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Snug Harbor Owner George Brumat Dead at 63

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George Brumat, who founded Port of Call, owned jazz bistro Snug Harbor and dedicated his life to nurturing the New Orleans modern jazz community, died Saturday of an apparent heart attack. He was 63.

Mr. Brumat was not married and had no children. His existence revolved around jazz music in general, and Snug Harbor in particular, where he could be found most nights. He opened the venue in 1983 on Frenchmen Street, long before the area had developed into the bustling entertainment district it is today.

Longtime friend and local photographer Pat Jolly said in an e-mail message that Mr. Brumat was “one of those rare club owners that honored and respected musicians, and even more remarkably, shared his profits with them. He was such a kind-hearted soul and always stepped up to the plate to help those in need."

Mr. Brumat spent his early childhood in Italy, where he dubbed the voices of children in American films into Italian. He moved to New Orleans with his parents around age 12. He learned English by watching movies at the Happy Time theater on Magazine Street.

From an early age, his interest in music was broad. He worked as an extra on opera productions, and enjoyed the symphony. But he turned his love of jazz, especially modern jazz, into his life's work.

He first founded Port of Call, the popular hamburger joint and bar at the corner of Dauphine and Esplanade, then later sold the business. He and several partners opened the Faubourg, a jazz club and bistro in the 600 block of Frenchmen Street. After buying out his partners to become the sole proprietor, he changed the club's name to Snug Harbor in 1983.

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