George Lewis
George Lewis never tried to be a virtuoso soloist. He loved to play melodic ensembles where his distinctive clarinet was free to improvise as simply as he desired. When Lewis was inspired and in tune, he could hold his own with any of his contemporaries in New Orleans and he always sounded beautiful playing his "Burgundy Street Blues." To everyone's surprise (including himself), he became one of the most popular figures of the New Orleans revival movement of the 1950s.
It took Lewis a long time to achieve fame. He taught himself clarinet when he was 18 and worked in the '20s with the Black Eagle Band, Buddy Petit, the Eureka Brass Band, Chris Kelly, Kid Ory, the Olympia Orchestra, and other New Orleans groups. He played with Bunk Johnson in Evan Thomas' group in the early '30s but had a day job throughout most of the decade. When Bunk was discovered in 1942, Lewis became part of his band, playing with him Johnson, however, was difficult to get along with and a homesick Lewis returned to New Orleans by 1946. He played locally with his own group (featuring trombonist Jim Robinson) and in 1950 was portrayed in an article for Look. That exposure led to him recording regularly, and by 1952, Lewis was in such great demand that he was soon working before crowds in California and touring Europe and Japan. In addition to Robinson, Lewis' band in its prime years often featured trumpeter Kid Howard, pianist Alton Purnell, banjoist Lawrence Marrero, bassist Alcide "Slow Drag" Pavageau, and drummer Joe Watkins. George Lewis, who recorded for many labels (a Mosaic box set of his Blue Note sessions is one of the best reissues), became a symbol of what was right and wrong about the New Orleans revival movement, overpraised by his fans and overcritized by his detractors. At his best he was well worth hearing.
© Scott Yanow /TiVo
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At The Club Hangover, San Francisco, 1953 Vol. 2
Jazz - Paru chez Storyville le 20 oct. 1997
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
George Lewis and the Easy Riders Jazz Band, Vol. 2
George Lewis, The Easy Riders Jazz Band
Jazz - Paru chez GHB le 17 sept. 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Les Exercices Spirituels
Classique - Paru chez Tzadik le 31 mai 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
George Lewis Walking With The King
Jazz - Paru chez Saar srl le 20 janv. 1992
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Jammin' in The '50s
Jazz - Paru chez Jazz Crusade le 10 oct. 2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
George Lewis and Louis Nelson with Barry Martyn's Band 1966
George Lewis, Louis Nelson, Barry Martyn's Band
Jazz - Paru chez GHB le 14 juin 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Jazz In The Classic New Orleans Tradition
Jazz - Paru chez BHM le 29 juil. 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
George and the Vikings
George Lewis, Papa Bue's Viking Jazzband
Jazz - Paru chez Music Manager le 7 févr. 2022
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Jazz Funeral At New Orleans
Jazz - Paru chez CoolNote le 1 janv. 2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
New Orleans Jazz Men
George Lewis, Kid Ory, Oscar "Papa" Celestin's Tuxedo Jazz Band
Jazz - Paru chez CoolNote le 1 janv. 2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
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George Lewis with Kid Shots
Jazz - Paru chez American Music le 20 janv. 1992
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Beverly Caverns Sessions, Vol. 2
Jazz - Paru chez Good Time Jazz le 1 janv. 1953
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Hello Central…Give Me Doctor Jazz
Jazz - Paru chez Delmark Records le 1 janv. 2001
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Great Jazz Great Clarinets (Live)
Albert Nicholas, Edmond Hall, George Lewis
Jazz - Paru chez Upbeat Jazz le 31 mars 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Best Clarinet Jazz
Jazz - Paru chez Blues Experience le 19 mai 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
George Lewis with Barry Martyn's Band 1966
George Lewis, Barry Martyn's Band
Jazz - Paru chez GHB le 1 oct. 2016
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
All That Jazz, Vol. 92: George Lewis & Friends — Jam Session in New Orleans
Jazz - Paru chez Jube Legends le 3 nov. 2017
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
New Orleans Parade
George Lewis, Eureka Brass Band
Jazz - Paru chez CoolNote le 1 janv. 2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo