Tim Laughlin is a clarinetist of the highest caliber, an expert in the New Orleans traditional jazz idiom who keeps it fresh with a hefty roster of originals and fresh takes on the standards. Laughlin was 15 when he played his first gig on clarinet (on a Mardi Gras float, no less) and he soon began playing with a Who’s Who of Crescent City jazz masters: Connie Jones, Danny Barker, Al Hirt, and his close friend Pete Fountain.

When disaster strikes, Laughlin has a knack for making the best of the situation. As Katrina devastated New Orleans, Laughlin and his band, on tour in South America, were hired by the US State Department to engage in a month-long tour of that continent to thank the countries that had donated to the Katrina recovery. As Covid-19 reduced the bustling French Quarter to silence, Laughlin kept locals’ spirits up with daily concerts from his Royal Street balcony.

Laughlin has released over a dozen solo albums including the 2003 “Isle of Orleans,” a CD of original music which won a slew of accolades and led to broader licensing deals. His most recent effort, “New Standards,” also contains all original tunes. Laughlin has written for and performed in several movies and television shows, including “Runaway Jury” and “Hurricane on the Bayou.” When not performing at jazz clubs around New Orleans or around the world, Laughlin is a contributing writer for Offbeat and Jazztimes magazines.