as representative of the New Orleans sound and can be heard on the seminal 1964 live recording of Sweet Emma and Her Preservation Hall Jazz Band. Here's a brief biography from Allmusic.com:

Willie Humphrey, Jr.
by Scott Yanow for Allmusic.com
Since he was the grandson of trumpeter and music teacher Jim Humphrey, the son of clarinetist Willie Humphrey, Sr., and the brother of both trumpeter Percy and trombonist Earl Humphrey, it is not surprising that Willie Humphrey, Jr. became a musician. After some violin lessons, he switched to clarinet when he was 14 and started working locally. Humphrey spent part of 1919-1920 in Chicago, where he played with King Oliver and Freddie Keppard, but then returned home, missing his chance to be recorded early in his career. Humphrey spent 1925-1932 in St. Louis, playing with Fate Marable and Dewey Jackson, and toured with Lucky Millinder (1935-1936), but otherwise lived in New Orleans the remainder of his life. He worked as a music teacher and in a Navy band during World War II, and in the 1950s, he spent a period working with Paul Barbarin. Willie Humphrey and his brother Percy came to fame performing with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band starting in the 1960s, touring and spreading the joy of New Orleans jazz around the world. Although far from a virtuoso, Willie Humphrey played his simple ensemble-oriented style with spirit; he recorded as a leader for Smoky Mary and late in his career for GHB.

Check out Willie with this all-star lineup in 1973!

"PRESERVATION" Preview #4: Appearing With PHJB - MR. JIM JAMES!

Jim James
(from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

James Olliges, Jr., professionally known as Jim James or Yim Yames, is the singer of Louisville, Kentucky-based rock band, My Morning Jacket. James grew up in the Hikes Point neighborhood of Louisville and graduated from St. Xavier High School in 1995. As the singer, frontman, producer, and lead songwriter for My Morning Jacket, James has been instrumental in defining the sound of the band, in particular on their critically acclaimed Z, which he co-produced with John Leckie. James cites The Muppet Show as one of his biggest musical influences. James was given an "Esky" for best songwriter in Esquire's 2006 Esky Music Awards in the April issue. James typically plays rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar, and occasional lead guitar on My Morning Jacket songs. James recently played the role of the band Leader in the Bob Dylan biopic I'm Not There singing the song "Going to Acapulco", with Calexico as his backing band, which was featured on the soundtrack of the film. Rolling Stone listed James among their "20 New Guitar Gods" along with fellow My Morning Jacket guitarist Carl Broemel. He contributed vocals on The Decemberists 2009 album The Hazards of Love.

On July 7, 2009, James released an EP covering George Harrison songs, entitled Tribute To. A portion of the proceeds from the album will go to benefit the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary. The EP is available on yimyames.com as both a digital download and a physical CD/LP.

photos of Jim James @ Preservation Hall by Mary Ashley Johnson

The Song:
"Louisiana Fairytale"
Yim Yames & The Preservation Hall Jazz Band
(Parish, Gillespie, Coots)
WB Music Corp, Larry Spier Music LLC, EMI Mills Music Inc.

Yim Yames - vocals
Mark Braud - trumpet
Clint Maedgen - clarinet
Daniel "Weenie" Farrow - tenor sax
Carl LeBlanc - banjo
"The Professor" Rickie Monie - piano
Walter Payton - string bass
Joe Lastie - drums

Yim Yames appears courtesy of ATO

FATS WALLER PERFORMS "LOUISIANA FAIRYTALE," 1935:

JIM JAMES PERFORMS "STEAM ENGINE," ACOUSTIC:

MY MORNING JACKET, OFFICIAL WEBSITE
YIM YAMES, OFFICIAL WEBSITE
LEARN MORE ABOUT "PRESERVATION" HERE!

"PRESERVATION" Preview #3: Appearing with PHJB - MR. BUDDY MILLER!

BUDDY MILLER

biography by Johnny Loftus
for Allmusic.com

Soulful Americana songwriter, singer, and producer Buddy Miller began his career in the early '60s as an upright bassist is high-school bluegrass combos. Later, he traveled the back roads of America as an acoustic guitarist, eventually landing in New York City, where his Buddy Miller Band included a young Shawn Colvin on vocals and guitar. He also forged an enduring relationship with country-rock iconoclast Jim Lauderdale. Miller eventually landed in Nashville, where he did session guitar and vocal work on albums by Lauderdale, Victoria Williams, and Heather Myles, among others. He self-produced his criminally overlooked solo debut, Your Love and Other Lies (Hightone, 1995), and followed it with 1997's equally superb Poison Love. By this point Miller was the lead guitarist in Emmylou Harris' band, and Harris returned the favor with backing vocals throughout Poison Love. Released in 1999, Cruel Moon continued Miller's string of home-recorded masterpieces; this time around, Steve Earle dropped by for the sessions. A big part of all Miller's recordings was the songwriting and harmonies of his wife, Julie Miller. The 2001 duet album Buddy & Julie Miller brought her contributions to the front of the mix and delivered them with gritty, soulful country arrangements enhanced by the interplay of his scowl and her lilt, while 2002 saw the release of his fifth album for Hightone, Midnight and Lonesome. It again featured contributions from Julie, Harris, and Lauderdale and mixed honky tonk with heartfelt balladry and the occasional soul cover. In 2004 Miller released the roots gospel album Universal United House of Prayer for New West, followed by Written in Chalk in 2009. In addition to his stellar solo career, Miller held down his gig in Harris' backing band; played guitar with Earle; produced albums by his wife Julie, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, and the Vigilantes of Love; and wrote songs for the Dixie Chicks, Lee Ann Womack, Lauderdale, and Hank Williams III.

BUDDY @ PRESERVATION HALL
PHOTOS BY ERIKA GOLDRING


THE SONG:
"I Ain't Go Nobody"
Buddy Miller & The Preservation Hall Jazz Band
(Roger Graham/Spencer Williams) public domain

Buddy Miller - vocals, guitar
Mark Braud - trumpet
Clint Maedgen - clarinet
Daniel "Weenie" Farrow - tenor sax
Lucien Barbarin - trombone
Carl LeBlanc - banjo
Rickie Monie - piano
Ben Jaffe - tuba
Walter Payton - string bass
Joe "Fish" Lastie - drums

Buddy Miller appears courtesy of New West Records

As Performed by The Mills Brothers, circa 1930s:

Buddy Miller's So New, There's Still No Title:

VISIT THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF BUDDY AND JULIE MILLER
or
LEARN MORE ABOUT "PRESERVATION" HERE!

This Friday: PHJB on NPR's WORLD CAFE!

Friday, December 25, 2009:

This Friday, when you're done opening presents, don't forget to tune-in to World Cafe on NPR! This year, National Public Radio is giving you the gift of Traditional New Orleans Jazz as they feature the Preservation Hall Jazz Band's in-studio performance for the first hour of World Cafe from WXPN in Philadelphia. In the second hour? Aqua Teen Hunger Force. So really, you're getting a little bit of everything, wouldn't you say?

World Cafe is a two-hour long, nationally syndicated music radio program that originates from WXPN, a non-commercial station licensed to the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The program began in 1991 and was originally distributed by Public Radio International. Since 2005, the show has been distributed by National Public Radio. Hosted by David Dye, World Cafe features live performances and interviews with established and emerging artists. The program's format covers a wide spectrum of musical genres, including adult album alternative, indie rock, folk, hard rock, singer-songwriter, alt-country, and world music.

A Creole Christmas at Preservation Hall!

Tickets are still available for our Christmas Eve presentations of A Creole Christmas at Preservation Hall! Call (504) 522-2841 for tickets to this Thursday's 2pm or 4pm performance!

"PRESERVATION" Preview #2: Appearing with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band - MR. RICHIE HAVENS

Richie Havens

Richie Havens is gifted with one of the most recognizable voices in popular music. His fiery, poignant, always soulful singing style has remained unique and ageless since he first emerged from the Greenwich Village folk scene in the early 1960’s. It’s a voice that has inspired and electrified audiences from the Woodstock Music & Arts Fair in 1969, to the Clinton Presidential Inauguration in 1993 -coming full circle with the 30th Woodstock Anniversary celebration, "A Day In The Garden," in 1999.

For over three decades, Richie has used his music to convey messages of brotherhood and personal freedom. With more than twenty-five albums released and a touring schedule that would kill many a younger man, he continues to view his calling as a higher one. As he told The Denver Post, "I really sing songs that move me. I’m not in show business, I’m in the communications business. That’s what it’s about for me."

Born in Brooklyn, Richard P. Havens was the eldest of nine children. At an early age, he began organizing his neighborhood friends into street corner doo-wop groups, and was performing with The McCrea Gospel Singers at 16. At the age of 20, Richie left Brooklyn to seek out the artistic stimulation of Greenwich Village. "I saw the Village as a place to escape to in order to express yourself,” he recalls. "I had first gone there during the beatnik days of the 1950’s to perform poetry, then I drew portraits for 2 years and stayed up all night listening to folk music in the clubs. It took awhile before I thought of picking up a guitar." Nina Simone was a key vocal influence early on, and Fred Neil and Dino Valenti were among the folksingers who had an impact on Richie during this period.

Richie’s reputation as a solo performer soon spread beyond the Village folk circles. He recorded two albums worth of demos for Douglas International in 1965 and ’66, though none of the tracks were released until his first two albums caused a stir. After joining forces with legendary manager Albert Grossman, Richie landed his first record deal with the Verve label, which released Mixed Bag in 1967. This auspicious debut album featured standout tracks like "Handsome Johnny" (co-written by Richie and future Oscar-winning actor Louis Gossett , Jr.), "Follow,” and the striking version of Bob Dylan’s "Just Like A Woman" that earned him the reputation of being a premier interpreter of Dylan’s material.

Something Else Again (1968) became Richie’s first album to hit the Billboard chart, and also pulled Mixed Bag onto the charts. That same year, Douglas International added (unapproved) instrumental tracks to his old demos and released two albums, Richie Havens’ Record and Electric Havens. Less than a year later, Richie’s first coproduction, the two-disc Richard P. Havens, 1983 (Verve 1969), gave fans a taste of his exciting live sound.

It was, in fact, as a live performer that Richie first earned widespread notice. By decade’s end, he was in great demand in colleges across the country, as well as on the international folk and pop festival circuit. Richie played the 1966 Newport Folk Festival, the 1967 Monterey Jazz Festival, the 1968 Miami Pop Festival, the 1969 Woodstock Festival, the 1969 Isle of Wight Festival, and the first Glastonbury Festival in 1970.

Richie’s Woodstock appearance proved to be a major turning point in his career. As the festival’s first performer, he held the crowd spellbound for nearly three hours, called back for encore after encore. Having run out of tunes, he improvised a song based on the old spiritual "Motherless Child" that became "Freedom,” a song now considered to be the anthem of a generation. The subsequent movie release helped Richie reach a worldwide audience of millions...

READ MORE ABOUT RICHIE HAVENS

SESSION PHOTO BY ERIKA GOLDRING

THE SONG:
"Trouble in Mind"
Richie Havens - vocals, guitar
Walter Parks - guitar
Mark Braud - trumpet
Charlie Gabriel - clarinet
Clint Maedgen - tenor sax
Freddie Lonzo - trombone
Carl LeBlanc - banjo
Walter Payton - string bass
"9th Ward" Joe Lastie - drums


"TROUBLE IN MIND"
as performed by
SISTER ROSETTA THARPE:

RICHIE HAVENS AT WOODSTOCK, 1969:

LEARN MORE ABOUT "PRESERVATION: AN ALBUM TO BENEFIT PRESERVATION HALL & THE PRESERVATION HALL MUSIC OUTREACH PROGRAM" HERE!

"PRESERVATION" Preview #1: Appearing with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band - MR. ANDREW BIRD

BIOGRAPHY
by Heather Phares
from AllMusicGuide.com
Chicago singer/songwriter/violinist Andrew Bird updates the traditions of small-group swing, German leider, and New Orleans jazz, mixing gypsy, folk, and rock elements into his distinctive style. Bird's projects include his group the Bowl of Fire (which also includes drummer Kevin O'Donnell, bassist Josh Hirsch, and guitarist Colin Bunn) and performing as an auxiliary member of the Squirrel Nut Zippers; in turn, the Zippers' Katharine Whalen and James Mathus appeared on the Bowl of Fire albums Thrills and Oh! the Grandeur. Bird has also recorded with artists like Pinetop Seven and Lil' Ed Williams, teaches music at the Old Town School of Folk Music, and performed on the score and soundtrack from the 1999 Tim Robbins film The Cradle Will Rock. His third album, 2001's The Swimming Hour, surprisingly found the Bowl of Fire turning to pop music, and with excellent results. As bandmembers remained active in their various other projects, the band continued and work on a follow-up began in 2002. To tide fans over, Bird self-released a limited-edition EP, Fingerlings, which documented live performances of some old and new songs by the band and solo. Early 2003 brought the release of another LP, Weather Systems, on the independent Grimsey label. Bird debuted on Ani DiFranco's Righteous Babe imprint in 2005 with Andrew Bird & the Mysterious Production of Eggs. He switched to Fat Possum for 2007's Armchair Apocrypha and 2009's Noble Beast, both of which were ambitious and eclectic albums even by Bird's standards.

SESSION PHOTO BY ERIKA GOLDRING

THE SONG:

"Shake It And Break It"
Andrew Bird - lead vocals, violin, whistling
Mark Braud - trumpet
Charlie Gabriel - clarinet
Clint Maedgen - tenor sax
Lucien Barbarin - trombone
Carl LeBlanc - banjo
Ben Jaffe - tuba
Joe Lastie - drums

CHARLIE PATTON'S VERSION:

ANDREW BIRD, LIVE AT THE GUTHRIE THEATRE:

LEARN MORE ABOUT ANDREW BIRD!

Coming Mardi Gras, 2010 - PRESERVATION: A collaborative benefit album featuring Tom Waits, Andrew Bird, Merle Haggard and more!

PRESERVATION HALL AND

SONY RED DISTRIBUTION ANNOUNCE
PRESERVATION: AN ALBUM BENEFITING
PRESERVATION HALL AND ITS
MUSIC OUTREACH PROGRAM

NEW ORLEANS, Feb. 16, 2010: Over the last year, more than 20 of American music's most exciting artists have traveled to Preservation Hall in New Orleans to collaborate with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band on classic New Orleans repertoire. The end result is a timeless and joyous celebration of New Orleans music. Proceeds from the sale of the project will benefit Preservation Hall and The Preservation Hall Music Outreach Program. The album is set for release on Fat Tuesday, February 16, 2010 in standard CD, deluxe edition, and double-LP collectible formats.

The mission of Preservation Hall, to showcase and nurture one of America's greatest indigenous, national, cultural treasures - New Orleans Jazz - is as important today as it was when Preservation Hall officially opened its doors in 1961.

"Our community is deeply rooted in a tradition of using music to rejoice, heal, and overcome adversity. We play music at our funerals to uplift our spirits during our deepest and darkest emotional moments," says producer Ben Jaffe, PHJB Creative Director and son of Preservation Hall founders Allan and Sandra Jaffe. "My goal on this project was to create new works steeped in the New Orleans Tradition with artists from diverse musical genres and backgrounds who all share a mutual admiration and deep appreciation for our cultural heritage."

From Brandi Carlile's take on the gospel classic "Old Rugged Cross" to Tom Waits' arrangement of the earliest known recorded Mardi Gras song, "Tootie Ma Is A Big Fine Thing," each artist was able to perform their interpretation of these classics within the warm confines of Preservation Hall's famous performance space. Even New Orleans' own legendary Louis Armstrong, who once said, "Preservation Hall, now that's where you'll hear all the greats," is transported through the decades and can be heard trading licks and vocals on an updated version of his classic "Rockin' Chair."

The complete roster of artists includes: Louis Armstrong, Andrew Bird, Terence Blanchard, Pete Seeger, Dr. John, Blind Boys of Alabama, Brandi Carlile, Cory Chisel, Ani DiFranco, Steve Earle, Merle Haggard, Richie Havens, Jason Isbell, Jim James, Angelique Kidjo, Amy Lavere, Anita Briem, Del McCoury, Buddy Miller, Paolo Nutini, and Tom Waits.

Preservation Hall, located in the French Quarter just three blocks from the Mississippi River, remains the intimate veune it originally was when it opened in 1961 as a performance space dedicated to honoring, celebrating and perpetuating New Orleans jazz. Originally erected as a Spanish Tavern in the 1750s, Preservation Hall is a modest French Quarter structure. The building has no running water or air conditioning, and the only seating accomodations are six benches and a few cushions strewn about the worn wooden floor. Its raw and weather-beaten exterior remains unpainted.

A half-century later, Preservation Hall continues to ensure the cultural legacy and the future of this beautiful tradition by allowing young and old to collaborate together. in the spirit of New Orleans, legendary and emerging artists donated their time to travel to New Orleans to record this special compilation album benefiting Preservation Hall and the Preservation Hall Music Outreach Program.

Preservation was spearheaded by RED Distribution, who approached Preservation Hall for their blessing and collaboration. "We're honored to be the driving force behind a tribute to this iconic body of music and the mission to restore the legendary Preservation Hall and its Music Outreach Program," said Bob Morelli, president, RED Distribution in announcing the album. "We hope this project continues to keep philanthropy at the forefront of the music industry, and restores faith that each of us can make a difference with just the purchase of a single CD. We thank all the wonderful artists who contributed their time and talent."

OFFBEAT'S BEST OF THE BEAT AWARDS, 2009!

Ladies and Gentlemen,
Another year has come and nearly gone. Which means that it's time once again to vote for your favorite musicians, groups, and recordings for Offbeat Magazine's annual Best Of The Beat awards! The Preservation Hall Jazz Band is nominated once again for Best Traditional Jazz Artist, as well as Best Traditional Jazz Album for this year's New Orleans Preservation, Vol. 1. Additionally, PHJB members Charlie Gabriel, Clint Maedgen, and Ben Jaffe are all up for awards in various categories. Please take a few moments a vote for your favorites!

Services for Ralph Johnson

Ralph Johnson

1938 - 2009

Services to be held at
St. Peter Claver Church
1923 St. Philip Street
Friday, December 11

Viewing from 9am - 11am
Mass at 11am
CLICK FOR DIRECTIONS

Rest in Peace, Ralph Johnson (1938-2009)

Sad news today. A much-loved member of our family has passed. Ralph Johnson, clarinet player here at Preservation Hall and on the road with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band for nearly twenty years, died early this morning. He was a wonderful human being and will be missed very much.

Please follow this link to listen to Mr. Johnson's lovely playing on a recent rendition of the Sidney Bechet classic, Le Petit Fleur...

Ralph Johnson, clarinet
Born August 24, 1938
Died December 7, 2009

Played with: Jerry Butler, the Impressions, Dr. John, Wallace Davenport, Johnny Adams, Chuck Carbo

Musicians teemed through the Sixth Ward district where Ralph Johnson was raised. His father, Son Johnson, was a clarinetist; when he handed the instrument to his son when Ralph was seven years old, the moment embedded itself in Ralph's memory as a solemn rite of passage. Still, making music proved anything but solemn for the young artist, who has since spent decades onstage with New Orleans artists of every style. Playing all reed instruments as well as flute and piano, he performed on his first gig at thirteen -- he had to lie about his age to even be allowed into the 21 and over venue. His connection to Preservation Hall dates back to appearances there with drummer Chester Jones and other bandleaders. For more than ten years Johnson has been a beloved member of the Preservation Hall band, in which he carries on the great traditions of clarinet artistry established in years past by Willie Humphrey and George Lewis.

"Preservation Hall is a place where you can play what's in your soul and make people happy. It's not about playing for yourself; it's playing to see a smile. The more smiles I see, the happier I am. When you play this music, you let your spirit go. You let your spirit say what it has to say. You play your heart out for the people because it makes you happy, just like it makes them happy. That's all that you can do. Why waste this precious time in your life doing anything that doesn't make people smile?" "I've played it all -- rock & roll, straight-ahead -- because all of it, all music, is made by God, not man. That's why I love the whole picture."

We will post information regarding memorial services as that information becomes available.

Del McCoury Band with PHJB in NYC- Jan.9 2010!

TURDUCKEN

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A turducken—the name is a portmanteau of turkey, duck, and chicken—is a dish consisting of a partially de-boned turkey stuffed with a de-boned duck, which itself is stuffed with a small de-boned chicken. The thoracic cavity of the chicken and the rest of the gaps are stuffed, sometimes with a highly seasoned breadcrumb mixture or sausage meat, although some versions have a different stuffing for each bird.

The result is a fairly solid layered poultry dish, suitable for cooking by braising, roasting, grilling, or barbecuing. The turducken is not suitable for deep frying Cajun style (to deep fry poultry, the body cavity must be hollow to cook evenly).

Claims that Cajun-creole fusion chef Paul Prudhomme created this dish as part of the festival Duvall Days in Duvall, Washington in 1983^[1] are unverified. A November 2005 National Geographic article by Calvin Trillin traced the American origins of the dish to "Hebert's Specialty Meats" in Maurice, Louisiana. They have been commercially producing turduckens since 1985, when an unknown local farmer brought in his own birds and asked Hebert's to prepare them in the now-familiar style. The company prepares around 5,000 turduckens per week around Thanksgiving time.^[2]

Turducken is often associated with the "do-it-yourself" outdoor food culture also associated with barbecueing and shrimp boils, although some people now serve it in place of the traditional roasted turkey at the Thanksgiving meal. As their popularity has spread from Louisiana to the rest of the Deep South and beyond, they have become available through specialty stores in urban areas or by mail order.

The popularity of turducken is mostly limited to the United States and Eastern Canada.

Preservation Hall's Fourth Annual Creole Christmas: TICKETS NOW ON SALE!

A CREOLE CHRISTMAS AT PRESERVATION HALL,
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20th @ 4:30pm
CHRISTMAS EVE, DECEMBER 24th @ 2:00 & 4:00pm
ADVANCE TICKETS AVAILABLE! (504) 522-2841

Bring the family, we’re Decking The Hall!

It's time for Preservation Hall's fourth annual Creole Christmas celebration. Join Preservation Hall's St. Peter Street All-Stars, led by Lars Edegran and featuring special guest vocalist Big Al Carson in a special presentation featuring some of New Orleans' best-loved holiday selections. This year, we're adding a special performance on Sunday, December 20th at 4:30pm. Immediately following our presentation, make your way to the front of St. Louis Cathedral for the annual Caroling in Jackson Square, a 63-year-old tradition sponsored by New Orleans' Patio Planters. It's a perfect holiday out for the entire family! Call (504) 522-2841 during business hours for tickets.

VOODOO Press Redux!

Ladies and Gentlemen, if you were in New Orleans for Halloween weekend, we hope that you were able to come visit us at the 2009 VOODOO Experience in City Park. It was another wonderful festival, with another amazing roster!

If you weren't able to make it in person, here's a small taste of what you missed:

Preservation Hall gets plugged in front of an unlikely audience at Voodoo
By Keith Spera, The Times-Picayune
October 31, 2009, 9:58PM
"As soon as Jane’s Addiction crashed to a close at the Playstation/Billboard.com Stage, thousands of folks turned around and headed toward the main Voodoo Stage across the field. Facing them was a black curtain spelling out “KISS” in enormous silver letters – and, on the video screen affixed to the left speaker stack, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band’s creepy-cool new animated video..."

FULL ARTICLE HERE

Voodoo Experience / 10.30-11.01 / New Orleans
c/o JamBase / New Orleans
Words by: Wesley Hodges
Images by: Dino Perrucci & Adam McCullough
"...The vendor street is the backbone and spinal center of the Voodoo Experience, adding some local color and the "Voodoo Eats" area was an olfactory overload of Cajun goodness beckoning the streaming crowds to come sample. Nearby local bluesman Little Freddie King was preaching about a bad women who done him no good, so we dropped in for a minute. In a 180 you could only pull off at a festival, after a few minutes singing the blues with Little Freddie, it was time to leave the Preservation Hall Tent to check out the Euro club scene...

FULL ARTICLE HERE

VOODOO'S SIDE STAGES MAKE FOR AN INCREDIBLE AFTERNOON MUSICAL ADVENTURE
www.neworleans.com
Written by Carolina Gallup
Saturday, 31 October, 2009

"After listening and grooving to Ledisi I found myself at the Preservation Hall Tent listening to Lil Brian and the Zydeco Travelers. They were awesome. The Pres Tent is one of my favorite tents on the ground. At this point I cannot stop moving. You walk from one stage to the next and you have great music, art & food at every turn..."

"...Walked back to Preservation Hall Tent and heard the Preservation Hall Stars do their thing. OMG!!! If you get a chance to hear the band play, please go. I always feel as if though my soul has been cleansed when I hear them play...."

FULL ARTICLE HERE

A slow march around the grounds reveals Voodoo's range
By Alison Fensterstock
October 30, 2009, 4:06pm

"In one march, we heard the full range of Voodoo's carefully curated booking pastiche. At the Preservation Hall tent, Lil Brian and the Zydeco Travelers funked up the traditional Creole rub board and squeeze box with hints of hip-hop and soul, plus a cover of Parliament's "Up for the Downstroke" reimagined as "Up for the Zydeco..."

FULL ARTICLE HERE

Tao Rodriguez-Seeger Band :: Preservation Hall :: 4:15pm
From Breakfastontour.com
Words by Eggs

"While still awaiting the arrival of our other BOTheads, Toast and I headed closer to the main entrance to meet up. While waiting, though, we meandered towards the Preservation Hall where the Tao Rodriguez-Seeger Band were a few songs into their set. Simple folk melodies matched with clever instrumentation were the backbone of Rodriguez-Seeger's group, and it was a nice change of pace from the hip-hop set we just witnessed. Grandson to famed folk singer Pete Seeger, Tao is carrying on the family torch with an updated form of his grandfathers music. We didn't have the chance to stay long, but I left impressed with his work and with the plan to check out more upon my return home."

Words by Toast
One thing you can always expect at Voodoo is an excellent mixture of traditional and modern local music. The Preservation Hall-Stars are a perfect example of that. Their Friday set at the Preservation Hall stage (Of course it was) was a booty shaking good time. As the crowd began to form under the tent, the set began with a New Orleans styled parade that continued throughout the majority of the set. This got the crowd moving as rain began, which would be steady throughout the rest of the night, making things a little sloppy. I stuck around for a little while, but had to cut out a little early to make it to The Black Keys. The large group took turns putting their skills on display as each of them performed skilled solos. My short time at the show was good way for me to get into the swing of New Orleans, sending me off into the cold, wet night.

FULL ARTICLE HERE

PHJB's St. James Infirmary Cartoon - ON THE BIG SCREEN!

That's right! Beginning this weekend, The Prytania Theater in New Orleans will be screening the PHJB/King Britt remix of St. James Infirmary cartoon before their midnight movies! If you've only seen it on your computer, you ain't seen nothing yet!

Ben Jaffe at the Windows 7 Tent - 2009 VOODOO Experience

The New Animated Video! Unleashed! Toon In!

If you like it, SHARE IT!

Coming Next Week - ST. PETER STREET SERENADE! [10.20.09]

Ladies and Gentlemen, it's almost here!


Next Tuesday, October 20, St. Peter Street Serenade hits the Virtual Streets! Available exclusively on iTunes, this exciting new package from Preservation Hall Recordings will feature four small-group arrangements from the Preservation Hall Hot 4, the much-anticipated King Britt remix of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band's "St. James Infirmary," and three music videos! To celebrate the release of our first-ever download-only package, we'll be launching the animated video for "St. James Infirmary" at midnight on our official website - www.PreservationHall.com

Wanna sneak peak?
VISIT OUR MYSPACE PAGE TO HEAR 2 TRACKS FROM THE ALBUM!
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE MUSIC VIDEO HERE!
KING BRITT ON THE ST. JAMES INFIRMARY REMIX!

CHECK OUT THE TEASER!

Stay Tooned: St. James Infirmary Cartoon teaser. 10.20.09

VOTE FOR DERRICK TABB - CNN TOP 10 HERO!

FROM THE BACKBEAT FOUNDATION:

CNN TOP 10 HERO:

DERRICK TABB

Founder of Roots of Music
Finalist for Hero of the Year!
VOTE NOW
Voting Open NOW - Nov. 19th @ 5am CT

The Roots of Music is New Orleans' only free, year-round music education program. The program provides music education in history, theory, instrumental instruction and ensemble performance. Furthermore, academic tutoring is offered to ensure students maintain at least a 2.5 GPA in school. Through funding from donations and sponsors, Roots of Music is able to provide students bus transportation, instruments and a meal for free. Tabb calls it his "no excuse" policy; everything is provided so there are no excuses. With a 90 percent attendance rate, his formula seems to be working, approximatley 85 percent of the students have improved their grades since beginning the program. The program currently served 106 kids, and has a waiting list of over 400.

"I hope everyone in New Orleans votes for me," Tabb said. And so does The Backbeat Foundation! You don't have to be in New Orleans to vote for Tabb. Roots of Music is a model program that could work in any challenged environment.

The ten finalists were chosen by a panel from more than 9,000 submissions.
The winner will be announced on "CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute," to be televised at 8 p.m. November 26. The winner will receive $100,000. Voting to select the Hero of the Year is being conducted through an online poll at CNN.com/Heroes, ending November 19 (5 a.m. CT).

Be sure to cast your vote & spread the word!

PHJB at ACL!

FROM THE WESTLAKE PICAYUNE:

Preservation Hall Jazz Band thrills audience on

final night of Austin City Limits Music Festival

Tuba player Ben Jaffe, tenor sax player Clint Maedgen and clarinetist Charlie Gabriel brought New Orleans music to life as part of the Austin City Limits music festival Sunday night.

Monday, October 5, 2009 | Dane Anderson

"The Preservation Hall Jazz Band was the perfect band to close the Wildflower Center stage at the Austin City Limits Music Festival Sunday. With pure delight emanating from the dancing audience, the eight-piece band brought the full magic and history of New Orleans music to life with energy and passion that underscores music as the universal language that tames even the mud-caked beasts.

Many in the audience were unable to contain themselves in chairs and rushed to the front of the stage to dance and sing along as the first few tunes caught fire. In sweat-soaked grey suits and ties, the band members grinned at the audience and smiled at each other, happy for the chance to share their music with fans who really love the genre.

The band started out hot and ended steaming, with a rendition of Louis Armstrong’s “Ol’ Man Mose,” and their own versions of essentials “Tailgate Ramble,” “Shimmy,” “Sugar Blues” and “Mama Don’t Want .” Standouts included Walter Payton singing “Shimmy” with his head thrown back, eyes closed and a grin across his face during pauses. The man and the music conjured up every ghost great of New Orleans past in memory.

Members of the band that graced the Wildflower stage on Sunday night were Ben Jaffe on tuba, Charlie Gabriel on clarinet, Payton on string bass, Clint Maedgen on tenor sax, Mark Braud on trumpet, Rickie Monie on keyboard, Freddie Lonzo on trombone and Joe Lastie on drums. These eight men are on a mission, and that mission delivers a big slice of heaven on earth to those lucky enough to catch a live performance. They want to nurture and perpetuate the art form of New Orleans jazz. Judging from Sunday night’s performance, they’ve got the pipes to do just that..."

READ ON... FULL ARTICLE HERE!

FROM SPINNER.COM:

PRESERVATION HALL JAZZ BAND
GIVE AWAY ICE CREAM AT ACL

Posted on Oct 5th 2009 11:45AM by Michael D. Ayers

"With soaring costs of tickets, food and beverages, it's rare to get anything for free at a concert, so it was a rare treat when the Preservation Hall Jazz Band made sure their Austin City Limits audience didn't go away empty handed. During the classic song 'Ice Cream,' where the New Orleans band sings the "I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream," line, a cooler on the side stage was opened and the horn section broke out several boxes of ice cream sandwiches, cones and fruit bars and tossed them out into the crowd. And it was a simple but popular gesture, as people were literally screaming for these handouts.

The Preservation Hall Jazz Band proved to be a big draw for those who wanted to dance to some of the finest traditional Dixieland jazz ever written. Opening with their timeless classic 'Bourbon Street Parade,' the group set the tone for their hour-long set by playing upbeat and energetic numbers, making for a Mardi Gras feel in the mud of Zilker Park. And the group was pretty excited to play, as trumpet player Mark Braud explained "our [New Orleans] Saints gave the Jets a good old fashioned butt-whooping today."

Other highlights included the soulful ballad 'My Sweet Substitute' and a playful version of 'I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate.' The Preservation Hall Jazz Band are touring the US and Europe now through January 2010."

ORIGINAL ARTICLE HERE

FROM AUSTIN360.COM:

Live review: Preservation Jazz Hall Band

By John T. Davis | Sunday, October 4, 2009, 09:04 PM

"If you were among the discriminating cognoscenti who partook of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band’s set at the Wildflower Stage on Sunday night, you have a right to strut a bit. You were, after all, among the couple of thousand or so folks (yeah, I’m talking about you, you Dan Auerbach and Spearhead fans) who weren’t climbing each other’s shoulders for a glimpse of Girl Talk or queuing up for Pearl Jam. There is more to life than headline acts.

And no matter how many chart-toppers ACL books, I hope there will always be room for acts like PHJB. They are among those heirloom performers who carry the torch and maintain the foundations for all the myriad acts that populate the ACL stages.

They’re a barrel of fun, to boot. A multi-generational array of jazz men, they’ve been spreading the gospel of classic New Orleans jazz and Dixieland since Preservation Hall opened its doors in the French Quarter in 1961. Today, the group is helmed by Benjamin Jaffe, the son of Allan Jaffe, who helmed the first incarnation of PHJB. But though the players change (though the virtuosity seemingly does not), the repertoire remains a timeless blend of rags, jump blues, brass band music, Dixieland, hot jazz and American standards..."

READ MORE: FULL ARTICLE HERE!