Photo: William P. Gottlieb, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Clarinetists · 1923–2014

Buddy DeFranco

American jazz clarinetist and bandleader (1923–2014)

Born: 17 February 1923
Camden
Died: 24 December 2014
Panama City
Country: United States
Record labels: Norgran Records
Discography: 33 albums

Biography

Buddy DeFranco was a jazz musician who played clarinet. Buddy DeFranco was born on 17 February 1923 in Camden and died on 24 December 2014 in Panama City. The music is usually filed under jazz. Record labels: Norgran Records. The discography here lists 33 albums, from “Buddy De Franco With Strings” (1954) to “Jazz Tones” (2012). Honours include NEA Jazz Masters.

Boniface Ferdinand Leonard "Buddy" DeFranco (February 17, 1923 – December 24, 2014) was an American jazz clarinetist, universally recognized as the premier clarinetist of the bebop era. While the clarinet was the defining instrument of the swing era, DeFranco was virtually alone in successfully adapting the instrument to the complex harmonic structures and rapid tempos of bebop. During his early career, DeFranco played with big band leaders such as Tommy Dorsey, Count Basie, and Gene Krupa before joining small groups alongside bebop innovators like Art Blakey, Charlie Parker, and Dizzy Gillespie. His technical mastery and innovative phrasing earned him unprecedented critical acclaim, winning twenty DownBeat magazine awards, nine Metronome awards, and sixteen Playboy All-Star awards.

Read the full article on Wikipedia ↗ · From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Discography

Studio and live albums

Buddy De Franco With Strings 1954

Sweet and Lovely 1956

Autumn Leaves Buddy Defranco and His Clarinet 1957

Buddy DeFranco Plays Nelson Riddle's Cross-Country Suite 1958

The Girl From Ipanema 1964

Blues Bag 1965

Makes the Goin’ Great 1968

Borinquin 1977

Mood Indigo 1983

"Mr. Lucky" 1984

Like Someone in Love 1989

Autumn Leaves 1991

Holiday For Swing 1991

Five Notes Of Blues 1992

Hark: Buddy DeFranco Meets The Oscar Peterson Quartet 1995

The Buenos Aires Concerts 1995 · Live

Buddy DeFranco and Oscar Peterson Play George Gershwin 1998

Do Nothing Till You Hear From Us! 1999

Gone With The Wind 1999

Gone with the Wind 2000

The Three Sopranos 2001

Lush Life 2002

Pretty Moods 2002

Cookin’ the Books 2003

Buddy Defranco and the Oscar Peterson Quartet 2005

Buddy DeFranco and the Oscar Peterson Quartet 2006

Charlie Cat 2 2007

I Hear Benny Goodman & Artie Shaw 2007

Jazz Tones 2012

Black Magic

Closed Session

In the Mod

Nobody Else but Me

Also plays on

Albums where Buddy DeFranco is credited as a sideman

1963	The Concert Sinatra — Frank Sinatra	clarinet, tenor saxophone
1965	Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Johnny Mercer Song Book — Ella Fitzgerald	clarinet

Awards

NEA Jazz Masters

Frequently asked questions

What instrument did Buddy DeFranco play?

Buddy DeFranco is known for playing clarinet.

When and where was Buddy DeFranco born?

Buddy DeFranco was born 17 February 1923 in Camden.

What are Buddy DeFranco's best-known albums?

Albums in our database include Buddy De Franco With Strings (1954), Sweet and Lovely (1956), Autumn Leaves Buddy Defranco and His Clarinet (1957), Buddy DeFranco Plays Nelson Riddle's Cross-Country Suite (1958) and The Girl From Ipanema (1964).

External links

Data compiled from open sources; see the source links below. Spotted an error? Let us know.