Executive & Artistic Director
Thor Steingraber
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Preservation Hall Jazz Band
Mardi Gras Celebration
Wed Feb 18 | 8PM
Run time: approximately 1 hour and 50 minutes including a 20-minute intermission. ________ Program | Program Note
Ben Jaffe | Branden Lewis | Clint Maedgen | Kyle Roussel | Revon Andrews | Jafet Perez
Jazz Festival Concessions & Bar Menu
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Program
Songs will be announced from the stage All ticket purchasers will receive an email Thursday morning with a link to watch back this concert for an additional 48 hours so you can enjoy the performance, and backstage artist interviews, with friends and family in the comfort of your home. Enjoy!
Musicians
Ben Jaffe | Tuba/Bass Branden Lewis | Trumpet Clint Maedgen | Saxophone Kyle Roussel | Piano Revon Andrews | Trombone Jafet Perez | Drums
Securing The Soraya’s Future
Support the Thor Steingraber Fund for Artistic Innovation to help us continue to bring new works, world premieres, and bold collaborations to life
In the fall of 2015, my family and I attended a performance at the Valley Performing Arts Center at CSUN. My son, David, had received his undergraduate degree from CSUN many years prior, and we were pleased to see how the campus had grown. The recollections that stand out most in my memory from that evening were the extraordinary venue, its artistic excellence, and my first time meeting Thor Steingraber. For those reasons, my family decided in 2017 to invest in The Soraya’s future and long-term sustainability. In the 10 years since, we have come to know Thor and his vision. Through his leadership, we have witnessed values we so admire come to life on this stage — in the artists, their work, and the experiences they create for Los Angeles’ many communities and for CSUN students. Thor’s dedication and imagination serve so many, and it is my wish that his legacy be preserved. In honor and recognition of Thor’s accomplishments, I am pleased to announce a new fund supporting the art and artists who will continue this work: the Thor Steingraber Fund for Artistic Innovation. From the performance that first introduced my family to this majestic venue a decade ago, to the many moments of beauty and inspiration that have graced its stage since, we have Thor to thank. I hope you will join me and my family in supporting this effort — to ensure that these performances, and the spirit they embody, thrive long into the future.
— Soraya Sarah Nazarian
Program Note
Now in its fifth year, The Soraya’s jazz festival has gained national and international notoriety. The breadth of offerings is one of its signatures – from large scale performances and big bands to trios and quartets in the intimate jazz club. Each year there is an element of Latin Jazz as well as album releases, newly minted Grammy-winning artists, and revered jazz masters. Unlike many festivals which are scheduled in the summer months, we chose February for The Soraya’s festival. This for two reasons: first, there was an opportunity to add world class jazz programming to the sometimes-barren winter months; and second, February is Black History Month. I can think of no better way to honor the occasion, culturally and historically, than three weeks of jazz featuring some of today’s more important artists. February is also Mardi Gras, and this year we celebrate the occasion with one of the standard bearers of New Orleans traditions – Preservation Hall Jazz Band. For the closing performance, we engaged one of the West Coast’s most prominent dance companies, Alonzo King Lines Ballet, bringing their Ode to Alice Coltrane. Both stand on their extraordinary artistic merits while also honoring Black History month in authentic ways.
Gratefully,
Thor Steingraber
Executive and Artistic Director,
Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts
Preservation Hall Jazz Band
At a moment when musical streams are crossing with unprecedented frequency, it’s crucial to remember that throughout its history, New Orleans has been the point at which sounds and cultures from around the world converge, mingle, and resurface, transformed by the Crescent City’s inimitable spirit and joie de vivre. Nowhere is that idea more vividly embodied than in the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, which has held the torch of New Orleans music aloft for more than 60 years, all the while carrying it enthusiastically forward as a reminder that the history they were founded to preserve is a vibrantly living history. PHJB marches that tradition forward once again on So It Is. The album redefines what New Orleans music means today by tapping into a sonic continuum that stretches back to the city’s Afro-Cuban roots, through its common ancestry with the Afrobeat of Fela Kuti and the Fire Music of Pharoah Sanders and John Coltrane, and forward to cutting-edge artists with whom the PHJB have shared festival stages from Coachella to Newport, including legends like Stevie Wonder, Elvis Costello and the Grateful Dead and modern giants like Beck, The Foo Fighters, My Morning Jacket, and the Black Keys.
Ben Jaffee
BEN JAFFE (Bass/Tuba) As son of co-founders Allan and Sandra Jaffe, Ben has lived his whole life with the rhythm of the French Quarter pulsing through his veins. Raised in the company of New Orleans’ greatest musicians, Ben returned from his collegiate education at Oberlin College in Ohio to play with the group and assume his father’s duties as Director of Preservation Hall. Today he serves as Creative Director for both PHJB and the Hall itself, where he has spearheaded such programs as the New Orleans Musicians Hurricane Relief Fund.
Branden Lewis
BRANDEN LEWIS (Trumpet) was raised playing trumpet: in church, in his school marching bands, and one of the top youth orchestras in Los Angeles. “I have music in my heart and soul. I never planned on playing music for a living – I just always loved playing the trumpet.” His grandfather James Victor Lewis is a GRAMMY Award-winning saxophone player, famous for his role in one of New Orleans’ most iconic early R&B bands, Lil Millet and His Creoles. “He moved to Los Angeles around 1960 in an attempt to escape some of the bitter realities of being a Black man in Louisiana at that time. Even though I grew up in Los Angeles, Grandpa never let us forget that we were from New Orleans.” In 2012 Branden moved to New Orleans to discover a career as a full-time musician, and was immediately taken under the wing of Delfeayo Marsalis, performing with him at Frenchmen Street’s “modern jazz proving ground” – Snug Harbor. Since recording on Bobby Rush’s 2014 Grammy-nominated record with Dr. John (Decisions); co-founding the international Trumpet Mafia collective; touring with the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra; recording his first album as a bandleader – BLQ – and joining the Preservation Hall Jazz Band in 2016, he has collaborated and performed alongside Stevie Wonder, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Arcade Fire, Chance the Rapper, Jon Batiste, Reggie Watts, Dave Matthews, Corinne Bailey Rae, Foo Fighters and many more.
Clint Maedgen
CLINT MAEDGEN (Saxophone) is a New Orleans-based singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and band leader with three decades of musical experience that spans rock ‘n’ roll, electronica and traditional jazz. Starting with the saxophone at the age of nine, Mr. Maedgen picked up a wide range of other instruments along the way, including flute, ther in, clarinet, bottle, guitar, and piano. Voice r ains his primary instrument. Mr. Maedgen has been a full-time member of The Preservation Hall Jazz Band for seven years as a vocalist and saxophonist, touring the world 150 dates a year. He has since performed on Late Night with David Letterman, sung the National Anth for a nationally televised BCS Championship game, played at the White House and entertained the King of Thailand three times. In 2011, he appeared in Louisiana Fairytale, a concert film directed by Danny Clinch featuring Preservation Hall and My Morning Jacket. Mr. Maedgen has led several bands, most notably The New Orleans Bingo! Show, which has become a New Orleans institution most easily described as a theatrical rock band game show. Bingo! has toured as a support act for Primus, in addition to touring Australia with The Polyphonic Spree. Mr. Maedgen has experimented with solo performance for several years and is now further developing his one man show using his voice, electronics, and an assortment of odd toys and instruments including a circuit bent drone machine and battery-operated voice modulator. Mr. Maedgen has recorded with Tom Waits, Robert Plant, The Edge, Jim James, Pete Seeger, Richie Havens, Del McCoury, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Buddy Miller, Ani Defranco, Brandi Carlile, Steve Earle, Andrew Bird, Paolo Nutini, Merle Haggard, Mos Def, Dr. John, Lenny Kravitz, and Bro. Taisuke’s Gospel Choir in Japan. Mr. Maedgen is also a photographer and filmmaker, serving as producer for several Preservation Hall music videos.
Kyle Roussel
KYLE ROUSSEL (Piano) is the multi-hyphenate spirit of New Orleans itself. The musician, producer, composer, instrumentalist, and performer is a cross-genre tour de force — proficient in piano, organ, keyboard, and drums — moving fluidly between jazz, soul, gospel, funk, and everything in between. Roussel stands as a modern voice for New Orleans music, committed to elevating the city’s rich musical identity on a global scale as both artist and producer. Current, experienced, and imaginative, he has carved out his own sound in his Big Easy studio while building a wide-ranging and respected career. His 2023 album NOLA A La Mode showcased his solo piano virtuosity through originals and reimagined classics — and in 2024, he reached a new milestone with the release of Church of New Orleans, a sweeping collaborative project featuring many of the city’s finest musicians. The album went on to earn a GRAMMY nomination for Best Regional Roots Album, cementing Roussel’s voice as a powerful representative of the New Orleans musical lineage. Onstage, he’s crossed paths with nearly every corner of the city’s storied musical landscape. A touring member of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band and The Headhunters, he has also performed with artists such as Jon Batiste, Dave Grohl, Paul McCartney, Terrence Blanchard, Dave Matthews Band, Chance the Rapper, and more. As lead producer on projects for The Headhunters and others — with over five years of production, mixing, and mastering experience — Roussel seamlessly brings his instinctive musicality into the studio. “The people you meet are the best part of being a musician,” he says. “You have access to the entire spectrum — cultural, economic, everything. You can play for the President and play on Bourbon Street in the same week.” Roussel’s work has taken him from New Orleans to more than 40 countries worldwide, gracing stages from Coachella to Carnegie Hall, Montreux, and Madison Square Garden. His talents extend to the screen as well, appearing as Jelly Roll Morton in HBO’s 2022 Interview with the Vampire and contributing to the documentary Music Picture: New Orleans. As an ambassador for the sound and soul of his hometown, Roussel continues to expand his artistry — with upcoming projects including a jazz-funk organ record and his debut vocal release. Whatever the genre, instrument, or role, Kyle Roussel delivers with creativity, depth, and undeniable New Orleans spirit.
Revon Andrews
REVON ANDREWS (Trombone) has only had one ambition in his life – to play music. Growing up in the French Quarter he would perform on the streets with his brothers. In high school he would gig around town with his cousin Jenard Andrews for weddings and parties as the Baby Boys which then transitioned into their current band, New Breed Brass Band with guidance from the legendary Trombone Shorty. In 2023 they released their first full-length album, Made In New Orleans, which garnered a GRAMMY nomination for Best Regional Roots Music Album. Revon and his cousins have been celebrated for embracing New Orleans’ rich history of jazz while also drawing on throwback hip-hop, old-school funk, juke-joint R&B, and tribal rock ‘n’ roll.
Jafet Perez
JAFET PEREZ (Drums) is a talented drummer and percussionist originally from Santiago, Dominican Republic, who arrived and settled in New Orleans in 2020. In the Dominican Republic, Jafet dedicated himself fully to music, playing in bands such as MoonJazz, Rafelito Mirabal and Sistema Temperado, amongst others. For five years, he worked for Carnival Cruise Lines, where he was part of the Latin band that played every day and spent up to nine months at sea. This experience allowed him to travel and explore much of the Caribbean. His versatility and dedication have established him as a leading figure in the New Orleans music scene, where he is known for his participation in various bands and musical projects, such as the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, New Orleans Nightcrawlers, Charlie Biggs, and Yusa Music. In September 2024, Jafet performed with The Tropicales at the Harker Concert Series’ 2024-25 season opener. His performance was outstanding, especially his drum solo on “Cuando,” which received a standing ovation from the audience. In addition to his collaborations, Jafet regularly shares his work on platforms such as Instagram and Threads. In December 2024, he posted a reel titled “One For All Time,” showcasing his drumming skills. In January 2025, he released “Afro Blues,” expressing his gratitude for the opportunity to share his music. Jafet has also ventured into singing. In his first concert as a singer in New Orleans, he expressed his gratitude for the support he has received and shared his enthusiasm for this new facet of his career.
The Soraya
The Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts (The Soraya/Producer) is an award-winning, state-of-the-art 1,700-seat theater that opened in 2011 as the Valley Performing Arts Center. Through a transformative gift by Younes and Soraya Nazarian, the venue was renamed The Soraya in 2017. The Soraya is located on the campus of California State University, Northridge, the intellectual and cultural heart of the San Fernando Valley.
Executive and Artistic Director Thor Steingraber, in his 12th year leading the organization, sums up what makes The Soraya a central piece of Los Angeles arts and culture. “At The Soraya, we hold a high standard of excellence for every performance from a vast array of artistic disciplines, and we hold steadfast to our commitment to the value and impact of the performing arts in community-building, for the Valley’s 1.8 million residents and beyond.”
The Soraya’s 2025–26 Season is a journey through the expansive sounds of orchestras, the freestyle vibes of jazz, the innovations of dance luminaries, and a vast array of global voices. The Soraya continues its vigorous commitment to excelling, innovating, and amplifying access for Valley residents, students, and arts lovers across Southern California.