“I feel like we need to reintroduce the band in a way,” says drummer Adonis Rose, who has been named as the artistic director of the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra (NOJO). “Everybody’s back—all of our core members—so it’s the same configuration,” Rose adds, mentioning musicians like pianist Victor Atkins, saxophonist Ed Petersen, trumpeter Leon “Kid Chocolate” Brown and others.

The Grammy-winning ensemble, which was founded in 2002 by trumpeter Irvin Mayfield, has been on hiatus since presenti...