Shreveport Visit...

Since I was working on my birthday last weekend we continued a celebration of the birthday season with a visit to Shreveport. We had tickets to see the Preservation Hall Brass Band at the Strand Theater and while in town we stopped by for a visit with Cathy's nephew Chase, his wife Diamond and their son Henry David. 

Shreveport is not a place we visit much. We have not had a chance to visit with Chase and Diamond besides at large family gatherings. It was great to explore the town some and spend quality time with family. The sport jacket I wear in the photo was discovered at a local thrift store for $5. It don't take us long to find the cool places and hang with cool people. 

Preservation Hall is in the French Quarter. Originally an art gallery in the late 50s They began to have music and managed by tuba player Al Jaffe and his wife Sandra the hall began to be a place where the older traditional jazz players of New Orleans could have a gig. The Jaffes provided a venue where they broke the racial barriers of the day, mixing black and white musicians who had been struggling against racism and helping the older guys with challenges of poverty and illness. By 1963 they had a band touring the USA and the world as ambassadors of New Orleans music. 

Now managed by artistic director Ben Jaffe, Al's son, who plays string bass and tuba in the touring band they continue to play with dance groups, pop groups, make their own ground breaking music and have been awarded the National Medal of Arts. The Preservation Hall Foundation also continues work on educational programs to advance music, culture and community. 

Photos were prohibited but Cathy has a new iPhone and before the show she snapped a few shots. Here is Ben's sousaphone. Last year after a gig in New Orleans the horn was left laying on the sidewalk. No one noticed it missing till they unloaded the van the next day. You ask "how could that happen?" As a tuba player I know how easy it is. Kind of like the elephant in the room thing. Anyway the horn was recovered and Ben went on the create a Sousafund program to furnish at risk students in Orleans and Jefferson Parishes tubas and string basses. The program retains ownership of the instruments but on pursuing a career in music including application to nationwide music schools ownership of the instrument passes to the student.      

The Strand theater is a great venue. It was built in 1925 and there is great well preserved detail in the furnishings. 

We had good seats in the orchestra section but on a return I might choose a balcony seat to better take in the view of the theater and the upstirs murals.   

So if in Shreveport please visit my relatives and take in a show. It's all good entertainment.