Since no one has responded to this yet, here's a simple way to achieve a Gantt chart.

Make a table that has the headers Project Name, Start Date, End Data, Comments.

Depivot the start and end date so they are in the same column. Use a graph view to plot the projects. Connect by Date, color by project. Use a table or content box for the selected comment records.

See attached.

Thanks Howard - a gold star for you!