Buddy DeFranco – The Bebop Years 1949-56 – 2CD

Buddy DeFranco was one of the few jazz clarinettists to come to prominence in the post-war era when the instrument generally saw a decline, and he was one of the only clarinettists to successfully find a role in the changing musical environment brought about by the emergence of bebop. His grounding was in the swing orchestras of Gene Krupa, Charlie Barnet and most notably Tommy Dorsey, but having left Dorsey in 1948, he led his own bands as well as performing and recording with some of the noted leaders and musicians of the bebop era. In the 1960s and ‘70s he led the later incarnation of the Glenn Miller Orchestra. This 2-CD set selects recordings released on the Capitol, Columbia, MGM, Clef, Norgran, and Verve labels featuring DeFranco leading his bands and playing as a member of groups led by Count Basie, Lionel Hampton and Oscar Peterson. Among the top musicians of the day with whom he plays alongside on the tracks featured here are Art Tatum, Clark Terry, Buddy Rich, Max Roach, Kenny Drew, Curly Russell, Art Blakey, Milt Hinton, Eugene Wright, Ray Brown, Herb Ellis, Louis Bellson, Harry ‘Sweets’ Edison, Barney Kessel and others. It’s a collection which not only provides a showcase for Buddy DeFranco’s underestimated virtuosity as a clarinettist, but presents him playing on some notable recordings with some of the finest musicians of the post-war decade.

Track Listing:

CD1: Buddy DeFranco Sextet: 1. Bud’s Invention -   2. Extrovert - Count Basie Octet: 3. Neal’s Deal -   4. The Golden Bullet -   5. These Foolish Things -   6. Tootie - Buddy DeFranco And His Orchestra: 7. Dancing On The Ceiling -   8. Body And Soul -   9. Rumpus Room -   10. Make Believe -   Buddy DeFranco Quartet: 11. Oh, Lady Be Good -   12. Buddy’s Blues -   13. Pennywhistle Blues -   14. Carioca -   15. I Got It Bad -   16. Summertime -   17. Autumn In New York -   18. Show Eyes -   19. When Your Lover Has Gone -   Oscar Peterson Trio & Buddy DeFranco: 20. Somebody Loves Me -   21. The Things We Did Last Summer -   Buddy DeFranco Quartet: 22. Cable Car -

CD2: Buddy DeFranco Quartet: 1. Monogram -   2. Blues In The Closet -   Lionel Hampton Quartet: 3. On The Sunny Side Of The Street -  Buddy DeFranco Quartet: 4. You Go To My Head -   5. Sonny’s Idea -   6. Laura -   7. Minor Incident -   8. Moe -   Buddy DeFranco And The Oscar Peterson Quartet: 9. Fascinating Rhythm -   10. Easy To Love - Buddy DeFranco Quintet: 11. But Beautiful -   12. I Can't Get Started -   Art Tatum/Buddy De Franco Quartet: 13. A Foggy Day -   14. Makin' Whoopee - The Buddy DeFranco Wailers: 15. Perfidia -   16. I Won’t Dance -