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BiTS: None of that at all?

GM: No, no, no, no, no. Well, I’ve recorded in so many ways. When we started, there was only
two-track tape and I’ve been through every iteration, three-track. Well, we might have done
four-track, but eight-track, 16-track, then digital and then different types of digital. But the main

thing about this is that it was recorded live and some of them recorded at Dutch radio just sound
luscious, as you know. They just sound so warm and good. I’m glad I did it, man.
BiTS: [Laughing] In a review that I read recently, you’re referred to by the reviewer as a ‘master

of American blues and jazz’. Is that something you agree with and how do you feel about that?

GM: Well, you’d have to define the word ‘master’. I mean Jelly Roll Morton or Blind Lemon
Jefferson was a master of American blues. I’m not an original inventor of it. I’m an interpreter of
this music and I am steeped in American music. I grew
up that way. I played in bands that way, so I wouldn’t
use the word ‘master’, but I could probably go into any
music school and teach some things they didn’t know
nothing about. So, my knowledge comes from
experience, so I’m very lucky to have lived when I
lived and hung out with who I hung out with. I hung
out with Son House. I hung out with Skip James and
with these people and spoke with Duke Ellington and
saw Louis Armstrong. So it’s just the timing and the
enthusiasm of the young boy wanting to get into all
this stuff, and I did.

BiTS: Now that COVID is disappearing into the mists
of time—hopefully—have you got any plans to do any Ferdinand ‘Jelly Roll’
live gigs of this music? Morton

GM: It’s too expensive. I would love it if somebody got
in touch with me from some conservatory or

something or some group wanted to do some of it. I
fished around with the Nash Ensemble but couldn’t
get arrested there. I’d love it, but I’d love it if other people did it and I could be in the audience
[laughs] like the octet or something, it would be a thrill, but I’m onto my next project. I just
recorded in New York a few days ago with some great jazz players and I wrote an arrangement
for a wonderful singer named Catherine Russell, whose father was Louis Armstrong’s band leader
[chuckling]. I just keep moving, man. It's the body of work I’m interested in.

BiTS: Well, you’ve certainly got an enormous body of work going back to the Jug Band days and
all the rest of it. Absolutely terrific stuff.

GM: Thank you, man. Glad you liked the album, man.

BiTS: Thank you very much indeed for making it. It’s been an absolute pleasure to listen to it. I
listened to it this afternoon just before I called you and fabulous stuff. Absolutely fabulous.

GM: Well, thanks very much. My pleasure.

BiTS: Thank you for talking to me. Bye then.

GM: Okay. Bye-bye. Cheers.