George Lewis

As with its predecessor, Volume 2 catches the clarinetist in the final phase of his career. By 1953 there weren't many musicians left with a direct link to pre-war New Orleans, and so Lewis, who started playing in 1917, became revered as the last of a dying breed. Compare these live recordings to those of any revival group and you'll know why. These musicians sound as if they know this music in and out. It's not a historical concept for them, but what comes naturally when they jam.