Preservation Hall Jazz Band at 60, Alfa Mist

Julian Joseph presents live music from New Orleans heavyweights, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band in concert at SF Jazz, celebrating the band’s 60th anniversary. The ensemble was formed in 1961 by tuba player Alan Jaffe to continue the legacy of New Orlean’s rich musical history and to create a space where veteran musicians (many linked to the roaring scene of the 1920s) could perform. It has since been taken over by Jaffe’s son, bassist and fellow tuba player Ben Jaffe who steers the group through trad jazz classics and feel-good grooves.

Also in the programme, we hear from MOBO-award nominee, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and rapper Alfa Mist, known for blending jazz improvisation and hip-hop beats with haunting melodies. Here he shares some of the music he draws inspirations from, including a driving, harmonically intoxicating track by Esperanza Spalding that has echoes of a Joni Mitchell tune.