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 - Erschienen bei Storyville am 20.10.1997
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George Lewis and the Easy Riders Jazz Band, Vol. 2
George Lewis, The Easy Riders Jazz Band
Jazz - Erschienen bei GHB am 17.09.2016
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The Solo Trombone Record
Jazz - Erschienen bei Sackville am 01.01.1976
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Les Exercices Spirituels
Klassik - Erschienen bei Tzadik am 31.05.2011
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Jammin' in The '50s
Jazz - Erschienen bei Jazz Crusade am 10.10.2000
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George Lewis and Louis Nelson with Barry Martyn's Band 1966
George Lewis, Louis Nelson, Barry Martyn's Band
Jazz - Erschienen bei GHB am 14.06.2016
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Jazz In The Classic New Orleans Tradition
Jazz - Erschienen bei BHM am 29.07.2016
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George and the Vikings
George Lewis, Papa Bue's Viking Jazzband
Jazz - Erschienen bei Music Manager am 07.02.2022
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Jazz Funeral At New Orleans
Jazz - Erschienen bei CoolNote am 01.01.2000
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New Orleans Jazz Men
George Lewis, Kid Ory, Oscar "Papa" Celestin's Tuxedo Jazz Band
Jazz - Erschienen bei CoolNote am 01.01.2000
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Trios and Bands
Jazz - Erschienen bei American Music am 11.12.2013
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George Lewis with Kid Shots
Jazz - Erschienen bei American Music am 20.01.1992
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The Beverly Caverns Sessions, Vol. 2
Jazz - Erschienen bei Good Time Jazz am 01.01.1953
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Hello Central…Give Me Doctor Jazz
Jazz - Erschienen bei Delmark Records am 01.01.2001
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Great Jazz Great Clarinets (Live)
Albert Nicholas, Edmond Hall, George Lewis
Jazz - Erschienen bei Upbeat Jazz am 31.03.2023
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Best Clarinet Jazz
Jazz - Erschienen bei Blues Experience am 19.05.2017
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George Lewis with Barry Martyn's Band 1966
George Lewis, Barry Martyn's Band
Jazz - Erschienen bei GHB am 01.10.2016
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All That Jazz, Vol. 92: George Lewis & Friends — Jam Session in New Orleans
Jazz - Erschienen bei Jube Legends am 03.11.2017
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New Orleans Parade
George Lewis, Eureka Brass Band
Jazz - Erschienen bei CoolNote am 01.01.2000
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