Jazz historian and broadcaster Alyn Shipton formed the New Orleans Friends in 2019 to celebrate the music of clarinetist and bandleader George Lewis. Every member of the band has spent time in New Orleans, learning the music at first hand from the musicians who created it. But this particular concert is special, as the clarinetist, Tom Sancton, grew up in the city and was encouraged to play by Lewis himself. Tom is one of the leading exponents of the style, anywhere in the world. He and Alyn met as students at Oxford University in 1972, and formed their first band together then, which also included the drummer on this album, Trevor Richards. Trevor has played and recorded with many legends of traditional and swing era jazz, and although he, Tom and Alyn have played together occasionally over the years, this collection finds Trevor reunited with his original band-mates at St Giles Church in Oxford, 52 years after their very first concert in the city!