The Preservation Hall Jazz Band usually performs nightly at Preservation Hall in New Orleans, and tours around the world over 150 days a year. Hurricane Katrina, however, forced Preservation Hall to close through the fall and winter of 2005, and the building remained shut until April 2006. The band continued to tour while the hall was closed.
Art dealer Larry Borenstein opened an art gallery in a building he called Associated Artists Studio in 1961. This evolved into Preservation Hall. A young tuba player, Allan Jaffe, ran the hall and organized tours for the musicians who often performed there, naming the band after the venue. The late Allan Jaffe was often in the Preservation Hall band; his son string bass player Ben Jaffe often is now.
The group has been touring the United States for more than 25 years. The Preservation Hall Jazz Band seek to preserve music evolved in New Orleans, and to bring it to contemporary audiences.
In 2006, the band was awarded the National Medal of Arts.
Current members include: Lucien Barbarin (trombone), Mark Braud (trumpet), Frank Demond (trombone), Charlie Gabriel (clarinet & saxophone), Ben Jaffe (bass & tuba), Leroy Jones (trumpet), Joseph Lastie, Jr (drums), Carl Le Blanc (banjo), Freddie Lonzo (trombone), Clint Maedgen (vocalist & saxophone), Rickie Monie (piano), Walter Payton (bass), Shannon Powell (drums), Mari Watanabe (piano)
A partial listing of the musicians who have played under the Preservation Hall Jazz Band name includes:
* Kid Thomas Valentine - trumpeter
* Punch Miller - trumpeter
* De De Pierce - trumpeter
* Percy Humphrey - trumpeter
* Kid Sheik Colar - trumpeter
* Louis Nelson - trombonist
* Jim Robinson - trombonist
* Frank Demond - trombonist
* George Lewis - clarinetist
* Albert Burbank - clarinetist
* Willie Humphrey - clarinetist
* Raymond Burke - clarinetist
* Joseph Rochambeau - pianist
* Billie Pierce - pianist
* "Sweet Emma" Barrett - pianist
* Jeanette Kimball - pianist
* Sing Miller - pianist
* Alcide "Slow Drag" Pavageau - bass
* Narvin Kimball - banjo
* Emanuel Sayles - banjo
* Josiah "Cie" Frazier - drums
* Walter Payton - bass
* Clint Maedgen - saxophone, clarinet, vocals
* Shannon Powell - drums
Mood Indigo
Preservation Hall Jazz Band Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You ain't never been blue,
Till you've had that mood indigo.
That feelin' goes stealin' down to my shoes
While I just sit here and sigh, "Go 'long blues".
I always get that mood indigo,
Since my baby said goodbye.
I'm so lonely I could cry.
'Cause there's nobody who cares about me,
I'm just a poor fool that's bluer than blue can be.
When I get that mood indigo,
I could lay me down and die.
You ain't never been blue; no, no, no,
You ain't never been blue,
Till you've had that mood indigo.
That feelin' goes stealin' down to my shoes
While I just sit here and sigh, "Go 'long blues".
The lyrics to Preservation Hall Jazz Band's song "Mood Indigo" describe a deep feeling of sadness or melancholy, commonly referred to as the "blues." The singer describes this feeling as something that "goes stealin' down to my shoes," and admits to feeling lonely and hopeless in its grip. The song suggests that the only thing worse than feeling blue is not having anyone to share that feeling with, as the singer laments that there is "nobody who cares about me," adding to the depth of their loneliness.
The lyrics of "Mood Indigo" are poetic and laden with metaphor. The sad feeling that descends upon the singer is described as a "mood" or an "indigo," colors that are often associated with loneliness or melancholy. The repeated phrases "you ain't never been blue" and "go 'long blues" suggest that the blues is an all-encompassing feeling that cannot be fully understood unless experienced firsthand. The contrast between the bright evening lights and the singer's inner darkness adds to the overall effect of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
You ain't never been blue; no, no, no,
You've never truly experienced sadness, until you've encountered the specific feeling of mood indigo.
You ain't never been blue,
The extent of your sadness has never been as deep and intense as that experienced when one has mood indigo.
Till you've had that mood indigo.
The feeling of mood indigo is unique and no other form of sadness can compare to it.
That feelin' goes stealin' down to my shoes
Mood indigo is a pervasive feeling that affects your entire being, including your physical body.
While I just sit here and sigh, "Go 'long blues".
In the face of mood indigo, one may feel powerless and unable to escape. They may instead resign themselves to the emotion and sigh it away.
I always get that mood indigo,
The feeling of mood indigo is not a one-time occurrence, rather it lingers and returns often.
Since my baby said goodbye.
Mood indigo can be brought on by the loss of a loved one or the end of a relationship.
And in the evenin' when the lights are low,
Mood indigo can be felt most acutely in moments of solitude and sadness, such as when one is alone at night.
I'm so lonely I could cry.
Mood indigo is often accompanied by feelings of loneliness and despair.
'Cause there's nobody who cares about me,
Mood indigo can make one feel insignificant and alone, as though no one in the world cares for them.
I'm just a poor fool that's bluer than blue can be.
When consumed by mood indigo, one's sadness can be overwhelming and all-consuming.
When I get that mood indigo,
The onset of mood indigo can be sudden and unexpected.
I could lay me down and die.
The intensity of mood indigo can make one feel as though they cannot bear to go on living.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: Duke Ellington, Irving Mills, Barney Bigard
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
L.V the Truth
on Rattlin' Bones
The lyrics of Preservation Hall Jazz Band's "Rattlin' Bones" is a spooky tale about the supernatural phenomena that takes place in St. Josephine, a part of New Orleans. The opening lines of the song act as a warning to those who might wish to visit the place as it is plagued with rattling bones that make a frightening sound. The singer suggests that the sound is not coming from any ordinary source, but from the bones of the dead who have risen from the grave and started walking around.
As the song progresses, the singer presents himself as a witness to the terrifying events that take place in the graveyard. He admits that initially, he did not believe in the stories about the rattling bones. However, after spending a night in the cemetery out of a dare, he saw the horrifying sight of the dead rising from their graves. The chorus is an ominous warning to those who might venture near the St. Josephine graveyard, with the rattling bones creeping up behind the headstones, effectively sealing the fate of any curious visitors.
Edit: Others argue that a deeper meaning hides between the lines. It has been said that homosexuality was a heavy taboo around the turn of the century. Evidence shows that the occasional (sexual) encounter was not uncommon in graveyards, at night. Many young men sought hidden corners of the city so they could get their "bones rattled." Hotels were reserved for "Socially Acceptable" Folks. So if you didn't want to see anyone's bones getting rattled, it's best to visit a graveyard during appropriate visiting hours.