Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Preservation Hall Jazz Band: That's It!

Preservation Hall Jazz Band: That's It!

By Wade Luquet
January 29, 2014
View read count

Fifty years is a long time to carry the torch of the music of others and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band has done just that with class, joviality, and a sense of purpose to preserve traditional New Orleans jazz music. In a step away from their mission of preservation, the band has created new music in a hall recording of their newest album That's It. It should come as no surprise that their collection of original tunes is delivered with the same class, professionalism and fun found in their thirty previous releases.

Opening with the Samba tinged tune "That's It," the band utilizes the powerful dual sousaphones of

Ben Jaffe

tuba
b.1971

" data-original-title="" title="">Ben Jaffe and Ronell Johnson, the driving toms of drummer Joe Lastie, and the bands powerful horn section led by trumpeter

Mark Braud

flugelhorn

" data-original-title="" title="">Mark Braud to start the album in a rousing, rumbling fashion. From there, the band forays into their originals of soulful gospel, familiar and comfortable traditional, and some more modern New Orleans sounds.

Highlights include crooner and saxophonist Clint Maedgen soulfully singing his composition of the sultry, steamy tune "August Nights" that beautifully captures warm New Orleans summer evenings."Rattlin' Bones," hauntingly sung by trombonist Freddie Lonzo, is a horn infused tune reminding listeners of New Orleans fascination with the spirits of the departed that permeate a city that buries many above ground in their often visited Cities of the Dead.

Three tunes feature octogenarian clarinetist

Charlie Gabriel

clarinet

" data-original-title="" title="">Charlie Gabriel, a fourth-generation New Orleans musician, singing beautifully in his spoken baritone style. Gabriel is an engaging and gentle man in real life and it comes through in his voicing's on "Come With Me," "I Think I Love You" and "The Darker It Gets." This album is a showcase for Gabriel and leaves little doubt of his traditional jazz talents.

In a first, this album, co-produced by Jaffe and Jim James of My Morning Jacket, brought modern recording techniques into the comfort of the old Saint Peters Street hall. In the process, they were able to create and record new traditional music with studio quality sound. While the music is new, the band did not stray far from their mission of preservation. The music feels new, yet comfortably familiar. With this album, Jaffe successfully continues his mission to keep New Orleans traditional jazz popular and appealing to listeners of all ages.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

That's It!; Dear Lord (Give Me The Strength); Come With Me; Sugar Plum; Rattlin' Bones; I Think I Love You; August Nights; Halfway Right; Halfway Wrong; Yellow Moon; The Darker It Gets; Emmalena's Lullaby

Personnel

Preservation Hall Jazz Band

band / ensemble / orchestra

Mark Braud, trumpet; Ben Jaffe, string bass, sousaphone; Ronell Johnson, sousaphone; Clint Maedgen, tenor sax, clarinet & vocals; Rickie Monie, piano, Joe Lastie, drums; Freddie Lonzo, trombone; Charlie Gabriel, clarinet

Album information

Title: That's It! | Year Released: 2014 | Record Label: Sony Music

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Mark Dresser: Nourishments
< Previous

Mumpbeak
Next >

Preservation Hall Jazz Band Concerts

Dec 4 Thu

Preservation Hall Jazz Band: A Creole Christmas

Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
Bethel, NY

Dec 18 Thu

Preservation Hall Jazz Band: Creole Christmas

Hoyt Sherman Place
Des Moines, IA

Dec 19 Fri

Preservation Hall Jazz Band

Dakota Jazz Club & Restaurant
Minneapolis, MN

Dec 20 Sat

Preservation Hall Jazz Band

Dakota Jazz Club & Restaurant
Minneapolis, MN

Dec 20 Sat

Preservation Hall Jazz Band

Dakota Jazz Club & Restaurant
Minneapolis, MN

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.