Preservation Hall All-Stars
Students clapped and sang along to vibrant tunes and dynamic rhythmic patterns that filled the air. The Preservation Hall Jazz Band performed traditional New Orleans Jazz at Assembly Hall on Tuesday, Apr. 10. In the evening, the band held a second concert in The Bowld.
“These guys could be playing whatever they want; they’re pros. But they chose to keep it traditional to save that piece of history, and to give it to us, and I think that’s one of the best things that’s happened at Exeter.”
According to tour manager Ashley Shabankareh, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band was founded in 2011 to “protect, preserve, and perpetuate New Orleans culture.” Currently, they seek out potential jazz musicians from underprivileged youth in New Orleans. Their graduates have achieved musical and academic success, studying at prestigious universities such as Juilliard and UC Berkeley.
An anonymous donor invited The Preservation Hall Jazz Band to Exeter. “It spawned all from one person’s love for jazz,” Shabankareh said. “The donor expressed great interest in us coming to Exeter, extended the invitation to connect us and bring us here.”
The band began their assembly concert with a hymnal melody, which included the refrain of “Lord, Lord Jesus” as the main line. Afterwards, they played old school spirituals and continued with the song “When I Grow Too Old to Dream.”
After the performance ended, students jumped out of their seats with thunderous applause. Senior Nikita Angarski noted how the performance was a valuable lesson in history. “Sometimes we forget that this is a history lesson as well,” he said. “These guys could be playing whatever they want; they’re pros. But they chose to keep it traditional to save that piece of history, and to give it to us, and I think that’s one of the best things that’s happened at Exeter.”
Prep Adia Allison shared these sentiments. “I enjoyed the jazz concert,” she said. “I think it was a way to bring a culture to Exeter that I’m sure many aren’t accustomed to.”
“The best part, however, was just how much fun they were having while playing,” senior Oren Stern said. “When the band is having fun, it’s almost impossible to not want to get up and join in. I was extremely impressed at how well they could tell a story with their music.”
The band reconvened at 7 p.m. to deliver a second concert in The Bowld. Students and faculty were immersed in tunes like “Mardi Gras in New Orleans” and “Little Liza Jane.” The grand finale was “When the Saints go Marching by.”
“The performance last night was the first time that I have ever experienced New Orleans Jazz,” prep Anna Rose Marion said. “As a musician, I found it extremely difficult to pick my jaw up off the floor. The room was electric, everyone was dancing, clapping, and enraptured by the virtuosity before us.”
The band’s soprano saxophonist, Calvin Johnson, hopes that their music will inspire students to love and appreciate jazz music. “It’s not everyday you see a group of students your age respond to the music this way,” he said, speaking to the PEA student body. “You guys let it touch your soul, and that’s how you get the music. I’m waiting to see what you guys sound like when I come next time.”
Prep Gabriella Shetreet also noted the crowd’s energy, saying, “The whole school really got into it, including me and my friends, and it was awesome to see the smiles on everyone’s faces.”
Johnson continued to describe the unparalleled impact that music has had on his life “Music means life, every facet of life and every emotion of life,” he said. “Happiness, sadness, trepidation, it’s apprehension, it’s spontaneity, it’s aggression, it’s everything.”
Trumpet player Kevin Lewis advised student musicians at Exeter to continue practicing and to never lose passion. “Stay open minded, and involved,” he said. “Never stop learning, and forever be a student of music.”