Baton Rouge General Medical Center administrator George Bell typically spends his time brightening patients’ days, but tonight he’s taking his talents to the Manship Theatre.
Bell is back at the Manship Theatre for the ninth time to perform “An Evening of Jazz with George Bell and Friends,” a jazz concert series, tonight at 7:30 p.m. Bell will be playing his trumpet alongside other standout local jazz musicians, playing New Orleans-inspired music to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Despite being a talented jazz musician, music is only a hobby for Bell, and he won’t be quitting his day job anytime soon. Before his concert series began, he had been performing for more than 45 years as a fun pastime, including performances for the hospital’s patients.
“I used to just go around and play for our patients during the holidays,” Bell said. “It was a way to bring cheer to patients, and a way to help them take their minds off what they were dealing with and lift their spirits.”
However, it wasn’t long before the staff at Baton Rouge General took notice and realized he should play his own shows. For his first show, he was asked by the hospital to do a thank you concert for the donors and contributors. He got his group of jazz musician friends together and put on the show, and they’ve been performing ever since.
“The response from the audience was so good, they asked us to do it again,” Bell said. “Following that, the Manship Theatre said we should plan a series of three shows a year with them.”
Those three shows were so successful that Bell and friends gained a fan base. Now, he performs at the Manship Theatre multiple times a year, frequently to sold out crowds.
Along with the concert, Bell works with Baton Rouge General’s Arts in Medicine Program, which allows patients to make art to be exhibited in a gallery near the theatre.
“We’re doing an art exhibit at the Manship Theatre that same night,” Bell said. “We have space in the lobby area, and all of the artwork is done by patients, and the art also has the same Katrina theme as the concert.”
Because the theatre’s performance season hasn’t started yet, Bell must rent the theatre to present this concert, something Manship Theatre Artistic Director Melanie Couvillon is grateful to him for doing.
“He’s this executive at Baton Rouge General, but little do people realize he’s also a very well-trained, professional musician,” Couvillon said. “So, it’s exciting for people to see that other side of him, and he does a fantastic show that’s a great addition to our program.”
Couvillon said Bell doesn’t always have clear cut themes for his concerts, other than when he performs at Christmas, but this time it was important for him to commemorate the hurricane. For this concert, Bell has invited New Orleans musician Detroit Brooks to perform a Katrina-inspired song he wrote.
In addition to bringing others joy, Couvillon said what makes these performances extra special is giving local musicians a chance to shine.

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Emily Brauner

Baton Rouge General administrator, George Bell, will be performing at “An Evening of Jazz with George Bell and Friends,” on Thursday, August 27, 2015 at Manship Theatre.