Picking up the mission where his parents left off, Ben Jaffe began a series of initiatives centered around expanding listenership to the music both at the Hall and on tour. As the years continued, the band began and welcomed a number of collaborative tours and recordings with artists outside of the traditional jazz genre including the Blind Boys of Alabama (gospel), Mos Def (hip-hop), the Del McCoury Band (bluegrass), My Morning Jacket (rock), and even a modern dance/ballet collaboration with critically-acclaimed choreographer Trey McIntyre. In addition to rejuvenating the music, Preservation Hall engages with the New Orleans cultural community emphasizing education and social programming. Persevering through the hardships of Hurricane Katrina and the BP oil spill, the Preservation Hall team created and supported organizations such as The Preservation Hall Music Outreach Program and the New Orleans Musician’s Hurricane Relief Fund (NOMHRF), in addition to partnering with local institutional partners such as The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation, and the Make It Right Foundation.