In October of 2019, we saw Jory Woodis, a young clarinetist at Fritzel’s who had a captivating sound and personality. Later we saw him at Palm Court, so I introduced myself and met his wife, Brittney. We saw them several other times during that visit at my favorite places. Then in January, Jory attended the Jazz Education Network conference in New Orleans and we ran into him again several more times and met his mentor, Dr. Steve Call, he of Jazz For Cows fame. He mentioned that he and Brittney were definitely planning to move there and were looking at homes. He was lining up some gigs for March and April, so the clock was ticking.
I sent an email during the beginning of the lockdown and assumed their plans were on “hold” but they were way ahead of me. They had already bought and closed on a home (with a planned rental unit), moved lock, stock, and barrel across the country and while traveling, were informed his gigs had dissolved. Brittney secured a position with Oschner Medical Center and they hoped their month-long delayed belongings would be arriving soon. But he told me “we’re facing each challenge with a smile because we’re now residents of the Big Easy!”
Shelly Gallichio: Where are you from and how did you get from there to New Orleans?
Jory Woodis: I grew up in Cowley, Wyoming. It is a small farming town comprised of 500 people. It was a wonderful place to grow
