Hi!  This is Geoff Gilbert, now a resident of the historic French Quarter of New Orleans reaching out online to reconnect with my New Orleans Jazz buddies around the world and hopefully touch base with new friends who share our passion!

For those who don’t know me, I formed the Gothic Jazz Band in England in 1963 and a new recording on Mike Dine’s Carrot label follows their amazingly successful history. After moving to Sydney Australia in 1964 , I formed the Harbour City Jazz band which I led for thirty years. I also had my weekly jazz radio show “Our Monday Date” on 2MBS-FM.  Here is the show from Christmas 1988 - hope you enjoy it!

In 2001, I moved to New Orleans, settled in the French Quarter and married my English sweetheart Diana.  I am a licensed Tour Guide for the  Cabildo State museum and I write a monthly column for the UK jazz magazine  “Just Jazz”.

Enough about me – this is just to introduce you a taste of New Orleans past and present from a native who shares your passions.  Please send me your thoughts, questions and ideas below. In the coming weeks look forward to hearing some New Orleans Jazz from this space. Here is a wonderful video from Burgundy Street in the 1960′s with George Lewis on clarinet to touch your heart!

Hot off the press from the Preservation Hall Times!

Do check out the video – its impressive.

“In continuing celebration of their Golden Anniversary, Preservation Hall will present five nights of the unique multimedia stage production based on Tom Sancton’s widely acclaimed memoir, Song For My Fathers: A New Orleans Story in Black and White, at New Orleans’ Le Chat Noir on May 13-15 and May 21-22.  Directed by Ron Rona (The New Orleans Bingo! Show) and produced by Preservation Hall Creative Director Ben Jaffe, Song For My Fathers features live readings by Sancton, historic video and photography and live musical interludes featuring The Preservation Hall All-Star band. Song For My Fathers is an insider’s account of a special moment in New Orleans cultural history: the so-called revival of traditional jazz, the phoenix-like return from the ashes of the old players and their music, spearheaded by the founding of Preservation Hall in 1961. Published in 2006, the book was hailed as a “newly minted classic” by the Times-Picayune and was selected by Tulane University for the school’s Fall Reading Project that same year.

Watch the teaser video of the show by clicking HERE

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Here is the final episode of the Mike Pointon/Bill Russell interview series.

Thank you so much for all your positive comments and support.  Off to the Canary Islands for six weeks but will still be alive and well on the Internet! Cheers Geoff

Here is Part 3 0f the Bill Russell and Mike Pointon interview.  Thank you for all your great comments and feedback.

Part 2 of Bill Russell talking with Mike Pointon!

Thank you for all comments and so glad you are enjoying this.  Don’t  ‘forget

to pass this on to your jazz buddies and ask them to subscribe (it’s free!)

Get your copy now and there is a wonderful CD  included – enjoy!  You can buy it now in my Music Store  on Page 5.  Just click on the link in the right hand sidebar!

This is the first episode of Mike Pointon’s interview with the iconic Bill Russell from a a BBC radio broadcast in 1992. Thanks again to Mike for his permission to add this precious archive to our community!

This recording on the website coincides with the long-awaited October release of the book by Mike on the life and extraordinary effect that Bill Russell had on the world of jazz. His American Music recordings of Bunk Johnson, George Lewis, Jim Robinson et al caused a word-wide explosion of interest in New Orleans Jazz, and spawned the jazz revivalist movement from Australia to Canada and all points in between!

This is the story of Bill Russell’s great adventure in his own words and voice – enjoy the ride!

Here it is!

If you are visiting New Orleans today – do not despair that you will not hear some of the music that you came for! A new generation of young enthusiasts are keeping the tradition alive! They can be found most days on Royal Street between Toulouse and St. Peter. Wonderful youthful exuberance, brilliant musicianship and exciting singers and dancers.  They capture the romantic jazz spirit of New Orleans.

Here they are:

A more reflective view:

Here is the latest news hot off the press from the Land of Dreams!

The new book by Barry Martyn and Nick Gagliano “The Fabulous George Lewis Band: The Inside Story”has been published by LSU Press and will be available in our bookstore here on the site in May! It is fascinating – have seen preview copy – full of amazing photos and the added value of a CD which contains rare tracks of George and the band. You can buy from our Music Store here – just click on “The Fabulous George Lewis Band” on Page 5 and it will direct you to your Shopping Cart.

The other fascinating book is a re-issue of Tom Sancton’s bestseller “Song for My Fathers” in paperback with additional chapters. This will also be available RIGHT HERE in our Music Store.

Last but by no means least – the release of Geoff Gilbert’s Gloryland Jazz Band 1993. For me , this is the realization of a dream to try to create the real New Orleans Jazz.

It is available on Dine-A-Mite records, a division of 504 Records. In the UK, contact Mike Dine at (020)8303-9719 and the U.S.A. try the Louisiana Music Factory where you can order online.

For my Australian buddies, Peter Cowden at Jazzology Australia can be reached at www.jazzology.com.au

In the very near future you will be getting a fresh radio broadcast from me, and as promised to our subscribers, the first part of the Mike Pointon and Billl Russell interviews discussing Bunk Johnson.
(If you haven’t signed up yet -please do!)

This coming weekend is French Quarter Festival – check out our link to the right for the full program.
Please keep in touch and we are happy to answer any questions you have – so just send us a comment!

(My technical skills are on a learning curve as usual. Just remember it took me a while to master a diminished chord on the banjo!)

Cheers – Geoff

What an action-packed month this has been! Hotels full, streets packed with happy people with the double celebration of Mardi Gras and The Saints winning the Superbowl.
At Mardi Gras in New Orleans, you can become anybody or anything you want! People wear masks, unusual clothes or practically none at all. An experience not to be missed! Music is everywhere – the high school brass bands in the parades, Pete Fountain’s Half Fast Walking Club strolling down Bourbon Street on Mardi Gras Day
playing great New Orleans style music with his protege Tim Laughlin also playing clarinet. Here is a video from Mardi Gras.

We have added advance information on the French Quarter Festival and the Traditional Jazz Camp in August in our Resource section
Don’t forget to sign up to subscribe to our mailing list at no cost and let me know how we can provide the information on New Orleans that you need. We value your opinion.