Preservation Hall Jazz Band and The Blind Boys of Alabama

Preservation Hall Jazz Band and The Blind Boys of Alabama

GAINESVILLE, FL - Preservation Hall Jazz Band and The Blind Boys of Alabama continue to bring attention to the rich musical heritage of New Orleans with their collaborative performance, Down by the Riverside. These two historic institutions join together to share with audiences the

jubilance and richness of New Orleans as the city continues to rebuild and revitalize. The two groups will perform at the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts Thursday, October 16.

In January, The Blind Boys released Down in New Orleans, their first album ever recorded in the Big Easy. The album continues to receive overwhelming critical acclaim, and features guest performances by the legendary Allen Toussaint, local kingpins the Hot 8 Brass Band and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. In April The Blind Boys and Preservation Hall performed together, along with special guests Dr. John, Susan Tedeschi, and others, at a sold-out concert at Tipitina’s in New Orleans. The show was recorded for a DVD, due for release in early 2009.

The Blind Boys of Alabama thrill and inspire audiences the world over. Formed in 1939, The Blind Boys still continue to create critically acclaimed recordings and reach new career heights even today. In recent years the group has won four consecutive Grammy Awards; were featured on 60 Minutes, Regis & Kelly, The Tonight Show and the Late Show with David Letterman; performed on the 2005 Grammy Awards telecast; and appeared in the 2003 movie The Fighting Temptations alongside Beyoncé and Cuba Gooding Jr. They sang a Phil Collins tune in Disney’s Brother Bear animated film, and were also the inspiration for the Steven Bochco TV series Blind Justice. The Blind Boys have also been inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame and

The Blind Boys of Alabama

awarded the NEA’s Heritage Fellowship for Lifetime Achievement, as well as many other prestigious honors, earning them the true distinction of "living gospel legends."

Dedicated to preserving and perpetuating New Orleans jazz, the world-renowned Preservation Hall Jazz Band derives its name from the venerable music venue founded in 1961 by Allan and Sandra Jaffe. Located in the heart of the French Quarter, Preservation Hall presents New Orleans jazz on a nightly basis. Post-Katrina, the band’s mission became increasingly important as a result of the severe physical and cultural loss due to the flooding of New Orleans. The son of the founders and Creative Director, Ben Jaffe, co-founded The New Orleans Musicians Hurricane Relief which continues to operate today as Sweet Home New Orleans: Renew Our Music. The band’s response to the destruction was the release of Made in New Orleans: The Hurricane Sessions, a scrapbook of Preservation Hall memorabilia from the Preservation Hall archives, new recordings and tracks recovered from the flooded Seasaint Studios as well as a DVD of historic Preservation Hall performances. The band was awarded the 2006 National Medal of Arts by the National Endowment for the Arts, the highest level of recognition by the federal government. Today, the band is comprised of musicians all born and raised in New Orleans. Many have performed together for more than 40 years. The band tours worldwide, carrying on the musical legacy and varied traditions of New Orleans.

Down by the Riverside:
Thursday, October 16, 7:30 p.m.
Phillips Center for the Performing Arts
Sponsored by Blue Water Bay and Oak Hammock at the University of Florida
Ticket Prices: $30-45

Web sites:
University of Florida Performing Arts: http://www.performingarts.ufl.edu/
Preservation Hall Jazz Band: http://www.preservationhall.com/
The Blind Boys of Alabama: http://www.blindboys.com/

To Purchase tickets, call the Phillips Center Box Office at 352-392-ARTS (2787) or 800-905-ARTS (toll-free within Florida) or call Ticketmaster at 800-277-1700 (toll-free). Tickets may also be purchased in person at the Phillips Center Box Office, the University Box Office at the University of Florida Reitz Union or from any Ticketmaster outlet, or online at http://www.ticketmaster.com/.  Cash, checks, MasterCard and Visa are accepted.