George Lewis Essentials

George Lewis labored in obscurity for decades, before a chance discovery that occurred during the mid-century New Orleans-revival craze. While the clarinetist is often described as a traditionalist, it can be more helpful to think of him as a patient and intense blues player. By wringing new drops of soul from such familiar tunes as “When the Saints Go Marching In” and “Tiger Rag,” he explores the inexhaustibility of the vintage jazz catalog. And his original number “Burgundy Street Blues” has taken on standard status as well.