accolades

press & awards

press on music productions

Produced and directed in New Orleans by Gabour, Norah Jones’ first DVD went platinum, and aired as a music special in 18 countries. It was the #1-selling music DVD in the world for five consecutive weeks.
  • “…Norah Jones’ DVD is the perfect antidote to overproduced pop… It’s all slow pans and tight closeups, letting viewers luxuriate in the band’s thoughtful performance.” Daily News (NY)
  • “One of America’s most versatile and prolific writer/producer/ directors…” Daily News, International Broadcasters’ Conference, Amsterdam 2001.
  • “…this handsomely produced program, directed by Jim Gabour, looks and sounds great on videocassette; on laserdisc, however, it is awesome… its rich look and sound advance laser’s status in the video marketplace…” — “Video Music”, Video Insider (LA)
  • “… the BBC, working with Jim Gabour Moving Pictures, will be smack in the middle of the Mardi Gras madness, beaming a telecast to 400 million homes in 42 nations.” USA Today
  • “…Life, Love & Lunch is professional but fun… one of the best looking sets around… And the food does truly look fabulous. Now that’s entertainment.” — Gambit (US)
  • “…JACKPOT VIDEO… a stirring location integrated with the very different performers and their incredible track for a complete video package that manages to become greater than the sum of its parts… The broad appeal of Tip of the Iceberg is only eclipsed by the power of the message and the overall strength of the visuals…” — Video Music Journal (NY)
  • “…The opening scene of Deep in the Shed portrays jazz at its finest, pure, sensual and uncompromising… stylish… creative…” — Music Week (UK)
Gabour received a Grammy nomination for his work on Terence Blanchard’s concert documentary, shot in Paris, Capetown, Osaka, Tokyo, Hollywood, and New Orleans over eighteen months. The other nominees included Madonna and Bruce Springsteen, who won.
  • “…It’s [Big Time TV] been talked about on CNN and E!TV. It’s been written about in USA Today, Variety and The Hollywood Reporter…” TV Focus (US)
  • …concern for comprehensibility and context is characteristic of Mr. Gabour’s work on the project, which resembles that of an ardent music anthropologist…” — The Sunday New York Times (NY)
  • “…exuberance, folklorish scholarship… all part of the engaging authenticity of this reckless and properly adventurous exercise…” — The Listener (UK)
  • “…this video is one of the most musically satisfying to be seen and heard in some time… All in all, this is one of the best we’ve seen…” — JAZZIZ Magazine (International Edition)
  • “…great images… unmissable…” — New Musical Express (UK)
  • “…wondrous contents… beautifully matched…” — Television and Video Production (UK)
  • “…Jim Gabour must be living right. He’s a television producer admired by local and national critics, trusted by New Orleans’ skeptical musicians and liked by their union. His work has won awards, and reached national and now international audiences…” — Wavelength: The New Orleans Music Magazine (US)
  • “…fire and honesty… a compelling antidote to the infinite boredom of so many television programmes…” — The London Evening Standard (UK)
  • “…If we are very good, may we please have the Mardi Gras television broadcast every year?…” — Radio Times (UK)
  • “…SPECTACULAR… four hours of live prime-time debauchery…” — Hong Kong Standard (HK)
  • “…PICK OF THE DAY…” — London Daily Mail (UK)
  • “…Gabour Enters the Big (Easy) League… its hard to imagine him as anything other than a film and video director…” — Billboard (International Edition)
  • “…Gabour is more than a music lover. He’s a music evangelist and anthropologist, an international funk-o-phile…” — TV Focus (US)

press

Gabour’s “Live in New Orleans”, starring Norah Jones, was Number One in worldwide music DVD sales for five weeks, and went multi-platinum in the US.

print reviews

selected acknowledgements

“Flow: Living in the Stream of Music” was universally acclaimed as an in-depth vision of the creative process, a group of talented jazz musicians working together on the world stage, making something entirely new.
  • Best Music Video: Longform
    • 2007 Grammy Nomination – For Best Longform Music Video “Flow: Living in the Stream of Music”, Terence Blanchard.
    • Director
  • Best Music Video: R&B/Club/Rap
    • “Shining Star”, The Jazzhole
    • Silver Medal, Director
    • Worldfest/The Houston International Film Festival
  • Best Music Video: R&B/Club/Rap
    • “Tip of the Iceberg”, Ice T & Black Uhuru
    • Bronze Medal, Director
    • International Film & Television Festival of New York
  • Best Music Video: R&B
    • “How ‘Bout Us”, Betty Wright & Grayson Hugh
    • Gold Medal/Grand Award Finalist, Director
    • International Film & Television Festival of New York
  • Best Director, Music Special or Series
      • “Deep in the Shed,” Marcus Roberts
      • ACE Nomination, Director
      • National Academy of Cable Programming

    The broadcast cut of “Live in New Orleans” was televised worldwide as a special feature for BBC.
  • Best Music Special
    • “Deep in the Shed”, Marcus Roberts
    • ACE nomination, Writer/Director
    • National Academy of Cable Programming
  • Best Music Series
    • “Friday Night Jazz”
    • ACE Nomination, Director 4 shows
    • National Academy of Cable Programming
  • Best Music Series
    • “Music City”
    • ACE winner, three years
    • Producer/Director
    • National Academy of Cable Programming/
    • National Cable Television Association
  • Best Music Special
    • “All Alone with the Blues”
    • ACE winner, Producer/Director
    • National Academy of Cable Programming/
    • National Cable Television Association
  • Best Performing Arts Series
    • “Music City”
    • Gold Medal, Producer/Director
    • National Federation of Local Cable Programmers
  • Best Music Special
    • “An Evening of Billie Holiday”
    • ACE winner, Producer/Director
    • National Academy of Cable Programming/
    • National Cable Television Association

various awards and 2007 Grammy nomination – for Best Longform Music Video

“Flow: Living in the Stream of Music”, Terence Blanchard

 

industry participation

Jim has been featured director of the year three times at the International Broadcasters Conference in Amsterdam, pictured here with George Jarrett of the IBC and actor/musician Harry Shearer.
  • Mardi Gras Film Festival
    • Founder, Executive Director
    • Featured Guests: Michelangelo Antonioni, Jerry Bruckheimer, Paul Schrader
  • National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences
    • Member
    • National Committee Member
    • Master Class Presenter, National Grammy in the Schools Program
  • National Academy of Cable Programming
    • Member
    • ACE Award Jury
  • International Film & Television Festival of New York
    • Jury Chairman
  • International Broadcasters Conference
    • Featured Director/Master Class Presenter
      Amsterdam
  • National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
    • Member