Boniface Ferdinand Leonard DeFranco, who was known as Buddy DeFranco, was an
American jazz clarinet player in the bebop style who collaborated with a great
many jazz stars from the 1940s through to the 21st century. He died aged 91 in
2014. He grew up in Philadelphia where he began playing the clarinet as a child
and won a jazz competition.
He had a stint with the Count Basie Septet and performed with pianist Sonny
Clark and guitarist Tal Farlow in the early '50s. He performed and recorded with
accordionist Tommy Gumina and a wide range of stars including Charlie Barnet,
Art...