THE PRESERVATION HALL JAZZ BAND of New Orleans, Louisiana, celebrated its 50th Anniversary on Saturday night at CARNEGIE HALL in NYC with many of their close friends and fellow artists such as JIM JAMES and MY MORNING JACKET, ALAN TOUSSAINT, YASIIN BEY (formerly MOS DEF), TROMBONE SHORTY, STEVE EARLE, THE DEL MCCOURY BAND, THE BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA, and many more…  Given that this was our first show of the year, it will be a tough act to follow.  In this video, straight from THE BROOKLYN GLUTTON VIDEO TUBE, Jim James and Trombone Shorty join the band for a slow and soulful rendition of ST. JAMES INFIRMARY BLUES, turning the standard into a dirge, with James howling and stomping in his inimitable manner all the while.  The rest of the boys from MY MORNING JACKET join in midway, as James turns the microphone over to PRESERVATION HALL saxophonist, CLINT MAEDGEN, who picks up the tempo and sets the stage for the TREY McINTYRE PROJECT dance company.

From Preservation Hall to Carnegie Hall, the grandeur of the venue was certainly not lost on these gentlemen, for whom the music is in their bloodlines, as is evidenced by the way it pours effortlessly from their souls.  While the array of musical guests was diverse, the tone was universally reverent, as the 50 year old New Orleans institution has maintained its tradition through the generations, and remains completely relevant today. 

This week, we will be attending our second show of 2012, shifting gears entirely, as we venture over to THE KNITTING FACTORY on Wednesday night, January 11th, to see EVAN DANDO and THE LEMONHEADS perform their 1992 hit album, IT’S A SHAME ABOUT RAY.  While it may not be as majestic and inspired as Saturday night’s show at Carnegie Hall, it is sure to resonate among those of us who entered adulthood two decades ago in the shadow of Generation X.  It will be our first time checking out the not-so-new Brooklyn home of The Knitting Factory.  Somehow, it seems unlikely that we will be seeing THE LEMONHEADS grace the stage at Carnegie Hall 30 years from now, although THE PRESERVATION HALL JAZZ BAND will probably be back to celebrate 80 years by then.