The unmistakable sound of New Orleans jazz is coming to the Harris Center for the Arts as the legendary Preservation Hall Jazz Band takes the stage on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, at 7:30 p.m.
At a time when musical boundaries are being crossed with increasing frequency, Preservation Hall Jazz Band stands as a testament to the deep and enduring traditions of New Orleans music. For more than 60 years, the band has carried the torch for the city’s vibrant musical heritage while embracing an ever-evolving sound that continues to resonate across generations.
Preservation Hall Jazz Band is more than a tribute to the past—it is a living, breathing embodiment of New Orleans’ rich musical culture. Their music reaches back to the city’s Afro-Cuban roots and its shared ancestry with the Afrobeat rhythms of Fela Kuti, the spiritual jazz of Pharoah Sanders and John Coltrane, and the improvisational fire that defines jazz itself. Yet their sound is far from confined to history.
The band has collaborated with a wide range of artists across genres, sharing festival stages from Coachella to Newport and performing alongside legends like Stevie Wonder, Elvis Costello, and the Grateful Dead, as well as modern giants such as Beck, The Foo Fighters, and The Black Keys.
Through it all, the band continues to redefine what New Orleans jazz means today, infusing their performances with the city’s signature joie de vivre and keeping its musical traditions alive for new audiences. Their performances are a journey through time, connecting the past with the present and ensuring that the history they were founded to preserve remains a dynamic and ever-evolving force in the world of music.
Individual tickets for Preservation Hall Jazz Band’s performance at the Harris Center are on sale now at the Harris Center Box Office at (916) 608-6888 or online at HarrisCenter.net. The box office is open Tuesday through Friday from noon to 5 p.m. and one hour before showtime.