In an interview, published in Tom Bethell´s book "A Jazzman from New Orleans", a biography about the clarinet player George Lewis, George has some doubts about the survival of the New Orleans jazz, and says "... the only thing is, I don’t know how long this music is going to last.”

After listening to Brian Carrick´s George Lewis Quartet you can feel sure that George´s apprehensions about his music have not come true. Brian Carrick´s George Lewis Quartet is a tribute to George Lewis, one of the greatest revival musicians, and a living evidence for that this kind of music still lives nearly 40 years after his death at New Years Eve 1968. 

Listening to the quartet you will probably hear Burgundy Street Blues, St Philip Street Breakdown and many more of George´s unforgettable tunes.
Carrick’s George Lewis Quartet consists of Brian Carrick, clarinet; Hasse Jörgensen, banjo; Gunnar Smedberg, string bass and Hans Åsberg, drums.

PS. Have you ever thought about where all the rubber bands have gone nowadays? Well, take a look at Brian´s clarinet! There they all are. The clarinet has by the way belonged to George Lewis and was given as a gift to Brian from George´s daughter Shirley.
(The presentation of the band was written by Bengt Johansson to the Alingsås Jazz Festival in 2004)

About George Lewis

Pictures and music from our Danish tour 2007